WHAT IS A LOGO?
LOGO DESIGN The first thing you need to do when developing your brand is to get a logo.
LOGO DESIGN Getting noticed as a new business in today’s digital world is tough. Trying to establish a strong, consistent, and memorable brand is key to sustained success. Besides your product, one of the first places you should start when developing your brand is with the design of a kick-ass logo.
A great logo will help people remember what you are all about, and it can be used on all kinds of things from shirts to stickers to t-shirts. It may seem like an afterthought at first, but trust me—it’s worth it!
In this article, I will show you how to create your own logo using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop so that you can see exactly what I did myself!
UNDERSTANDING LOGOS
A logo is a graphic mark that identifies a company. It can be used in many different ways to promote the brand, such as on the side of a bus, on clothing, or even on a t-shirt. A logo is what identifies a business by the use of symbols and marks. It doesn’t necessarily have to describe what a business does, but it should represent the story of the brand and company. Logos do not sell the company per se, but over time, they help consumers build trust with a company’s products or services.
BRANDS AND LOGOS
A corporate logo is a widely recognized graphic mark that identifies a business. Corporate logos are intended to be the ‘face’ of a company: They are the unique identifier of a company, and through colors, fonts, and images, they provide essential information about a business that allows customers to relate with the company’s core brand.
A corporate logo can be any kind of image or design. It can be an emblem or coat of arms, or it can just be text. Some examples include the PlayBoy logo; logo; the Shell logo; Starbucks logo.
Logos are a very important part of any brand identity. Designviva designs logos that reflect an organization’s mission, culture, and values. They are used in advertising and marketing materials; they provide an anchor point for the various other aspects in a project as well like fonts, colors and design choices.
Logos are the first thing that people see when they hear your name. They’ll remember you, and then they’ll recall what you look like.
A logo is more than just a picture—it’s an image that represents your brand. The more people see your logo, the more they can associate it with your brand. They may start to think of you as “the guy who always wears pink” or “Steve”. Just like how we now associate the “swoosh” logo with Nike and the “golden arches” with Mcdonald’s.
Now that you have a firm grasp of the importance of branding and logos, it’s time to take a look at their relationship with each other.
Brands and logos are all about creating a brand identity for your company, but they’re not the same thing. They work together to create a cohesive whole for your company, but they are not interchangeable.
A brand is an image that defines who you are as a business. It’s what people think of when they hear your name, or see your logo. It’s who you want people to think of when they hear your name or see your logo.
A logo is what people see when they look at your company’s website, or when they visit in person—it’s what helps them remember who you are and what you do.
Before you can go out and create a logo, you should first identify what your brand message is. This way your logo has something to stand behind.
For example, if you’re starting a new business: you want to be able to say “I make custom dresses for women” or “I make custom suits for men.”
If you’re an ad agency: “We make ads that get people talking.”
You get the idea! Identifying your brand message will help you determine the kind of logo you need and what it should look like.
Small businesses often play it fast-and-loose with logos, paying insufficient attention to their proper size, and positioning and surrounding them with materials (including clipart) that hurt them visually.
Your logo is your first impression. It should be unique but don’t use something just because everyone else is using it; do your research and find the right logo for your business.
Guidelines for Creating a Logo
A strong logo is an important element in the branding of any company. It’s the first thing customers will see, and it can be the difference between success and failure for a business.
Designviva makes it easy to get your logo design process started online. We’re affordable and you can design your logo from scratch or with our professional logo designer.
A good logo communicates what your company does and who you are as a brand. It should be memorable—not just because customers will remember it when they’re looking for a product, but also because they’ll recall it down the road when they’re trying to remember where they saw your business name or logo before.
Preliminary sketches are essential.
When you’re first designing a logo, it can be tempting to jump straight onto the computer and start working. But this is a mistake! Sketching is the most important stage of design because it allows you to let your creativity run wild and have multiple ideas down on paper in a shorter amount of time. This will help you refine your ideas when you’re ready to actually start working on a logo, which is when your creativity should really shine through!
K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid)
When you’re working on a preliminary sketch for your design, remember the K.I.S.S. (“keep it simple, silly”) rule. This means that you should work your design down to only the essentials and leave out unnecessary elements that will only end up cluttering your final design.
Your preliminary sketches should be rough and rough-looking, but they should also have enough detail that you can literally see what’s going on in your mind’s eye. This will help you get an idea of how things look and feel before actually getting too involved with the final product—which is great because it means you’ll be able to make some changes without wasting time or money on redesigning something completely new!
Color is a powerful element
While color theory can be complex, understanding the basics of color can be a great advantage to your business. Some of the most important basics to consider are:
- What does your audience want? Is it vibrant, striking, or soothing? If you know this in advance, you can create a color scheme that will resonate with them.
- Is there a color in your current palette that doesn’t work for you anymore? Do you need a new one? If so, what kind of color is it and why? How do you want it to look when combined with other colors in your palette?
- How do you want people to perceive your brand or product when they see it on social media or in print? Are there any colors that could distract from this goal?
Typography matters. It matters a lot!
It’s not just a style choice: typography is key to the way we perceive and understand the world around us. It’s not just about reading—it’s about how we read, how we interpret and process information, and how we interact with other people. Typography is how we communicate our feelings and thoughts, how we describe things in words, and how we convey meaning.
Characteristics of Balance
To ensure a logo is balanced and aesthetically pleasing, it’s important that all elements are in harmony with each other. Here are a few key things to keep in mind:
- Adjust the size and line weights of each graphic, as well as the typeface, to create a distinctive visual identity.
- A logo should be designed in a square format so that it can be scaled to different products, such as letterheads and website graphics.
When you’re designing a logo, remember that your design will be seen by a lot more people than just the ones with an eye for great art. So even if you like a particular design, don’t be afraid to go against the grain and create something more interesting or unique.
The Brand Behind the Name
A logo is the face of your brand and it needs to be designed carefully because it reflects the identity and branding of your company. A good logo can be priceless and help you stand out in the crowd. Your logo should always reflect who you are as a business and what you do, but it doesn’t have to be complicated.
NIKE
The Nike logo is one of the most powerful in US sports apparel. The logo is derived from the Greek goddess of victory, Nike, and her wing. The word ‘Swoosh’ comes from the sound an arrow makes when it swooshes through the air. According to Greek mythology, the Swoosh motivated and gave warriors immense power and strength.
STARBUCKS
LOGO DESIGN In 1971, when Starbucks first started as a coffee roaster in Seattle, they were looking for a logo that would capture the seafaring history of coffee and Seattle’s strong seaport roots. There was a lot of talk about old sea books when they discovered the 16th-century Norse woodcut of a double-tailed mermaid or siren. They loved the idea that this mythical creature was associated with both music and the sea, which is why she is featured on their logo today.
LOGO DESIGN Your logo is the first thing that people see when they look at your company. It’s the first impression they have of your brand and the first thing they associate with you.
t’s important to think about what you want your logo to say, who it represents, and how it will make people feel when they see it. Don’t settle for something simple or forgettable: create a logo that will stand the test of time, capture your story, and make you proud every time you see it.
