As designers of identity and graphics we must train ourselves to think critically about what works well in creating a logo that is timeless whilst maintaining the corporate message about the company. The way a logo is designed can say a lot about the company you are designing for so it is not as easy a task as one may seem it to be. With many years experience in varying fields of creativity I have been trained to be pretty critical of what works and what doesn’t in many design fields thus in this blog post I will share with you what I believe really helps in making a killer logo that will remain highly identifiable throughout the decades.
The Art of Logo Design
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Research
First step to creating any magnificent logo design is to spend a little time researching what your industry competition is doing to represent its image & corporate identity. Study what colours are commonly being used, what shapes, symbols & typography.
This is a great starting point but you don’t want to be the same as every other brand, that would just be booooooring! This is just to allow you to gain an insight of what is working ( or not).
I believe it can be important to consider how you can in-cooperate some principles of accepted industry standards whilst adding something alternative that will make you look different from the competition and a forward thinking company not scared to stand out from the crowd.
What works
Look at corporate logos of companies that have succeeded in world recognition. What do you notice about most logos from successfully branded companies below?
Of course, they are all simple, easily recognizable minimalist symbols. Some corporations use typography but the main and most important rule of all successful branding is to keep it SIMPLE.
Foresee the four C’s
Classicality
Keep it minimal. The most memorable logos are all minimal. Don’t try to be a leonardo here, try and refine your design and reduce it to its basic form and I am sure you will reach at an impressive design.
Colour
The psychology of colour has more power than you think. For instance, everyone knows that red can mean danger but it also can mean passion. McDonalds use it because psychologists believe that red makes you do things on impulse where as yellow can make you fellow hungry thus their colour choice is down to trying to sell as much fast food as possible by making people hungry and act on their impulse to eat a bigmac. There are plenty of books out there that discuss this in further detail ( although I plan to blog about this in the near future ) so if you are a graphic designer make sure you understand the principles of good colour selection & the psychology behind things.
Concept
What seperates a good logo from a great logo? In my opinion, probably a good artistic concept. I argue this case with all art forms, whether architecture, painting, graphics or fashion, without a great concept or theory behind the work it is nothing more than a pretty item. This frustrates me because pretty pictures are not art or at all creative, they are simply technical ability expressed. Concept puts meaning to inanimate objects & things which is all important as we humans try to make sense of the world and surroundings we live in. Designers shouldn’t just be creators of identity they should be thoughtful, society transforming knights to help businesses grow and enhance the lives of others through creative developments.
Craze
As previously mentioned, creating a logo that is “timeless” must consider what is expected in the industry but also what is currently in vogue. Logo Design is fashion driven, all creative industries are, from architecture to cars to simple graphic design, there is a set fashion to what is popular and what is currently believed about certain symbols, shapes and styles. These things must be considered in unison with keeping the design simple enough in order for instant recognition from anybody who sees it.
Conclusion
A great logo takes time to develop and it usually isn’t the first thing you produce that is the logo that will be the final product. The best logos are developed and refined many many times. I am a designer of identity and i can help you with your corporate branding if you wish, just ask any questions and I will gladly help you out. Best of luck in your logo design .
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