: How should I position the letters in a square logo to read “H S S C”? I am creating a logo using the acronym HSSC (High School Student Council). Here is the current logo. My question

@Barnes313

You did say square didn't you?

H S
S C


This way, either way it is read:
1) top, left to right, then bottom, let to right
2) or left, top to bottom then right, top to bottom

Your logo will then read HSSC either way!

E.G.

H S1
S2 C


I could read it: H, S1, S2, C

or

H, S2, S1, C

AND EITHER WAY I READ IT HSSC! YAY.

If you can only rearrange the letters in your current posted logo, the way to arrange them it to put the C center, bottom, e.g.:

H /
S / S
/
/ C

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@Ann6370331

Of course everybody will read in a different way, but when you consider all possible combinations, you can still find out which has the highest probability of being read in the right order.

Since we read from left to right and top to bottom, we can rule the right and bottom quarters out as starting points.

Here are the possible reading orders:



Since two of those are the same they are (at least in theory) the most logical choice.

That being said: You should seriously consider a logo that works in a different way or at least put the letters in in pairs. One pair in the left quarter and one in the right. You can then for example add a date and some icon to the top and bottom quarter.

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@Jessie844

Like Scott said, his brain read it as HCSS, so did I.

I would read it as HSSC if you put H on top, then S S then C

H H
S S C S
C S


First one Makes S's appear in the center.

Just to be sure I'd ask people around me if they read it as HSSC, I'd be happy!

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@LarsenBagley460

What about any of the below arrangements?

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@Correia448

I don't know if there is a particular reason to have the letters in 4 sections, but you could consider something like this to make it unambiguous:



The elipse could even be shadded or raised or have some other effects added.

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@Murray976

It doesn't matter what you do. Some will always read them in a different order. The brand should include use of the company name in some locations so that, eventually, the public gets used to thinking H-- S--- S--- C---. As you can see HERE the order is largely irrelevant and makes no sense until the actual name of the company is included.

I, personally, read it as HCSS - but that means very little. My (English speaking) brain tells me to read from top to bottom, left to right, After all that's how we are taught to read - so H-CS-S. I would never think to read in a clockwise fashion, even if you rotated the characters (which I actually think is a horrible idea).

Even when reading an actual analog clock, the eyes don't track the numbers in a rotational fashion. The natural order is to see the 11-12-1 combination, then the 8-9-10 combination, then the 2-3-4 combination, and lastly the 5-6-7 combination and track while reading in that order for items (hands) in those areas. So, even when things actually are clockwise, the natural order is not to actually read clockwise (in an English speaking country).

No logo starts as just a symbol -- Apple, Nike, AT&T, Ma Bell, etc.. all start with a symbol and name, until the symbol is recognizable enough that the name can be dropped.

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