Violinist.com Logo Change

August 24, 2023, 10:35 AM · I dig it. The whole Kokopelli thing strikes me as a vague and new-agey self-commodification (Unless I've already forgotten and there was another logo in between).

But I'm not hugely picky on graphic design.

August 24, 2023, 11:03 AM · I usually scroll down anyway.
(That ought to take you down a peg or two)

August 24, 2023, 1:53 PM · It's not the end of the world, but I do kind of miss Kokopelli.

August 24, 2023, 2:04 PM · I like the new one. It has natural elegance, and the link between fernseed and invisibility evokes the beauty of the violin. Furthermore, the cut-down version of the old one on my opening page looked like an insect.

August 24, 2023, 3:17 PM · The "V" feels very unstable to me. I get it - with the scroll and the f-hole references, but letters with illustrative elements often come across as awkward unless in the hands of a skillful designer (a Hilary Hahn of graphic illustrations perhaps?). The Kokopelli worked better since it was an illustration with the logotype and wasn't forced to be a letter and illustration simultaneously.

August 24, 2023, 3:44 PM · I really like the new one! For me it is cheerful and playful, and really elegant in the same time. Exactly what the violin can be for me :)

Edited: August 24, 2023, 4:20 PM · As an arguably "artsy" type, I much prefer the new logo. It incorporates some of the most artistic and most defining elements of a violin; the ff-holes and the scroll.

August 24, 2023, 3:58 PM · the new logo is very nice, but may come across as old-fashioned. that was certainly not a problem with the previous logo.

Edited: August 24, 2023, 4:15 PM · Laurie likes it. I'm sure she had fun designing it. I'm in support of that!

August 24, 2023, 4:25 PM · Jean Dubuisson, what about any sort of use of the violin isn't somewhat "old-fashioned"? Is fixing "old-fashioned" a cure desperately looking for problem?

August 24, 2023, 5:38 PM · I prefer the new logo to the old one.

August 24, 2023, 6:47 PM · It actually reminds me of either Nathaniel Rowan's art fiddle f-holes, or perhaps one of Guy Rabut's artsy f-holes.

I don't think that Laurie asked for our opinion...

August 24, 2023, 8:53 PM · I think the use of the f-hole and scroll to form the “V” is clever and looks a lot nicer than the character playing in the old logo (it always reminded me of those “Life is Good” T-shirts. The only thing I don’t like as much is the font for the rest of the letters. The font looks too casual to me. The new logo is more in line with the current trend toward logos with higher contrast and less “noise.”

August 25, 2023, 10:52 AM · Love it!

August 25, 2023, 1:07 PM · And the Kokopelli figure had terrible posture!

August 25, 2023, 1:20 PM · I miss the original but this one isn't bad!

August 25, 2023, 3:14 PM · I agree with Rich Maxham. The "V" is clever and attractive, but the off-the-shelf cursive font doesn't match well with it.

It could be improved by designing customized letters after the "V" so that the whole "Violinist.com" has the elements of a designed logo.

The "V" as a stand-alone icon is quite nice.

August 25, 2023, 4:23 PM · Am I the only one who doesn't remember what the old logo looked like? ??

August 26, 2023, 2:56 AM · hi Bo, you can see it here: snapshot of v.com, 8 July 2023

August 26, 2023, 9:21 AM · @George I think Laurie has gone through a few font iterations over the years.

August 26, 2023, 10:28 AM · Q. How many violinists does it take to change a lightbulb?

A. 30. One to do it, and 29 to say how they could've done it better.

August 26, 2023, 10:48 AM · I love it and think an update was in order.

August 26, 2023, 10:52 AM · How many violin teachers does it take to change a lightbulb?

NONE (0) - They teach the lightbulb how to change itself.

Edited: August 26, 2023, 11:18 AM · Thank you so much for the feedback, everyone! I always loved Koko and considered him to symbolize that all people and all styles are welcome here on Violinist.com, but it was time for an update. He was, after all, 2,000 years old! I like the new logo - as with the last one, it was my idea to begin with and then I worked with a graphic designer. And as always, it will probably go through its own iterations!

August 26, 2023, 11:35 AM · I like the latest font much more than the previous one. I think that it fits with the "V" now. Nice job, Laurie.

