When John and I started this company in 2007, we each contributed about $1,500 to build our website and purchase the first press run of “The Art of Joinery.”
So when it came to designing a logo, we had exactly $0.00. I ginned up a placeholder logo using the Caslon Antique typeface and we launched our business with that. But as soon as we made some money, we planned to get a real professional logo.
During the last nine years we tried a couple times to get a logo designed, but the project was cursed (like our poster business). Both designers either flaked or were swallowed by a hole in the Earth. So we trudged on with our DIY logo.
This spring we vowed to make a third attempt. I hired Tom Lane, a designer in Liverpool, who I’d been following on Dribble for some time. He specializes in hand-drawn logos, and his aesthetic matched what I was looking for.
The curse had finally been lifted (thanks Marta Madden).
Tom drew a bunch of logos in pencil. He narrowed it down to three solid choices and we began refining things during the last two weeks. And today, it’s done.
I’ve been in the publishing business long enough to know that some of you (all of you?) might prefer the old logo. That’s cool, but this is our logo. We’re happy we got to support an independent designer, promote some handwork and get the logo that I wish we’d had in 2007.
— Christopher Schwarz
not a big fan of change. but one can not move forward with out it. looks good to me.I guess I will need to find an old one and frame it for my shop. you got one hanging around you don’t need anymore.
It’s a classy logo and the design really fits the company. Love it.
I have to admin, I am a big fan of the old one. I did not know that you two came up with it yourself and think that is especially cool.
That said, I really like the new one as well. Kudos. Now I can say that all my previous LAP purchases are “vintage.”
BTW – Forgot to say I really like the image in the post showing his work product. Many good examples of great ideas there.
Now just make sure you hire someone good to Hand Paint/Letter the window/sign or whatever for the store. Please don’t use vinyl.
actually that would look really good done in an old style gold leaf with black outline.
I second that. It’d be, as I like to put it, “Classy as f$#k”!
The new logo has flair and anyone can read the print and understand your work. My complaint with so many company identities is they tell you nothing about the focus of the company and work they perform. Bravo, success looks great ! !
I like the old one! And I was far to imagine that was DIY.
And this one it looks very refine and with lots of thinking behind it! Great work
Long live to LAP!
🙂
I like the new logo and how you have arrived at it.
Very snappy–I like it. It looks more arty and less lost.
I like it; reminds me of an old beer logo. Not one in particular though.
I was thinking the same thing, Leinenkugel’s.
I really like the upward sweep of the font, echoed by the little “tail” hanging off the Press. Very well designed – good work, guys!
Onward and Upward!
I like everything about it, but It will take some adjustment, as changes will. I especially dig the “seal”. The old logo said “reprint” or bringing back the dead, This says making the Old new and fresh again or New things, done the old way. All good.
Nice observation!
The new logo looks great.
No doubt there’s some secret meaning
behind the change, the merest hint
of some vast global conspiracy
to promote fluoridation and
similar nefarious plots!
; ^ )
Congratulations! I especially like the stamp!
looks good and classy–like the Tabasco logo.
Well done, and congrats on finishing up old to-dos.
Very nice! Tom Lane’s work is excellent. I don’t know how you narrowed it down to just one.
Very nice. It looks old (classic), but has a very modern look. The small circle with the Traditional Hand Tools says it all. Best wishes for a great future. Keep these wonderful coming.
I like it……But. A talented sign painter taught me long ago that the most important thing is easy to read. I have a problem with the “L” – as a sign on your store I think it will need a second look.
The original logo had great charm. The new logo tells more about the company and is very cool. Great choice. Thanks for including the photo of the other ideas.
I would still like to see an LAP acronym of a square, dividers and … well, still haven’t thought of a tool that looks like a good letter P.
Holdfast?
Yea. One of the new/old Roman ones he posted that curve back towards the shaft.
I love the new logo! It kind of reminds me of the fonts used in old movies about the future.
Change is life. Anyone telling you differently is trying to sell you something…
I like it, onward and upward!
Immediately printed one out, now to make the frame. Looks like new tee shirts are in the offing.
Can’t even remember what the old one looked like. How about a new t-shirt or hat with this one on it?
No skep then? Colony collapse disorder is even spreading into the publishing world.
Cheerio,
Virg.
PS well done.
“…might prefer the old logo.”
I’m still pissed they canceled Firefly. You’ll just have to get in line for my outrage.
Ha!
Brownshirt…
You mean Browncoats I should think, Brownshirts has quite a different connotation…
As does Brownpants.
Love. It. 🙂
Love this, I already forgot the old one. I was on a site showing the progression of the the Stanley logo, pages and pages of new logos. The next one will be even better…
I can’t even remember the old logo. This one looks a lot more stylish.
Its great! I like a lot of your illustrations,. and I have yet to be disappointed with the decisions you have made for YOUR company. — If I may relate: I have a very young (and very talented) CAD designer that joined my team a short time ago. – He smiles every time he sees my notebook with your sticker and the words “DISOBEY ME” on it. He’s getting along with all of us ‘old guys’ there. And i attribute that success to things I have read in your various books and blog posts.
Bah I hate change. I mean it’s a very nice looking logo but I have the soul of a 90 year old crotchety man so those darn kids and their fancy new logos:-)
Perfect!
Echoing Bill Schenher, I agree with his advice to have it hand painted on your store window(s). Hand painted signs have life and quality that vinyl can’t match, just as hand crafted furniture, or hand carved objects shown the human touch that mass manufactured CNC stuff can’t.
…and yes, gold leaf would be fabulous, and at the same time make the store look like a 1940’s bank.
Well Done!
Beautifully done! Really like the results of the effort . And, thank you for the glimpse into the progression of the design. Very interesting seeing the path you walked. Change is good when the outcome is what you believed it would be. If it is what you hoped for … awesome!
Absolutely beautiful new logo!
Any chance of getting it done on a poster?? hehe
Nice hand-drawn lettering, I believe it fits your style. Did you consider all the applications and scale? It seems the elements inside the seal will be lost if the logo is reduce to small. All the best, Daniel
Fine, now I have to buy a new hat.
Yowzers! Hate me, but it’s as though it were whittled from a Stanley No. 55 utilizing as many of its irons as possible. A lot going on there for my sensibilities.
Love the logo. One small thing. There is a bit of dithering – grey, dingy pixelation in the white space outside of the black lettering in the logo at the top of the website. WordPress will sometimes cause that dithering when the image size isn’t the same as the available space. The solution is to make the image the same size. It could also be the quality of the jpg. Your logo is black and white, so the file format would be better as a high quality gif, or even png handles crisp edges better than jpg. I think the new logo is awesome, so just want it to look it’s best!
Congrats on the new logos!