- Designing a logo may seem like a tall order, but with the right knowledge and resources it is possible
- A logo is an important part of a brand, which is why it’s essential that your logo design is nothing but flawless
- A few things to keep in mind when creating a logo is to keep it simple, research the brand and use your sketchpad
Designing a logo may seem complex but once you get going you’ll find that it isn’t as complicated as it seems. Designing a logo may seem like a daunting task, but with the right knowledge and experience under your belt, you can get in a good rhythm with it. Logos are a critical piece to any brand and you won’t see any big company without their logo. When you’re entrusted with creating a logo for a client, you want to make sure that you put the effort that’s needed into creating something flawless. It may seem like there’s a lot of elements with designing a logo, after all, there are fonts, layout, and colors to choose from, but it is possible.
For effective brand marketing, a company needs a logo that they could rely on and represents their brand well. If you’re at a loss of where to start with designing a logo, we’re providing the basics of everything that you need to include for designing a logo.
How To Design a Logo
Keep It Simple
One of the biggest mistakes that new designers make when they’re designing a logo is overcomplicating the design. They incorporate too much and it ends up looking too full with too many elements. You want to keep it simple and not include too much. Start with a base design that has only the most critical elements that are necessary. Remember that more complicated doesn’t mean better. Some of the best logos in history (the Apple logo or the Nike logo) are just simple, one-element logos. Keep your logo simple and you’ll find that it’s more successful.
Research The Brand
Make sure that you’ve done your research and fully know the brand before you start with the logo. Since the logo is a direct representation of the brand and everything that it stands for, it’s crucial that you know exactly what the brand is. Not only do you have to know what the brand is you have to know the essence of it and the personality. Don’t be afraid to reach out to the brand and ask them questions. Discover what their mission statement is, what their goals are, their target audience and what they have to offer. All of this information is needed to create a logo that will represent the brand best.
Use Your Sketchpad
Your sketchbook is your treasured piece, it’s what’s most important for your creative outlet and to get an idea of what your final result will be. This is always the fastest way to get your ideas down on paper and sketch out concepts that you have. Instead of taking the time to sketch your logo concepts out on your device and then bringing them to completion, you can quickly get your rough ideas down on paper. A pencil and paper are always on hand and you can bring them everywhere with you. You never know when inspiration will strike and it’s always useful to be able to jot down your ideas.
Write Down Words
One of the best strategies for capturing the essence of a brand and a way to get out of your creative rut is to start brainstorming with words. Most people write down their design concepts, which is useful, but sometimes writing down words can be just as helpful. Think about the brand and what design concepts you think of with it. Write down all the words as they come. You can even have representatives from the company write down what words they think to represent their brand. You never know what will come out of it. Then, you can sketch out ideas based on the words to give you a spark of inspiration. This idea may not be for everyone, but it’s worth a shot.
Make It Different
With the billions of designs in the world now the concept of an original logo can look a little different. Nothing will be truly original, but directly copying other’s work is never okay. Remember that it’s okay to seek inspiration for your design, but don’t take ideas from other graphic designers and rephrase them as your own. It’s especially important to make sure that the logo you create is drastically different from the brand’s competitors. The logo you create needs to have your signature style and be different.
In Conclusion
When you’re first starting with designing a logo, the process can seem overwhelming at first glance. If you’re a graphic designer that doesn’t know where to begin with designing your first logo, we can promise that you’re not alone. Above we’ve listed our top tips for how to design a logo and what you can do to ensure that you create a flawless one. With the tips above you can create a killer logo that will suit the brand in no time!
