Rename ‘redesigning_betula_logo’ to ‘betula_logo_devlog’ recursively by bouncepaw

Rename ‘redesigning_betula_logo’ to ‘betula_logo_devlog’ recursively (by bouncepaw at 12 Jul 26 13:50 UTC)

Hyphae affected: betula_logo_devlog , redesigning_betula_logo

diff --git a/betula_logo_devlog.myco b/betula_logo_devlog.myco
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..089ad75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/betula_logo_devlog.myco
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+For the NLNet [[Betula]] grant, I had to redesign the logo. The old one was not very recognisable at small sizes, barely looked like a birch, etc. June 2026, I spent several days working on the new one. Turned out, logo design and vector graphics are so much more complicated than I anticipated! Went through multiple approaches until I settled on the final logo. It's live on [[https://joinbetula.org]] or instances running newer versions, such as [[https://links.bouncepaw.com]].
+
+= Approach 1. Generative birch trunk pattern
+For some idea, I had this idea of giving every Betula instance a unique userpic/favicon, which is a randomised birch trunk pattern. Why not make the logo with the same pattern generator? Gotta make the generator first though. Spent some time implementing and ended up with a naïve generator. Here are some generations with different parameters:
+
+img grid {
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-05 naive 1.png
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-05 naive 2.png
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-05 naive 3.png
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-05 naive 4.jpg
+}
+
+That's fun but does not really look like a birch would. What if I used Perlin noise for generation? Looks much more believable!
+
+img grid {
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-05 perlin.png
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-05 perlin camo.jpg {
+ With some parameter combination, the generator could be used to make camo patterns.
+}
+}
+
+This is a very good pattern generator, but it must not be a logo. Devastated from such a big waste of time, went looking for new ideas. Maybe I'll revisit this generator in the future though, but definitely not for the logo.
+
+= Approach 2. Branches
+What if I bent a birch thunk? Found a piece of paper, drew lenticels and played around:
+img grid {
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-07 paper 1.jpg
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-07 paper 2.jpg
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-07 paper 3.jpg
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-07 paper 4.jpg
+}
+
+img {
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-07 paper 5.jpg { This branch layout is the best! }
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-07 paper full.jpg { With text. Drew this on a paper bag. }
+}
+
+Next day went onto digitalising the idea. Instead of drawing the birch anew, took a birch photo and edited it.
+
+img {
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-08 editing birch.png { Process... }
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-08 raster logo pt serif.png { PT Serif composition. }
+}
+
+OK that won't do.
+
+= Approach 3. Vector stump
+img {
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-08 vector sketch.png {
+ The old logo was an SVG vector art which I made in text editor. Yes, I made all those Bezier curves by hand. What if I made an SVG again, but in Inkscape this time? This is a quick messy sketch. Hmm that kinda works!
+
+ I love the concept of the lenticels looking like eyes. One of the reasons //Betula pendula// is my favourite tree.
+}
+}
+
+img grid {
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-08 vector eb garamond italic.png {
+ In the old logo, I used a Garamond font. Not sure which one. This time I took OFL-licensed EB Garamond. Hey it's pretty good!
+}
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-08 vector eb garamond.png {
+ I really love the quirk of the italic EB Garamond, but the regular one seems to work better. Went with it.
+}
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-09 favicon aa.png {
+ The logo would go to the favicon for sure. Rendered it at 32 by 32 pixel. Too blurry.
+}
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-09 favicon no aa.png {
+ With no anti-aliasing it's bad.
+}
+}
+
+Spent some time optimizing the image so it looks better at low-res. Unlike raster images, where more points means a smoother images, in vector images it's better to have //less// points. Peculiar.
+
+img grid {
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-10 favicon.png {
+ A preliminary favicon.
+}
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-10 process.png {
+ So many windows...
+}
+}
+img {
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-10 logo comparison.png {
+ Comparison with the old logo. At some point I dropped the whirl at the top.
+}
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-10 tab comparison.png {
+ And favicon comparison.
+}
+}
+
+= Polishing
+After seeing the logo in use for a couple of days, I thought it should be improved further. I did think of optimising for low-res favicon rendering, but I thought of 32 by 32 pixel images, which Retina displays use. I don't have a Retina screen, and I end up with regular 16 by 16 pixel favicons, and the image is not crisp enough to my taste. And overall some proportions could be improved.
+
+img grid {
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-12 inkscape.png {
+ Working in Inkscape. Put on a 16 by 16 squares overlay to get a better idea what lines become what pixels. Made the gray-white-gray gradient less noticeable (it's still there though).
+}
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-12 favicon.png {
+ Got this solid favicon.
+}
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-12 profile.png {
+ The stump can be found on profile. It is also federated as userpic.
+}
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-12 about.png {
+ Full logo with text is found on the About page.
+}
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-12 joinbetula.org.png {
+ And on the website! I also redesigned it so it looks something like a Betula.
+}
+https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-12 final.png {
+ This is the final result. I'm content.
+}
+}
\ No newline at end of file

