Hello Everyone,
I am wondering if we could have a talk about CentOS visual identity, so to consolidate the path to follow and coordinate further efforts in this matter.
There are two points I would like to call attention to. The first one is the visual structure of CentOS Project (see http://wiki.centos.org/ArtWork/Identity). The second one is the CentOS Project logo (see http://wiki.centos.org/ArtWork/Brand/Logo).
In the very specific case of CentOS Logo it is necessary to note that it is being used in different manners in official places. This affects the strength of the CentOS brand. For example, consider the construction described in the wiki page above and the logos shown in wiki.centos.org, bugs.centos.org and mirror.centos.org sites. Although they are similar they aren't exactly the same.
The construction I propose in the wiki is based on the CentOS logo published in the sources of CentOS 5. In these files, the CentOS logo is entirely plain and does not have any ornament (like shadow or bright) on it.
I am planning to put ready-to use CentOS logos files in SVG format in the wiki and I would like you to express your opinion in the correct CentOS logo that should be used so we can unify this and give more strength to CentOS Project visual identity.
Best Regards, al.
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On 17/04/15 19:00, Alain Reguera Delgado wrote:
Hello Everyone,
I am wondering if we could have a talk about CentOS visual identity, so to consolidate the path to follow and coordinate further efforts in this matter.
There are two points I would like to call attention to. The first one is the visual structure of CentOS Project (see http://wiki.centos.org/ArtWork/Identity). The second one is the CentOS Project logo (see http://wiki.centos.org/ArtWork/Brand/Logo).
In the very specific case of CentOS Logo it is necessary to note that it is being used in different manners in official places. This affects the strength of the CentOS brand. For example, consider the construction described in the wiki page above and the logos shown in wiki.centos.org, bugs.centos.org and mirror.centos.org sites. Although they are similar they aren't exactly the same.
The construction I propose in the wiki is based on the CentOS logo published in the sources of CentOS 5. In these files, the CentOS logo is entirely plain and does not have any ornament (like shadow or bright) on it.
I am planning to put ready-to use CentOS logos files in SVG format in the wiki and I would like you to express your opinion in the correct CentOS logo that should be used so we can unify this and give more strength to CentOS Project visual identity.
Best Regards, al.
Hi Alain,
That's a good idea. What I'm wondering is why using a black font for "CentOS" on a light background ? why not using something like blue ?
Cheers, and thanks a lot for your work
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Fabian Arrotin The CentOS Project | http://www.centos.org gpg key: 56BEC54E | twitter: @arrfab
On 4/18/15, Fabian Arrotin arrfab@centos.org wrote: ...
What I'm wondering is why using a black font for "CentOS" on a light background ? why not using something like blue ?
Hi Fabian,
The black color gives us the highest contrast we can take on light backgrounds, just as white color does on dark backgrounds. The contrast here is important because it may affect the visual impact of the brand and so its recognition when it is printed on different media. Using other color but black in light backgrounds would reduce the number of possibilities the CentOS word and, by extension, the CentOS logo could have in this respect (i.e., the number of media it can be applied to).
On the other hand, if there is an identity issue strong enough for the community as to use a different color but black in the CentOS word, I don't have a problem with it. All we need is to be aware of the implications and be consistent with it in whatever implementation we adopt.
Best Regards, al
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On 19/04/15 22:28, Alain Reguera Delgado wrote:
On 4/18/15, Fabian Arrotin arrfab@centos.org wrote: ...
What I'm wondering is why using a black font for "CentOS" on a light background ? why not using something like blue ?
Hi Fabian,
The black color gives us the highest contrast we can take on light backgrounds, just as white color does on dark backgrounds. The contrast here is important because it may affect the visual impact of the brand and so its recognition when it is printed on different media. Using other color but black in light backgrounds would reduce the number of possibilities the CentOS word and, by extension, the CentOS logo could have in this respect (i.e., the number of media it can be applied to).
