Brilliant Tips and Guidelines for Professional Logo Design
Hilde Torbjornsen
Designing your own logo doesn’t have to be too hard as long as you have some guidelines to stick to, some decent software, a huge portion of creativity and a few hours to spare. In this article I’ll try provide you with the guideline part and give a couple of tips on how to get the rest.
Logo-design is an art form, there’s no doubt about that. There are own websites, forums and communities dedicated to the logo creation process.
This article is for those who aren’t necessarily experts of logo design but want to learn a bit about the basics of the process. Maybe you’re a new freelancer or want to design a logo as part of a bigger project. Either way this article is for you.
A logo is supposed to be something that sticks to the minds of everyone your business is in contact with. It’s in many ways a part of your face outwards and should not be underrated in any way.
A logo can and should be used actively in your marketing.
First, let’s have a look at some common questions.
Picture by Svilen Milev
What is a logo ?
A logo is a graphic mark/emblem used to promote your company or brand towards the public. It can be a symbol only, a symbol combined with text or text written in a certain way (font, color etc). This leaves you with an extreme amount of creative freedom.
Where can and should I use my logo?
- Website
- Brochures
- Business cards
- Social media (Facebook, Twitter + +)
- Business signs and stickers
- Invoices
- Fax forms
Basically you can and should use your logo everywhere you represent your firm/brand. This means everywhere from online to car stickers and t-shirts + all kinds of print.
What software do I need?
Picture by Jeff Vergara
Technically Id say use vector software if you know any. This could be for instance Adobe Illustrator(quite expensive but very good) or Inkscape (also good, but free). If you are a huge fan of Photoshop you can also use vector shapes in there even though you don’t have the same versatility as you do in a full-blooded vector drawing software. And if you for some reason are unable to make it vector based, at least make sure to create the logo in a pretty big size to begin with, as rasterized/bitmap images don’t scale well the way vectors do.
Common Logo Mistakes
Many people seem to underestimate the power of a good logo. Because of this they sometimes end up with pretty bad ones that aren’t given the time needed for a good result. Here are some common mistakes that you should try to steer clear of
- using fonts that are “everywhere” else
- colors don’t fit at all together
- the logo is too busy (too much detail, color and so on)
- it has no personality
- it looks too much like another logo
My top tips:
Picture by Ivan Prole
1. Use Vector
This sounds so logical for some and is completely Greek for others. Kept short vectors can be resized as big as you’d ever want without quality loss, while those jpegs loose quality pretty quickly.
2. Don’t use more than a couple of colors and fonts
Unless you have a very good reason, try not to use too many colors. You want the logo to be simple and not too busy or tacky. Same goes for fonts. Two fonts can be really cool, but remember to keep it simple!
3. Make it easy to read/see
Picture by Kevin Lockheed
If your logo has text, make sure people can see what it says right away. If it has a drawing of something specific – make sure people can see that too. A logo with unreadable text accompanied by a horrible drawing is a huge turn off.
4. Spend time on it!
Don’t expect to make a complete logo in an hour. Make several different versions, try out various fonts and colors. Have others give you feedback and give it some days to grow on you. If you choose something too fast that you’ve spent too little time on you will have to go through the process again eventually. And the whole point of people recognizing your logo won’t be any point if you have to change it over and over.
5. DONT use photos
Picture by Colin Brough
Most people seem to understand by now that adding photos to a logo never is a good plan. One thing is that a photo can’t be vectorized (without tracing it somehow and then it wont be a photo anymore), another thing is that it’ll lead you into a lot of problems.
6. Versions
You always should make sure that your logo can look good on both dark and light backgrounds. Another thing you could do, is making a black and white version. It might come in handy.
7. Browse other logos to get inspiration
You should never get too stuck in what the current trends are but make a logo that you think you can be happy with for years to come.
8. LIKE your logo
Picture by Svilen Milev
If you don’t like the logo yourself, don’t expect others to like it. Choose fonts and colors you think look good and try to use these colors in other designs related to your business, like for example your website. Spend the extra hours required to get a result you like.
9. Don’t use too much detail
You’d want your logo to be easy to see and recognize, also at smaller sizes.
10. Get feedback
Share your logo suggestions with a few people who you know can give some valuable feedback. Maybe something that looks cool to you isn’t necessarily as good an idea as you think. One example can be shapes that can be seen differently, where you see it as something related to your business while it for other people look as something else. Just make sure to get some feedback. It can also confirm that you’re on the right track.
Picture by Ali Taylor
I hope these tips will help you on getting a great logo together for your business/product/website.
Finally, go have a look at our previous article 30 Best Written And Explained Logo Design for some of the best tutorials that can help you with the creative process of designing a logo.
Thanks for reading, and remember that we would love to hear your comments!
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Rex
Posted 343 days ago 39Thanks for this post! The guidelines is great, really helps a lot for my logo creation..
