The Computer Science and Engineering Association at Aurora University needed a new logo, so they put out a call for designs. I submitted some entries.
What follows is the full range of my “talent” on display, from “I can see the vision” to “what were you thinking”.
I really wanted them to know that the C.S.E. Association rocks. I also couldn’t spell “officially”. The logo reads “WE OFICIALLY ROCK” around a circle with “C.S.E.” in the middle and “A.S.T.R.A.” at the bottom. The typo does most of the work here.
This one spells out the full acronym: Aurora’s Scientific Technological and Research Academy. Three overlapping circles with an atom, a lightbulb, and a computer. It’s the kind of logo that says “we have a mission statement” and I mean that affectionately.
A lightbulb inside a gear shape. Orange and yellow. Simple, clean, actually works. This is easily my strongest entry so far.
Overlapping coloured squares with “C.S.E. Association” on a yellow sticky note in the middle. It’s cheerful and doesn’t take itself too seriously. I like it.
A computer mouse on a blue geometric shape. The mouse is rendered in red and white, floating above the main form. It’s bold and readable, I think the composition feels a bit unbalanced.
A red starburst seal with “C.S.E.” in the centre and “BRANCH ASSOCIATION” around the edge. It looks like something from a trade union or a government department. Very official.
Glossy green bubble letters spelling “CSE” inside a green orb. Below it, “Association” in a serif font, then the full name in small text. The gloss effect dates it straight to 2009, which is fitting since that’s exactly when it was made.
A cow. Just a cow’s face, front-on, with “CSE Association” in yellow and “Oh yeah!” in red script. I have no idea what connects this cow to computer science and engineering, but my confidence was admirable.
A yellow triangle split into sections, each containing an icon: a laptop, an award ribbon, a swirl, and a running figure. “COMPUTER SCIENCE ENGINEERING” wraps around the top two sides. It’s trying to say everything at once and ends up saying nothing in particular.
Four quadrants with abstract symbols: a flame, a stick figure, a chess piece, and a yin-yang. Below it reads “CSE Association A.S.T.R.A.”. The four symbols are meant to represent different aspects of the association.
Looking back at these now, they’re a perfect time capsule of 2009 student design. The glossy effects, the starbursts, the random animal photography — it’s all very period-specific. None of them are great, but that’s the point. They’re honest. They’re what I threw together when asked to make something look professional.
I keep them because they remind me that not everything needs to be polished to be worth remembering.