On the other hand, if there is an identity issue strong enough for the community as to use a different color but black in the CentOS word, I don't have a problem with it. All we need is to be aware of the implications and be consistent with it in whatever implementation we adopt.
Best Regards, al
Hi Alain,
Well, I understand and follow your explanations for the light background and the black color. I was just giving my simple user opinion (not being a designer nor a artwork guy myself ;-) ) I was thinking that it would make more sense to use the same color for the "CentOS" word, like for example for the one we have already for the bug tracker : https://bugs.centos.org/images/centos-292-new.png Still "enough" dark, but not black, and so it can be seen as a whole : logo and centos words are part of the same identity and not something constructed from a logo on one side, and a centos word from somewhere else. Just giving my opinion though
- --
Fabian Arrotin The CentOS Project | http://www.centos.org gpg key: 56BEC54E | twitter: @arrfab
On 4/20/15, Fabian Arrotin arrfab@centos.org wrote: ...
I was thinking that it would make more sense to use the same color for the "CentOS" word, like for example for the one we have already for the bug tracker : https://bugs.centos.org/images/centos-292-new.png Still "enough" dark, but not black, and so it can be seen as a whole : logo and centos words are part of the same identity and not something constructed from a logo on one side, and a centos word from somewhere else. Just giving my opinion though
The color issue is a valid point and could be an option to go with. However, the CentOS symbol in the link above is not consequent with CentOS symbol design published along with sources of CentOS 5. Note that I am making suggestions here, too. The last word in CentOS brand design is, I guess, the one said by the legal owner of CentOS brand. In this respect, it would be nice to know his/her opinion.
The effort of consolidating the CentOS brand is very important for the CentOS Project because, at some point, the CentOS brand should be registered with some sort of trademark authority in order to protect its existence. In this respect, having a well established design is necessary.
Based on http://centos.org/legal/trademarks/, the CentOS brand is now a trademark of Red Hat, Inc. However this page doesn't mention how exactly is the CentOS brand positioned inside Red Hat, nor whom is responsible for its positioning and design? Also, the degree of involvement the CentOS community can take in respect of CentOS brand design without contradicting what is legally established.
Any information about these points would be as well very useful.
Best regards, al.
On 05/08/2015 11:26 AM, Alain Reguera Delgado wrote:
On 4/20/15, Fabian Arrotin arrfab@centos.org wrote: ...
I was thinking that it would make more sense to use the same color for the "CentOS" word, like for example for the one we have already for the bug tracker : https://bugs.centos.org/images/centos-292-new.png Still "enough" dark, but not black, and so it can be seen as a whole : logo and centos words are part of the same identity and not something constructed from a logo on one side, and a centos word from somewhere else. Just giving my opinion though
The color issue is a valid point and could be an option to go with. However, the CentOS symbol in the link above is not consequent with CentOS symbol design published along with sources of CentOS 5. Note that I am making suggestions here, too. The last word in CentOS brand design is, I guess, the one said by the legal owner of CentOS brand. In this respect, it would be nice to know his/her opinion.
The effort of consolidating the CentOS brand is very important for the CentOS Project because, at some point, the CentOS brand should be registered with some sort of trademark authority in order to protect its existence. In this respect, having a well established design is necessary.
Based on http://centos.org/legal/trademarks/, the CentOS brand is now a trademark of Red Hat, Inc. However this page doesn't mention how exactly is the CentOS brand positioned inside Red Hat, nor whom is responsible for its positioning and design? Also, the degree of involvement the CentOS community can take in respect of CentOS brand design without contradicting what is legally established.
Any information about these points would be as well very useful.
The CentOS Board decides how the Trademark and brand would be used, of course we work with and get advise from Red Hat Legal with respect to the trademarks.
http://centos.org/about/governance/#the-centos-governing-board
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Alain Reguera Delgado -
Fabian Arrotin -
Johnny Hughes