JimjReilly
Posted 555 days ago 38Thank you so much for the great tips. My head is rushing with ideas :)
Adi
Posted 569 days ago 37The common mistake in logo design is the one you made said it 1st:
“- using fonts that are “everywhere” else” – This is why a lot of logos fail, because they use a complicated font which distracts the used from the symbol.
How many logos have you designed?
It was a better idea to interview a true logo designer.
Marilyn
Posted 579 days ago 36Thanks for sharing! Am still trying to learn how to use the tablet, but now that I see its essential will try to speed my the learning process! :)
Michael Davis
Posted 588 days ago 35Very helpful tips especially for the beginners and for those who wants their logos to look professional. And yes, a logo is something that should remind the people about you or the company. A logo is indeed one of the core parts of a company and I do agree that too much detail destroys a work. Simplicity can be the best sometimes. :)
Tarek Reda
Posted 602 days ago 34Hi,
Your blog has got some pretty interesting points, I agree with you, design is a crucial element for the success of any website.
Check this blog http://lojine.blogspot.com/ , it addresses the same topic and has got some interesting technical and design hints too.
Hope you enjoy it, have a nice day.
Ilie Ciorba
Posted 609 days ago 33Is very important to spend enough money of equipment and software if seriously decided to start a logo business. Using vector path inside Photoshop isn’t the best choise for a logo design. Invest money and buy a good vector editor like Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw.
.-= Ilie Ciorba´s last blog ..Integration between Illustrator and Flash Catalyst CS5 =-.
MK
Posted 612 days ago 32great tips.thx for your sharing.
.-= MK´s last blog ..精选20张HTC Hero 3D壁纸 =-.
Jarkko Sibenberg
Posted 612 days ago 31Nice guide you have here to help with the basics.
It’s important to understand what the client’s company actually does and what its values are before starting the logo design. If possible, it’s always good idea to sit down and ask questions from the client about their company. This way you get a much clearer image and you can ask all the relevant questions. An email briefing may not give you all the ideas the client had in mind.
You should also check rival companies websites, especially if they do business in the same area. You want your logo to positively stand out in comparison.
Also I’d say it’s essential to think a little bit further on as you design the logo. You should think what kinds of fonts and colors go with it, and how the shape will sit on a website, business card or at the side of a van.
Tim
Posted 613 days ago 30In addition to Mary Baum’s comment, I would say that THE most important first step is to get a pencil and paper and brainstorm ideas, thumbnails, and sketches. All too often I see students jumping right on the computer and typing some words out in a display font without even thinking what the company is about or what the logo is about. For example, if the company is called Brain Storm, jot down some words and iconography that comes to mind when hearing those words. That will lead to other ideas, and in the end a better logo design.
It also helps to free up your thought process.
Laurie
Posted 614 days ago 29Love the dialogue! There’s an exciting trend in graphic design in the corporate arena – logos are being designed that are less monolithic and instead are fresher + more inventive.
It’s easy enough to give non-designers a step-by-step approach to design, but there’s one thing I get paid to do as a designer – to follow the rules in order to break them – to find that spark, that solution, the answer – that clicks and transcends the ordinary. That pulls it all together then add the magic. Now THAT’S why you hire a designer as opposed to using a paint by number approach to design or copy something you like then changing it just enough to make it your own. It is still not YOUR voice, or YOUR vision. The right designer will pull all your disparate elements together then Distill. Simplify. Entice.
Thanks for letting me rant. This has allowed ME to distill why I’m in this biz and am passionate about it.
Check out my latest blog:
http://igniteyourspark.blogspot.com/
Stay tuned to my blogpost as I’m now inspired and will write more on this!
Mark
Posted 614 days ago 21Very useful tips. I feel good that I follow all of them for the most part. Just like Melody I would kill for that Graphics tablet…lol
Hilde
Posted 614 days ago 22Hehe :) Thanks Mark! Good to hear you like them. Yeah that graphics tablet! I’ve tried the smaller one (12″) and it’s so awesome. Too bad they’re quite expensive. But….maybe one day ;)
.-= Hilde´s last blog ..Artist of the week #4 – Guido Salimbeni =-.
Mohamed Arafet
Posted 614 days ago 20i like tihs post, and i will traduce it in frensh and arabic. it’s allowed of course ?
.-= Mohamed Arafet´s last blog ..Réaliser une feuille enroulée sur Photoshop =-.
Hilde
Posted 614 days ago 23Hey Mohamed! Great to hear you like the post. Thank you :)
This content is 1stWebDesigner property, but you can publish an excerpt of the article with a link to us though, if you want to share it! :)
.-= Hilde´s last blog ..Artist of the week #4 – Guido Salimbeni =-.
Mohamed Arafet
Posted 614 days ago 28ok i will so traduce only the sub-titles and put of course the link; Think you very match :)
.-= Mohamed Arafet´s last blog ..Réaliser une feuille enroulée sur Photoshop =-.
