What do you see in this logo?

[Alex Franke]

I'm going to try to make a custom branding iron to start consistently marking the stuff I make, so I've been playing around with some logo/brand ideas lately -- something small, not too formal, not too casual, and is a least a little identifying.

Here's a symbol I came up with tonight. It's 3/4" wide.

I'm curious to know if you all "see anything" in this like we did. (The last thing I need is to start marking stuff with a symbol that kinda-sorta-looks-like something I really don't want it to kinda-sorta-look-like, but I'm so used to looking at it now, I only see what I want to see.)

[pacwind3]

I sort of see a smiley face.

[Uncle Cracker]

Although "ajf" is clear, I also see a happy guy with a monocle...

[herb fellows]

While I see it now, I didn't see the 'j' until someone else mentioned it. I just read it as a highly stylized 'af'.
I don't know how important that is to you, but if it is I would get a sampling of people who don't know you to comment on it.
I just took a second look and I think it could also be interpreted as 'cyf', but maybe that's just me?

[Turaj]

"ayf" and a happy face!!! (cannot see a "J").

[JoeyGee]

It does sort of look more like a Y than a J. Other than that, it sort of reminds me of Mr. Peanut--no offense, just what I saw at first glance.

[Salty]

A wink with the left eye..........

[crokett]

I see the ajf and I also saw the happy guy with the monocle. I think if you separated the a from the j/f then people would not see the y.

[Alex Franke]

Thanks -- this is great! It was supposed to be just "af" like herb saw -- and then I started to see the winking guy with the monocle (which is actually growing on me).

it sort of reminds me of Mr. Peanut--no offense, just what I saw at first glance.

That's hilarious -- You're right, it does!

[Alex Franke]

btw, here's the current version of the iron. I can get it "printed" at shapeways in stainless steel (831 deg C) for only $13.20 shipped! That's less than I expected, so it's almost a no-brainer to try. Anyone used shapeways before for 3D printing? It's pretty popular among tinkerers.

[germdoc]

I like it!

[scmhogg]

Do you have any idea what that says in Arabic? Just kidding.

Steve

[Mr__Bill]

What I saw was Ycf with the Y standing out bold and stylized. It would to me say something like Young consolidated freight.




Bill
Ooooooo it's sunny out today!!

[herb fellows]

Pardon my ignorance, I don't think I 'get it'.

You give them a flat design, they make it into 3d and then do it in stainless? So is what they are giving you a 'stamp' or is it the actual piece you will heat up to brand your pieces or...? Confused.

[Alex Franke]

Pardon my ignorance, I don't think I 'get it'.

You give them a flat design, they make it into 3d and then do it in stainless? So is what they are giving you a 'stamp' or is it the actual piece you will heat up to brand your pieces or...? Confused.

I started with a flat design (using Inkscape), but then I used 3d modeling software to make a branding iron (the second image I posted). I upload the 3d model and they "print" it in stainless steel (or plastic or whatever). The steel is heatproof up to about 830 deg C so I figure it should work fine as a branding iron.

...I'm not sure it will work like I expect it to yet, but we'll see!