What Are The Golden Rules Of Logo Design?
You join a logo design company to make your dream come true. Unfortunately, you are starting to move away from the core principles of logo design and starting to follow the latest trends in logo design. Although this approach may work, it can also backfire, so it is important to stick to the basics when creating brand logos.
If you want to refresh some of the golden logo design rules that you might have learned along the way, you are in the right place. Here are seven golden rules of logo design by the logo design specialist that will turn you into a better logo designer. Although when you study graphic design at Blue Sky Graphics, you will learn about these principles in detail.
1. Lay down a solid foundation
Ask any logo designer, and they are going to tell you that every project teaches them new things. Every client is different, and every designer has a distinct style for creating logos. It is important to develop a consensus to ensure that all stakeholders remain on the same page. That would happen when you ask the clients the right questions.
This will help you build a solid foundation for your logo design project and understand exactly what the client expects from you. Do in-depth research and lay the foundations for your logo design projects that you can build on and create unique logo designs that both your clients and their audiences will love.
2. Sketch, Sketch and Sketch
With so much emphasis on digital tools, logo designers almost forgot how to use their sketchpad. Sometimes it is better for logo designers to ditch screens and mouse, pick up their pen and paper, and start sketching. Technically speaking, sketching makes it easier to play around with shapes and place them exactly where you want them to be. In addition, you can use your sketches as a prototype to show your clients what your logo will eventually look like.
This also helps clients visualise the final version and, if necessary, request changes on-site, saving you time and resources to rework. Paula Scher, the designer who created the CitiBank logo, drew the first sketch of the CitiBank logo on a napkin during one of her initial meetings with CitiBank’s seniors. The sketch had an icon over the evergreen wordmark. That sketch was further refined into what we know today as the CitiBank logo. There is something like this sketch.
With so much emphasis on digital tools, logo designers almost forgot how to use their sketchpad.
3. Keep it as relevant
A logo can tell you a lot about your brand. From its shape to its colour to its type, the viewer’s mind can create a perception of your brand. That is why it is important that you pay attention to a few minor details. Choose a logo that matches your brand personality. For instance, an elegant font will suit a high street brand than a lower end one. Make sure that your logo rationale aligns with the brand personality of the client’s brand.
The best example of this is the Amazon logo. The arrow pointing from “a” to “z” shows that Amazon is selling a complete range of products in its online store. McDonald’s logo is another great example of what a relevant logo looks like. The famous golden arches are a symbol of the mammary glands, a sign of nutrition. This reflects the fact that McDonald’s food is nutritious and tasty.
4. Make Brand Recall Your Priority
When it comes to logo design, it is always better to be simple. The more complex your brand logo is, the more difficult it is for your customers to remember. From a marketing point of view, you want your customers to recognise your brand from their logo. This would only happen if you had a simple, clean logo design.
Just look at the Nike logo and you are going to understand what We am talking about. That black swoosh is popular around the globe, and anyone can recognise Nike products just by seeing the black swoosh symbol on their products. Unlike other logos that have undergone evolution, the Nike logo has maintained its original look.
5. Make it stand out
There are millions of brands around the world, and every brand wants to stand out from the crowd. That is why every brand has its own unique logo. As a logo designer, you are expected to think outside the box, come up with unique logo ideas and convert them into physical equivalent. Instead of copying other logos of the brand, you should try to differentiate your logos.
There is a common misconception among logo designers that you will have to create something out of this world to make your logo stand in a separate league. With minor tweaks and touches here and there, you can give a truly unique look to the logo. Apple Inc’s iconic bit apple logo is a great example of how logo designers can create new logos with minimal effort.
6. Let Your Logo Speaks For Itself
Do not try too hard to show what a brand is doing with its logo, as it would, in most cases, ruin it. It would be a lot better if you were to give your logo voice and let it speak for itself. You do not need to use your brand name in your logos. The Shell logo is a perfect example of how you can say anything with your brand logo without saying a single word.
Let Your Logo Speaks For Itself
7. Fill the Colours in the End
When creating a logo, first create a black and white version of the logo. This will help you stay laser-focused on the idea of the logo and pay attention to the logo elements instead of worrying about colours. Once the monochrome version of your logo is finished, breathe new life into your logos by adding colours to it.
The UPS logo perfectly illustrates this point. The black and white version was originally created by paying attention to details. Shortly after the completion of the black and white logos, the colours were added. It gives a much more refined look to the UPS logo. By following the same process, you can achieve the same refined look for your logo.
