Argonaut Logo.......Just the facts Jack

[Bryan]

JES copied me on a post over on VSS so I thought I would put this one to rest before my addled brain forgets it all.

Here is where I threw out the idea of a contest for the logo design. Luis and I had settled on Argonaut as the regulator name already. Kraken is more or less the model but it didn't have a logo yet.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6963&hilit=contest

Clint Walker (more talent in his little finger than I have in my whole body) came up with the two logos that looked like something from Jason and the Argonauts which also had The Kraken in it.

He and I started brainstorming on Names......Here are some of the MANY that were thrown around.. And some thrown out for good reason!...I have removed some of my favorites as I might use them on later models..Please bear in mind that we were brainstorming for two separate models while we were doing this......Some of the names are quite comical!

Argonaut Surge
Argonaut Maelstrom
Argonaut Vector
Argonaut Whirlpool
Argonaut Tempest
Argonaut Strike
Argonaut Tide
Argonaut Ebb
Argonaut Flow
Argonaut Ebb and Flow
Argonaut Flux
Argonaut Rush
Argonaut Vortex
Argonaut Torrent
Argonaut Tsunami
Argonaut Cyclone
Argonaut Solace
Argonaut Quell
Argonaut Tranquil
Argonaut Serenity

There were a lot more but you get the idea....The one design he did looked like a Squid or Cuttlefish and there was no way I was going to call it either of those so I suggested this....

Something else I need your advice on....Is is possible to draw or illustrate the character of a Kraken?

He came up with this a day or so later

Kraken sketch.jpg

My reply was as follows:
Can you indulge me a little bit with this one please.....

Above the creature can you put ARGONAUT in a curve above it.....

In the space under it's head where it's mouth / beak would be can you put KRAKEN

At the bottom can you put in an Up curve (like a smile) VDH Wesley Chapel Florida

And finally....And this may be too much......Have a long pole spear with a Trident head facing down between the creatures tentacles sorta like it was holding it.....

Right off the bat, this drawing made me like it...... We may move right from like to LOVE..

His reply

Kraken sketch 2.jpg

And after a little more discussion and revision we came to this

Kraken Sketch 3.jpg

And finally the one we have now

Kraken Final.jpg

There are HUNDREDS of E-mails back and forth between us but this is it in a nutshell. The Kraken Red is actually Porsche Guards Red that I chose because it's neither red nor orange but the best of both of them and one of my favorite colors (and cars).
Luis was not sold on it at all in the rough draft days but when he saw the finished product he was all smiles......If it were left up to my artistic ability we would have called it Diving Regulator #5....But since Clint gave so much of his time and effort the logo is a real knockout and definitely stands out in the crowd!

[JES]

Thank you Bryan for sharing some Argonaut Kraken name and logo design history with us. Clint really is quite a talented artist!

I have taken the liberty of sharing a link to this post over on VSS. The VSS Argonaut Kraken thread already has over 600 views since it was started on June 25th.

[Ron]

As a history buff, and I know a lot of us are, I thought I would share this:

http://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-le ... aken-00267

One of the reasons that the name for the many armed monster known in lore as the kraken has a name that translates to "broken", "upended", or "destroyed" is because it was what sailors feared (and legends said) that the beasts did to sailing ships of old. I think it is an entirely appropriate name for the regulator. It has a lot of arms. It crushes all other regulators that I have ever used, hands down. It looks awesome, but it also looks kind of mean. This thing is not "effing around", you know? As soon as I saw the artwork I knew it was a perfect fit. I also like the Argonaut name, as the make of regulator harkens to a band of sailing adventurers (literally the men of the Argo) which fits in with the themes of the ocean and legends. I hope that Bryan makes another model in the Argonaut line, and that it continues the adventuring spirit of this endeavor. Diving has become a little too anemic in the era of the cattleboat diver with the 4 million danglies and horrible buoyancy. This is all just my opinion as a diver.

I'm sure there is an angry guy out there shaking his fist about the name somewhere, but he doesn't have to buy one. Those of us in the velvet rope section of the regulator world love our krakens. Everyone who has seen mine thinks that it is the coolest piece of scuba kit that they have ever seen, and immediately wants one. People can gripe, but experience has taught me that when people gripe you are doing a good job, because people hate change of any kind. It is simple psychology. It's about time scuba has some new and interesting stuff, because most of it is the same tired old crap with new labels on it. When companies have to put swivels on second stages to call them a "new model", then scuba equipment manufacturers are running out of ideas.

There will be punch and pie served at the ministry of truth following my brief. All thought crimes will be referred to room 101. That is all.

[sitkadiver]

From following the developments and discussion here on VDH, I thought the name Argonaut was perfect: A group of heros standing behind a stalwart leader while on a daunting, long-term journey and doing battle against very incredible odds. It seems like a script was written long ago for the development of the Kraken.

The final logo turned out awesome! You know collectors 100 years from now will be able to spot these things form across a stadium full of DH regs. Clint Walker did an amazing job. Doug Comstock is a friend of mine and when we were roommates I would watch in amazement how he could produce and draw things: He's written a couple coloring books and has artwork all over the Northwest and Maine. I'm just in awe of people who can do that.

Thanks for sharing your talents Mr. Walker.