Kontact logo contest

Kontact is ("was" as of Sept 12, 2005) looking for a new logo - something I wanted to push for for a long time. kde-artists.org's call for a new logo entry has more details.

- Hmmm. The announcement of the prize will probably just muddy the water. :(

GUIDELINES AND THOUGHTS

SHORT STORY:
My vision of the Kontact is:

"Monotonously reliable machine that manages time-sensitive information with YOU as a focus"
(aka "Fancy Clock")

LONG STORY:
One can overthink a design, and still miss the mark. So, 1st I overthink it, then I check in with real world if I made the mark.

Arriving to the "Mark"

1. From Contest announcement page

Keywords are:
a ) communication
b) organization
c) productivity

d) "not a good idea to include text or images that may represent something some religion or minority group could object to."
e) "bonus if your entry looks good with the Kolab logo"
f) No listing of current Kontact components verbatum.

2. from KDE Wiki - Icon Guide

a) The lightsource should be in the upper left corner.
b) Use appropriate concise metaphors that are international and can be understood in most countries/cultures.
c) Two different things shouldn't be represented by the same icon.
d) All icons should be easy to recognize by color-blind people.

e) ...many application-icons are abstract icons: they are are abstract designs that may have only a superficial or simplified representation of the operation. Some bear no relation to the functionality at all. Instead application-icons try to be much more unique, original and beautiful f) — they are the brand of the application and are used to "advertise" the application (Think of the CorelDraw icon e.g. — If you wouldn't know what this icon is about you would never guess that a vector-graphic-application starts once you click on it).

3. from me

There is no main theme to Kontact except "YOU decide how YOU want YOUR important, time-sensitive information to be organized"

Implications:
a) put human 1st, literally. (similar to view of a fox looking on the "internet" globe on Firefox logo)
b) Somehow indicate this is important, valuable stuff we are dealing with, not some game ... oh wait, games are important... never mind... -> "exclamation point"
c) It is not really "stuff" It's information we are managing... -> (i) Information sign in airports (around the world?)
d) Info is time-sensitive - clock, but as a background / afterthought.
e) Kontact is a complex app - logo has to reflect complexity, weight, multifunction-"ism".
f) The logo has to scale well.

Also:

- You don't juggle the tasks/info manually, behind Kontact's gentle facade there is a well-oiled machine (with gears?) that cranks all those emails and calendars monotonously, relyably by itself. The machine "obscures" the individual functions like email and appointments. They are the ultimate background.

SELF-EVALUATION

Just a checklist against my original Guidelines and Thoughts as applied to "Busy Bee Clock" proposal

1.a. Communication - Partial credit.
Addressed subtly with envelop imagery. Was concidering adding an arm to "blue dude" to almost contact the "!" a la Michelangelo's painting.

1.b. Organization - Yes

1.c. Productivity - Yes

1.d. Text/Offencive Imagery - Yes

1.e. Resemblance to Kolab logo - No
I tried with the original sketch and branch 1 of the logo, but decided to move away from it. There are two ways to approach Kolab logo: a) circling dots and b) blue/drawing style. "b)" I concider too boring for a very commonly used desktop icon. Most of desktop users will never care/know what Kolab logo looks like. I take the interest of the desktop user."a)" I like, but unfortunately found a bit distructing and detrimental at small sizes. So...

1.f. No Listing of Components - Partial Credit
I am not realy comfortable with this requirement. I DID deemphasise the 2 components visible on the logo, making them look like they are part of a larger group rotating in the background. Yet, I find it hard to express the whole idea of Kontact without the prominent hints to its major functionality.

2.a. Litesource - Yes

2.b. Concise, international metaphors - Yes

2.c. Multiplicity of meanings - No
Not sure what that ment.

2.d. Color-blind proof - Yes
I hope, cause I really tried. I welcome feedback to contrary.

2.e. Abstractness - Partial Credit.
Don't like "abstract" that much for things like Kontact and when it comes to Crystal theme in particular. Example of abstruct: K3B icon - well done, but has no relevance to the app whatsoever. May be I should make the idea of "busy bee" more prominent. Animal-inspired icon - what a novel concept. :)

3.a. Put human 1st/center - Yes
"Dude" in the center

3.b. Importance - Yes
Exclamation point

3.c. Information - Yes
Hint of blue "i" we often see in airports. If they are in airports (Los Angeles international in my case) they've got to be internationally acceptable.

3.d. Info is time-sensitive - Yes
Clock

3.e. Complexity, Multi-function - Yes
Layers, things "working" in the background.

3.f. Scale well - Yes
I hope. It's in the eye of the beholder.

MY PROPOSALS

Proposal #1

"Kontact - Monotonously reliable organization machine that manages time-sensitive information with YOU as an axis/focus"

Proposal #2

I'm in. I'm hip. I have to draw an envelop as well. I want envelops, letters K and sharks with lasers! (I also want to pay tribute to Vladimir for including me into the circle of his contributors. :) )


NOTABLE COMPETITOR

Vladimir Slavic's LATEST "Actual Kontact" thing
Pro: A hint of genius, literally (Michelangelo's "Creation of Adam") :). Hints of envelope and a letter "K". Some imagery of a railroad bridge (think: solid structure besigned for heavy-duty communication) Icy cool finish. Scales fairly well. I would love to adopt it to Crystal if he and time permits. If I loose this contest, I hope it is to this logo.
Con: Hmm.. Too simple maybe? Composition is complete but, it lacks depth of verstility of Kontact. It's more than communication, it's also organization tool. IMHO That is lacking. My vision of Kontact is "the monotonous, relyable organization machine". Still, that's just my vision.

AND THE WINNER IS...

"Business-as-usual"
Pros: Direct, simple, to the point. Probably the only logo proposal that KSVG can actually draw completely.
Con: Why waste ppl's creative time with all that "contest" mambo jumbo?