Ri
Posted 614 days ago 19I usually go with vintage photos in finding themes for my logos. That way, you know your logo’s gonna be just as classic-looking and outstanding.
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Hilde
Posted 614 days ago 24Hi Ri! :)
Thanks for sharing your opinion. That sounds like an interesting and good idea for getting some logo inspiration :)
.-= Hilde´s last blog ..Artist of the week #4 – Guido Salimbeni =-.
Unit B
Posted 614 days ago 18And let’s not forget, as is pointed out on so many blogs and postings, that a logo is NOT a brand. The icon is a symbol that represents you, whereas a brand is, at the end of the day, how you are perceived in the marketplace. (But a really good logo goes a long way toward presenting you in the positive light you’re aiming for.
And when all else fails: simplify, simplify, simplify. The less complex the logo (usually, but not exclusively), the more successful it can be across a broad range of media and usages: t-shirts, coffee mugs, billboards, etc.
Nicely done, Hilde. Great points for everyone.
Hilde
Posted 614 days ago 25Thank you for your comment! Happy to hear you enjoyed the article. Simplicity is the key indeed. It’s about keeping it simple. I agree :)
.-= Hilde´s last blog ..Artist of the week #4 – Guido Salimbeni =-.
Antonio Oliveira
Posted 614 days ago 17If you talk about logo design, I prefer to talk about brand and brand estrataegia. I invite to visit the page http://www.antonioliveira.com and may see some good examples of logo and brand
Mary Baum
Posted 615 days ago 16I would add: Design in black-and-white only at first, without even greys. When the logo works in just black, then add color. That way you know it will work for those on-product applications – for example, when you need to silkscreen it on 2000 pens at 1 cm across.
Remember, also, that you’ll likely be doing a favicon at the same time, bat it will likely be a separate task. Yes, it will be in color, but you’ll need to leave out even more details and fill most of a perfect square.
Hilde
Posted 614 days ago 26Thanks Mary for your great addition! :)
.-= Hilde´s last blog ..Artist of the week #4 – Guido Salimbeni =-.
Cherry
Posted 615 days ago 15Thank you for the useful post!
.-= Cherry´s last blog ..Episode 12 – And The Winner Is… =-.
Hilde
Posted 614 days ago 27Your welcome! Im very happy you found it useful :) Thank you!
.-= Hilde´s last blog ..Artist of the week #4 – Guido Salimbeni =-.
JB
Posted 615 days ago 7Great summarizing, I’m making my own freelancing identity atm and it was cool to see that I’m taking the good path.
Thanks !
Hilde
Posted 615 days ago 14Thanks JB!
And good luck to you :)
Alex
Posted 615 days ago 6I love this. Very useful.
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Hilde
Posted 615 days ago 13Thank you Alex! :)
.-= Hilde´s last blog ..Artist of the week #4 – Guido Salimbeni =-.
Melody
Posted 615 days ago 5OMG I want that graphics tablet soooo bad! =D
.-= Melody´s last blog ..Don’t Worry, Design Happy! =-.
Hilde
Posted 615 days ago 12Me too! haha xD
.-= Hilde´s last blog ..Artist of the week #4 – Guido Salimbeni =-.
Tomas Varil
Posted 615 days ago 4I would like to say that good looking logo is not all ;-) Great identity is the point, what makes all the stuff working! People should think about a logo application too…You can have amazing logo but if you choose bad application, all is going to hell ;-)
Hilde
Posted 615 days ago 11Hi Tomas and thanks for your feedback! I agree – for me a “good looking” logo has to mean something that relates to the business. :)
.-= Hilde´s last blog ..Artist of the week #4 – Guido Salimbeni =-.
Adie
Posted 615 days ago 3Enjoyable read.
Some really good points to remember here, like creating the logo to work on different mediums and colour backgrounds. No point creating a logo that works well on paper but poorly on your products.
Also it’s important to think about how your logo will age. Creating the logo with a particular style or fashion may not look quite so impressive a couple of years down the line.
.-= Adie´s last blog ..My 10 Favourite WordPress Plugins =-.
Hilde
Posted 615 days ago 10Thank you so much for your feedback! Yeah I agree with you, many times it can be hard to remember these things :)
.-= Hilde´s last blog ..Artist of the week #4 – Guido Salimbeni =-.
Krishna
Posted 615 days ago 2I just recently designed a logo for a client, and must say all the tips you have provided are spot on!!
thanks :)
Hilde
Posted 615 days ago 9Very happy to hear that! Thank you :)
.-= Hilde´s last blog ..Artist of the week #4 – Guido Salimbeni =-.
Vincent
Posted 615 days ago 1Nice tips, I think they’ll be very useful to me :)
.-= Vincent´s last blog ..VincentVeri: RT @everyjoe: Color Meanings Around the World http://b5m.cc/adts =-.
Hilde
Posted 615 days ago 8Thanks Vincent! Im very happy you find them useful :)
.-= Hilde´s last blog ..Artist of the week #4 – Guido Salimbeni =-.