Still So Many Teardrops Left Behind

A friend of mine asked me if it was possible to create a logo for someone she knew who was starting an outdoor fitness and personal training business. There were some red flags, but I was a bit strapped for cash at the time, so I accepted.

Client: “I am starting a fitness business and would like a logo. I have a Word file with some designs I like. My favorite is on top.”

Her “favorite” was horrible WordArt with orange drop shadows, clashing saturated colors, and a gradient that had no business being there.

Client: “I’d also like to include a cartoon teardrop lifting a dumbbell with one arm while hanging from the company name.”

She attached clipart examples of teardrops with faces she liked. I explained to her that this was far too busy for a logo. She agreed to some revisions.

For about a month, we went back and forth. I’d send new designs based on her feedback, and then she’d decide it wasn’t what she wanted. Eventually, I was beginning to lose patience, and for kicks, I sent her an exact copy of the WordArt she showed me originally — without the teardrop character.

Client: “Oh, my God, that’s perfect! That’s the one!”