design with a side of dialogue

Project: Logo
Patron: UEC iT
Medium: Illustrator 10
Status: Thumbnails
Deadline: 4/30/03

The deadline I will probably miss, since I actually have two logos to do, but I did talk with DG on Thursday, and at least now I'm working in the right font. *sigh*

These are two products that are similar to iPortal or OFS. What I've been asked to do is grandfather these two new products into this type of logo design. I've been having some trouble with it, mainly since it takes a long time to do correct curves and such in illustrator. I feel like I'm wasting a lot of time doing that sort of thing, that I don't spend that much time on "design" per say. It's probably time to sit down with a pad of paper and a few of my starting ideas and really scetch some things out. As it stands now, I forget an idea as soon as I start wresling the technical mechanics of the thing.

I'm also concerned about making this logo too busy. There are at least 8 graphic elements that must be included and at the moment they are all competing for dominance. I keep thinking that if I follow the sequence used on the other logos, I will unlock the "correct" combination...but so far that has been generating a lot of weak images.