diff --git a/redesigning_betula_logo.myco b/redesigning_betula_logo.myco
deleted file mode 100644
index 089ad75..0000000
--- a/redesigning_betula_logo.myco
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,112 +0,0 @@
-For the NLNet [[Betula]] grant, I had to redesign the logo. The old one was not very recognisable at small sizes, barely looked like a birch, etc. June 2026, I spent several days working on the new one. Turned out, logo design and vector graphics are so much more complicated than I anticipated! Went through multiple approaches until I settled on the final logo. It's live on [[https://joinbetula.org]] or instances running newer versions, such as [[https://links.bouncepaw.com]].
-
-= Approach 1. Generative birch trunk pattern
-For some idea, I had this idea of giving every Betula instance a unique userpic/favicon, which is a randomised birch trunk pattern. Why not make the logo with the same pattern generator? Gotta make the generator first though. Spent some time implementing and ended up with a naïve generator. Here are some generations with different parameters:
-
-img grid {
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-05 naive 1.png
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-05 naive 2.png
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-05 naive 3.png
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-05 naive 4.jpg
-}
-
-That's fun but does not really look like a birch would. What if I used Perlin noise for generation? Looks much more believable!
-
-img grid {
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-05 perlin.png
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-05 perlin camo.jpg {
- With some parameter combination, the generator could be used to make camo patterns.
-}
-}
-
-This is a very good pattern generator, but it must not be a logo. Devastated from such a big waste of time, went looking for new ideas. Maybe I'll revisit this generator in the future though, but definitely not for the logo.
-
-= Approach 2. Branches
-What if I bent a birch thunk? Found a piece of paper, drew lenticels and played around:
-img grid {
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-07 paper 1.jpg
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-07 paper 2.jpg
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-07 paper 3.jpg
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-07 paper 4.jpg
-}
-
-img {
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-07 paper 5.jpg { This branch layout is the best! }
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-07 paper full.jpg { With text. Drew this on a paper bag. }
-}
-
-Next day went onto digitalising the idea. Instead of drawing the birch anew, took a birch photo and edited it.
-
-img {
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-08 editing birch.png { Process... }
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-08 raster logo pt serif.png { PT Serif composition. }
-}
-
-OK that won't do.
-
-= Approach 3. Vector stump
-img {
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-08 vector sketch.png {
- The old logo was an SVG vector art which I made in text editor. Yes, I made all those Bezier curves by hand. What if I made an SVG again, but in Inkscape this time? This is a quick messy sketch. Hmm that kinda works!
-
- I love the concept of the lenticels looking like eyes. One of the reasons //Betula pendula// is my favourite tree.
-}
-}
-
-img grid {
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-08 vector eb garamond italic.png {
- In the old logo, I used a Garamond font. Not sure which one. This time I took OFL-licensed EB Garamond. Hey it's pretty good!
-}
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-08 vector eb garamond.png {
- I really love the quirk of the italic EB Garamond, but the regular one seems to work better. Went with it.
-}
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-09 favicon aa.png {
- The logo would go to the favicon for sure. Rendered it at 32 by 32 pixel. Too blurry.
-}
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-09 favicon no aa.png {
- With no anti-aliasing it's bad.
-}
-}
-
-Spent some time optimizing the image so it looks better at low-res. Unlike raster images, where more points means a smoother images, in vector images it's better to have //less// points. Peculiar.
-
-img grid {
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-10 favicon.png {
- A preliminary favicon.
-}
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-10 process.png {
- So many windows...
-}
-}
-img {
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-10 logo comparison.png {
- Comparison with the old logo. At some point I dropped the whirl at the top.
-}
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-10 tab comparison.png {
- And favicon comparison.
-}
-}
-
-= Polishing
-After seeing the logo in use for a couple of days, I thought it should be improved further. I did think of optimising for low-res favicon rendering, but I thought of 32 by 32 pixel images, which Retina displays use. I don't have a Retina screen, and I end up with regular 16 by 16 pixel favicons, and the image is not crisp enough to my taste. And overall some proportions could be improved.
-
-img grid {
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-12 inkscape.png {
- Working in Inkscape. Put on a 16 by 16 squares overlay to get a better idea what lines become what pixels. Made the gray-white-gray gradient less noticeable (it's still there though).
-}
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-12 favicon.png {
- Got this solid favicon.
-}
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-12 profile.png {
- The stump can be found on profile. It is also federated as userpic.
-}
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-12 about.png {
- Full logo with text is found on the About page.
-}
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-12 joinbetula.org.png {
- And on the website! I also redesigned it so it looks something like a Betula.
-}
-https://bouncepaw.com/img/2026-07 Betula logo/2026-07-12 final.png {
- This is the final result. I'm content.
-}
-}
\ No newline at end of file