Logo Design Tips

All you need to know about designing great logos.

We are often get confused when we are required to design a logo. Most of the time, we don’t know how to start or how get the idea and how to make progress. However, logo design is no different from any other types of designs, which requires creativity, logical thinking and proper planning. Logo design also has certain rules that you need to follow. So here are some tips.

1. Understand the Brand thoroughly

Before starting your work, make sure to know the company and brand (including products/services, history, client base, market etc.). It will help you to understand the personality of the brand and the business. If it is an existing company, take a look at the different logos and branding principles that your client have used in the past. This will help you to decide whether to carry on the history or have a radical shift.

2. Don’t let your client dominate you

Keep in mind that you are hired as an expert. So it is important not to allow your client to dictate you what to do or what not to do when it comes to your assignment. Ask questions and get the answers from client but not vice versa.

3. Do some research about your audience

Designing logo isn’t just making a beautiful graphics. It’s one of the basic foundations of branding and building Brand Equity. So it is a really good idea to do some research on the target audience to find out about the true value, interpretation and perception of the brand in the eyes of the target audience.

4. Don’t try to copy

Don’t copy another logo no matter how tempting it is. Logo MUST be unique. That’s why it is very important to do some Google image search of the logo elements and competitor’s logos to find out if your logo resembles (knowingly or unknowingly) theirs.

5. Ask questions to client about the logo

Take client’s comments on areas, which talks about the relevance and brand values and the association of the logo. But never ask questions such as: ‘Do you like it?’ or ‘Do you want any change?’ The whole point of asking question is not to take their opinion about your creative capability, but the relevance of the logo related to the brand.

6. Do some sketching using pen/pencil and paper

Ideas flow quicker and better on pen/pencil and paper. And it is also easier to look at them together for easier brainstorming.

7. Logo doesn’t necessarily need to depict the business or product

Logo doesn’t necessarily show the type of product or services. You don’t have to limit your creativity by forcibly depict something which is offered by the brand. That’s where your creativity and out-of-the-box thinking should kick in.

The McDonald’s logo isn’t a Burger. Coke logo is not a drink. Etc.

8. No need to symbolize it

You may just use font or typefaces instead of creating symbol. Example: Mobil, FedEx etc. it’s not necessary to associate a symbol to a logo.

9. Choose a proper typeface

Typography is one of the foundations of a logo. You don’t necessarily have to create your own typeface in order to design a logo. You may very well choose from thousands of typefaces available.

However no matter what you do, make sure that it has the capacity to withstand aging. That means, it shouldn’t be out dated after few years. Typeface should also be readable and relevant to the brand.

You may also take an existing typeface and modify if necessary.

10.Keep proper spaces around the logo

It is important to keep in mind how the logo will be used when you are creating a design. For example, if logo is used on a web page, where and how it should be placed and how much of space should be kept around it to make it look consistent.

Most of the brand books will specify an exclusion zone. This is an area around the logo design that can’t be occupied by other content, to protect the integrity of the logo and brand by extension.

11. Use negative space cleverly

Some of the best logo designs have hidden meaning in their negative space. A great example is the Fed Ex logo, which uses the combination of the letters E and x to form an arrow in the negative space. These elements make an apparently ordinary logo become extraordinary.

12. Don’t use lot of different fonts

Although there can be exceptions to this rule, I would recommend to use one or two types of typefaces.

13.Remove redundancy

Removing the repeat elements is important to keep the logo simple and uncluttered as well as legible. For example, if the logo has a symbol, make sure that the symbol is not repeated by use of text.

14. Do the logo in Black & White first

It’s a great idea to sketch the logo using black pen on a white piece of paper. That will give a clear idea about the basic element/ foundation and structure of the logo.

15. Keep it relevant

Logo of a Media company or brand cannot have the same theme or representation as logo of a Steel manufacturer or a Kindergarten school. Keeping it close to the type of brand or the heart of it’s offering is very important.

16.Make sure it stands against time

Logo must withstand time. Most iconic example is Coca Cola and McDonald’s. So make sure that whatever the font, colours, symbol and artwork you develop, can be used, upgraded or modified easily over time.

It’s not that logo never changes, but keeping it aging proof is something you need to master on.

17.Create a logo (or branding) style guide

Style / branding guides determine the way a logo design can be used and usually include colour options, size restraints, positioning, typefaces and how the logo design works on different backgrounds. Although a branding guide or a brand bible is lot more than just creating a logo usage specification; however logo plays a very vital role.

18. Make different formats of the logo

Lastly, make sure to make the logo ready to be used in different media. Web & digital media requires RGB and 72 dpi versions; on the other hand, print media requires CMYK and 300 dpi version usually in Vector. There may be specific requirement for logo to be used on Fabric and other media. Please keep those in mind.

Also make sure to specify CMYK, RGB, HEX and Pantone numbers when you create different versions or formats of the logo.

So that’s about it for today. Please come back for further reading and please do email me if you have created any stunning logo for your clients.