LOGO DESIGN

What is a Logo?

lo·go

ˈlōgō/

noun

noun: logo; plural noun: logos

1. 1.

   a symbol or other design adopted by an organization to identify its products, uniform, vehicles, etc.

   "the Olympic logo was emblazoned across their jackets"

   synonyms:

   emblem, trademark, brand, device, figure, symbol, design, sign, mark; More insignia, crest, seal "a sweatshirt with the company logo"

Origin

1930s: abbreviation of logogram or logotype.

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50 Tips when designing a logo.

PREPARATION

01. Research your audience

02. Immerse yourself in the brand

03. Keep all your sketches

04. Do your online research

05. Fight the temptation to imitate

06. Don't let clients dictate

07. Create a board and rip it up

INITIAL DESIGN WORK

08. Sketch it out

09. Create vectors

10. Use smart objects

NAILING THE TYPOGRAPHY

11. Choose your typeface carefully

12. Adapt an existing typeface

13. Avoid gimmicky fonts

14. Make the type match the brand

15. Consider a type-only approach

USE OF SPACE

16. Think about the space around your logo design

17. Use negative space effectively

18. Don't overdo it

GRAPHIC DESIGN

19. Make your design active, not passive

20. Cultural differences

21. Consider tones as well as colors

22. Be experimental

KEEP IT CLEAN AND MODERN

23. Don't use more than two fonts

24. Ensure it works on dark backgrounds

25. Keep abreast of trends

26. Subtract as much as possible

27. If in doubt, leave it out

28. Don't try to do too much

29. Create a lock up version

30. Make your logo design responsive

FUNCTIONALITY

31. Create different size versions

32. Make it legible

33. Create non-print variants

34. Make it future-proof

BUSINESS CONSIDERATIONS

35. Don't confuse 'logo' with 'brand'

36. Get the tone right

FEEDBACK

37. Show your logo design around

38. Stick to your convictions

39. Ask the client specific questions

40. Test it internationally

41. Check for hidden words

42. Expect your logo redesign to be panned

STYLE GUIDES

43. Create a logo style guide

44. Dictate color options

45. Specify sizes

46. Advise on positioning

47. Advise on spacing

48. Define no-nos

GOING FURTHER

49. Download the logo design flowchart

Still not sure where to begin with logo design? No problem. Deliver winning logo designs every time by following the step-by-step processes in Johnson Banks' foolproof flowchart.

50. Further reading

• The biggest mistakes logo designers make
• Logo design: 5 questions to ask about the brand
• The 10 biggest logo redesigns of 2012
• Read more logo-related posts here