[img] Rubycon textual logo for header

[palladius]

I would like to have a ruby//con logo with a river between ruby and con to put in the header, this might be easily done by any graphic designer but let me try AI first.

prompt v1

We're creating a rubycon website which plays on the Ruby Conference vs Rubicon river pun. It's held in Rimini, near the rubicon. Please give me a couple of Image generator prompts which I can feed to Midjourney or gemini to design a very simple logo with the words "ruby // con" where there is a river going like a slash (bottom left to top right) between ruby and con. It needs to look like a river, but very stylized and simple, we need to extract basically the text and image and put it as if it was text, so we need the imagery to be very simple and just limited to the part between ruby and con.

[palladius]

Gemini responduit:

Prompt 1 (Minimalist & Geometric):

A minimalist logo for "ruby // con". The text "ruby" is on the left and "con" is on the right. A simple, stylized river flows from bottom left to top right, replacing the slashes. The design should be a clean, black and white vector graphic with sharp lines and a modern aesthetic.

Prompt 2 (Fluid & Organic):

A creative logo for "ruby // con" featuring a fluid, single-line river acting as a divider between "ruby" and "con". The river should have a gentle, calligraphic feel, flowing diagonally upwards. The overall design should be simple and elegant, suitable for a tech conference, with a subtle texture in the river to evoke water.

[palladius]

hmm MJ gave me horrible stuff, maybe we can scomodate greek/integrail symbols?

eg Ruby∬con

[palladius]

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[palladius]

this is my fav so far

[palladius]

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[palladius]

Gemini gave me some further ideas:

how would you change this text/logo to look like Roman? Think ancient Caesar Roman.

Give me font, serifs, images, any idea!



Text is: RubyCon

Answer

Of course! The name "RubyCon" is a fantastic starting point because it's a direct play on the "Rubicon," the river Julius Caesar famously crossed. This gives us a rich historical and thematic well to draw from.

Here is how you can transform "RubyCon" to look like it belongs in Ancient Rome, under the reign of Caesar.

1. The Font: The Soul of the Roman Look
   The absolute key is to use a font based on Roman square capitals, the kind you see carved into monuments like the Colosseum or Trajan's Column.

Primary Font Choice: Trajan

Why: This font is the quintessential Roman typeface. It was designed by Carol Twombly in 1989 and is based directly on the lettering at the base of Trajan's Column in Rome (c. 113 AD). It's majestic, powerful, and instantly recognizable as classical Roman.

Free Alternatives: If you don't have Trajan, excellent Google Fonts alternatives are Cinzel, Forum, or Cormorant Garamond (use the all-caps version).

Key Typographic Rules:

All Caps (Majuscules): Roman inscriptions did not use lowercase letters. Your text must be in all capital letters: RUBYCON.

The "U" becomes a "V": This is a critical detail for authenticity. The letter 'U' did not exist in the classical Latin alphabet; it was represented by a 'V'. So, your text should be:

RVBYCON
Spacing (Kerning): Give the letters some breathing room. Roman carvers spaced letters for maximum clarity and grandeur. Don't crowd them together. Increase the letter-spacing (tracking) slightly.

2. The Serifs: The Chisel's Mark
   The serifs (the small feet at the end of letter strokes) are crucial. They shouldn't be blocky slabs. In Roman carving, serifs were created by the flared edge of the brush used to paint the letters onto the stone before the carver began.

Look for: Flared, delicate, and bracketed serifs. They should feel organic and elegant, as if carved by a master stonemason. The Trajan and Cinzel fonts do this perfectly.

3. Imagery & Iconography
   Wrap the text in symbols of Roman power and authority. Here are a few concepts for a full logo.

Concept A: The Imperial Standard

Image: Use a Roman Eagle (Aquila) or a Legionary Standard (Vexillum). The eagle was the most sacred symbol of a Roman legion.

Layout: Place the text RVBYCON on a banner (a tabula ansata) hanging from the standard, or have the eagle clutching a ribbon with the name inscribed.

Concept B: The Laurel Wreath

Image: A laurel wreath, the symbol of victory (triumphus). Caesar was often depicted wearing one.

Layout: Enclose the word RVBYCON within the wreath. This is a classic, strong, and balanced design. You could also place the letters SPQR (Senātus Populusque Rōmānus - "The Senate and People of Rome") subtly underneath for added authenticity.

Concept C: The Chiseled Stone

Image: This is more about texture than a specific icon. Make the logo look like a piece of a weathered marble or stone monument.

Layout: The letters RVBYCON shouldn't just be placed on top; they should look engraved or chiseled into the surface. Use lighting effects, shadows, and subtle cracks in the stone texture to make it look realistic.

Concept D: The Coin (Denarius)

Image: A Roman coin. They were often imperfectly round and featured the profile of the emperor.

Layout: Place a profile of Caesar on the coin. The text RVBYCON can curve around the edge of the coin, just as it would on an ancient denarius.

4. Color Palette
   Stick to a palette drawn from Roman reality.

Imperial Red (Pompeian Red): A deep, rich, slightly earthy red. This was a common color for Roman military tunics and wall frescoes.

Marble White / Travertine Cream: The color of the stone they built and carved with.

Imperial Gold: For highlights, laurels, and the eagle. Represents wealth and divinity.

Stone Grey: The color of weathered stone, for a more gritty and ancient look.

Putting It All Together: A Summary Example
Here is a complete concept combining these ideas:

Imagine a logo set against a weathered marble background. In the center, a golden laurel wreath encircles the text. The text itself is RVBYCON, written in the Cinzel font, and appears chiseled into the stone with a subtle 3D effect. The color of the text is a deep Imperial Red, with hints of gold in the highlights. Beneath the wreath, in a smaller size, are the letters SPQR. The entire design feels permanent, powerful, and steeped in history.

[palladius]

Some font logos are in here for team to validate: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KsFztJC34yOh9dGf5sGUZGvS9wjyMfWrcXpgLGvVJxs/edit?tab=t.0