August 26, 2023, 12:09 PM · Thank you George, I do like the idea of having the other letters specially made, it would just take some time to figure that out!

August 26, 2023, 1:03 PM · I could see making some changes to the other letters, although it might make readability less precise, and I think a clean look that’s easily distinguishable and can be scaled up or down well and formatted well for various media uses is crucial. Although I’ve suggested a different font for the “iolinist.com” portion, I don’t mean to suggest that I think Laurie has done anything poorly; I just have a little different aesthetic taste in fonts.

Personally, I would opt to make the other letters look like they were block printed like on an old Italian violin label.

August 26, 2023, 1:52 PM · The fusion of a sound hole and scroll to form a ‘v’ is very creative. Well done!

Edited: August 26, 2023, 5:44 PM · First Elon changing Twitter to X, and now this!

I kid, I kid... It would be nice with the lettering having more definition, and maybe a color that stands out more from the background.

August 26, 2023, 8:51 PM · I have to admit that I can't answer the question. Seeing the new logo for the first time I could not remember the old one. I just realized that it was new. But I can't compare!

That said I liked this logo from the start.

August 26, 2023, 9:41 PM · Scroll up, Albrecht. Jean found it in the dusty archives of the interweb.

Edited: August 27, 2023, 9:16 AM · Only due I needed to rectify a font capital letter for my wife's ballet school poster, I think there are some areas a bit uneven in the V, some of them highlighted in this image

Maybe tweaking a bit the glyph will have it more regular, but I don't know what was the goal nor the source, in the end this is Laurie choice.

August 27, 2023, 9:24 AM · They are just tool marks. :-)

August 27, 2023, 4:57 PM · D Z this is a bench-made logo....

Edited: August 28, 2023, 6:32 AM · Good to know, if was written I missed it.
I don't know the plans about this logo, in any case my very personal vote will be for a version with cleaner borders.

August 28, 2023, 5:35 AM · George, in 'It could be improved by designing customized letters after the "V"', you mean making the "l" look like a tourte bow, the "i"s look like baroque bows, the "s" look like an f-hole (no, NOT like a Thomastik bass bar - Those violins turned out to be a miserable failure), the "n" look like a bridge ...?

August 28, 2023, 6:03 AM · Greetings,
Just out of curiosity In asked ChatGPT to suggest 10 possible logos:

1. **Classic Violin**: A simple yet elegant logo featuring a violin with the site name below it.

2. **Violin Strings**: Abstract representation of violin strings forming the letters of "violinist.com."

3. **Violin Scroll**: Incorporate the scroll of a violin as the central element, with the site name around it.

4. **Musical Notes**: Combine a violin shape with musical notes swirling around it.

5. **Violin and Quill**: A violin bow transforming into a quill pen, symbolizing music and writing.

6. **Violin and Globe**: A global perspective, showing a violin and a world globe, indicating a worldwide community of violinists.

7. **Fretboard and Keyboard**: A fusion of a violin's fingerboard and a piano keyboard, representing versatility in music.

8. **Violinist Silhouette**: A stylized silhouette of a violinist in action with the site name beside it.

9. **Musical Waves**: Visualize soundwaves emanating from a violin, forming the site name.

10. **Violinist Community**: Illustrate a group of violinists standing together, forming a sense of community.

I’m not feeling any wiser…

August 28, 2023, 12:07 PM · Hah! Buri, I think stick with the humanoids....

August 28, 2023, 3:37 PM · Hi Laurie. Couldn’t agree more. This AI stuff is so bland at times. I do llike the new logo a lot.
Cheers,
Buri

August 28, 2023, 4:56 PM · After all these years here at violinist.com I learn we had an original "logo" after I can no longer see it.

But since scrolls and ffs have been part of my daily visual input for 85 years the new logo is fine with me.

September 7, 2023, 2:42 PM · I'm with you, George. I appreciate that there's a lot of thought in the new design and it is clever, but I liked the old one better. I liked how the kokopelli could be put in whimsical situations (like wearing a Santa hat) and I own a T-shirt with the kokopelli on it that I think has a nice colorful, whimsical design. I don't want a T-shirt with this logo on it.