I haven’t updated my old logo for Dust Scratch Games since around 2016 or so. I still like it fine, but I’ve finally gotten around to upgrading the design for a more modern, cleaner look. Keep reading to see the full resolution images.
In fact, the website got a minor update too. It’s been upgraded to WordPress 5.XX.XX over the older 4.XX.XX (this should have happened 5 years ago, but since security updates for v4 were still provided, and after so many complaints of compatibility after upgrading, I held off until now). And you’ll notice a new homepage that’s a little better as a landing site. A different template (WordPress theme) for that homepage would be nicer, but this’ll do for now.
Anyway, the older logo (2016) for Dust Scratch Games looked like this:
This itself was a formal version of a hand-made design back when this site first launched. The idea was that the logo and text would be written on graph paper, as if by a draftsman armed with a pencil and ruler, with “games” scrawled along the bottom. The logo symbol is a CD disc with a pencil, representing the meaning of “dust scratch”: physical marks made on a disc (wear and tear), and also the marks made by graphite from pencil to paper. That logo was made with realistic objects and a stylized filter in Photoshop.
The new logo, as of 2022, is the following:
This is a little more professional. The font choice changed slightly for “Dust Scratch,” and both the font and placement of “Games” changed drastically. The color of “Games” still has a hint of blue, a callback to the original logo (in fact, it’s a little too dark here, but I’ll leave it as is for now). The whole thing is less playful than before, but might look present better in front of publishers, businesses, and academics (which, in a late attempt to legitimize this “company,” will become a larger consideration).
The disc logo has been redesigned by hand, and is much cleaner and easier to make out. It’s not perfectly clean in the reflection lines, which is by design to mark the imperfections. By itself, it can be used in branding, as seen below:
Generally, the disc will be the icon in social media profiles (currently, really just Twitter), although I am fond of some older icons I’ve used, featuring Sketch, the character from the 2015 game “Unfinished – An Artist’s Lament.” He’ll probably remain as the mascot here and there.
One feature of the new logo design is the ability to replace the word “Games” with other potential branches of “Dust Scratch.” By changing the font and dark-color, I can replace it with “Comics,” “Press,” “Software,” “Films,” or whatever works in the future. I’m half-prepared to put everything under the umbrella “Dust Scratch Studios,” with a monochrome color scheme, as seen below:
Even the website URL considered this possibility one day (why else would I use fromdustscratch.com instead of dustscratchgames.com?). But it would require more commitment to those other ventures, so I’ll leave it at “Dust Scratch Games” for now.
One issue with using a single, darker color for most of the logo is that it doesn’t show up as well on dark backgrounds. In those cases, I would just change the color as appropriate. On the other hand, the simplified colors are easier to print and stand out more on normal, white backgrounds.
This was a long-winded article showing off what is probably a boring topic to everyone. I like my design sensibilities though, and I think the results here are a distinct improvement.
(And as usual, please do not use these logos without explicit permission from Dust Scratch Games.)