Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2013-12-25/WikiProject report

We saved one last special report for 2013. After our well-received review of great WikiProject logos a couple years ago, it was only a matter of time before we collected a new batch of interesting iconography that showcases the creativity of the Wikipedia community. Hopefully, these logos will also inspire other projects to liven up their drab pages.

Before we begin, it is important to note that gilded pages do not guarantee a project's success. Slapping a new coat of paint on a flailing WikiProject won't eliminate the project's deeper flaws. We have special reports on reviving WikiProjects, learning from dead projects, and other kernels of knowledge that can help struggling projects.

The list below presents interesting designs that stood out among the many projects surveyed by one Report writer. This list is in no particular order and is by no means exhaustive. For great logos we may have overlooked, we invite our readers to post their favorite WikiProject's logo in the comments section of this report.

Award winning project
WikiProject Wikipedia Awards, home to barnstars and other bits of WikiLove, had a logo purpose built by Antonu, the editor who remastered most of Wikipedia's barnstars and creates new ones for WikiProjects upon request. The logo in its entirety has been translated into Korean and Urdu. The golden barnstar with a laurel wreath, created specifically for the WikiProject Wikipedia Awards logo, was refashioned for the "2.0" version of the WikiProject Barnstar which is awarded to "someone who makes great strides in improving WikiProjects."

Interwoven fossils
The logo for WikiProject Palaeontology is simple yet distinctive, with a Plesiosaurus macrocephalus fossil wrapped around the project's name. The fossil image looks pretty good for a hundred-year-old sketch.

Practice what you teach
Like the project's dual pursuits, WikiProject Heraldry and Vexillology has dual identifiers. On the left, the "Wikipedia coat of arms" which is described thusly: Or, on a puzzle piece gules a flag waving Or on a flagstaff bendwise argent; for the crest, a flag waving Or on a flagstaff palewise argent issuing from an escutcheon Or issuing from a wreath Or and gules. To the right, the WikiProject Heraldry and Vexillology seal which would look mighty fine on a flag or letterhead.

For our next trick
WikiProject Magic has a logo calling to mind the carnivals, circuses, and other traveling shows where magicians and soothsayers once made a living. While today's illusionists and escape artists demand flashier events, this call-back to a bygone era fits the project's extraordinary members.

That's so yesterday
What better way is there to identify WikiProject Fashion than with an outfit that's hopelessly out of fashion? This 1920s postcard should remind everyone that some day your children and grandchildren will be laughing at how ridiculous you looked back in 2013.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water...
WikiProject Sharks doesn't need anything flashy. While many sea creatures have dorsal fins, a simple fin-shaped-object poking out of the water immediately brings sharks to mind (often to humorous effect). The morale of this story is that you don't need a DFA to design a decent logo. All it takes is an idea and a little motivation.

Just when you thought it was safe to jaywalk...
The WikiCops are coming for you. WikiProject Law Enforcement has an intricately crafted badge mixing a sheriff star, cop shield, and bobby crown with a laurel wreath and some rays of chivalric order starshine.

In all seriousness
The folks at WikiProject Editor Retention mean business. Attracting and keeping editors is a huge challenge for Wikipedia, so it's reassuring to know that the professionals at WikiProject Editor Retention are on it.

On the road again
The vast array of roadway projects and task forces have something in common that tie them all together: vectorized road signs unique to their corner of the world. If you don't have the time or know-how to create something from scratch, just use the resources that are already at your project's disposal. Logos going left to right are from: WikiProject U.S. Roads, Auto Trails Task Force, U.S. Territories Task Force, WikiProject Canada Roads, and WikiProject Australian Roads.

Full circle
We ended the first Great WikiProject Logos with a simple yet effective logo from the folks at WikiProject Zoo. Since then, they've updated their look with a wild image clearly inspired by edgy advertising buffers for some televised wildlife programs. The Wikipedians of WikiProject Zoo are clearly excited about their subject.

Did any of these stand out to you? Did we forget your favorite project's icon? Do you have something new you've been working on that you'd like to share? Post it to the comments section below!

Next week, we'll ring in the New Year with our annual retrospective. Until then, revisit years past in the archive.