Our guide boils them down to 8 points and focuses on how to design a logo and how to implement a logo design as part of a wider brand strategy.
01. Start in black and white
As we mentioned above, color is an important part of branding, but sometimes it can be distracting and can make it difficult for the client to think about the basic concept of the logo. Leaving the color for later in the process allows you to focus on the idea of the logo design itself rather than an element that is usually much easier to change.
It is impossible to save a bad idea with an interesting palette, but a good idea will still be good regardless of the color. If you imagine any familiar symbol, in most cases the first thing that comes to mind is the form before the palette. The most important are the lines, the shapes and the idea itself, whether it is a bite out of an apple, three parallel stripes, four circles connected in a horizontal line or whatever.
02. Do the basic work
One of the most exciting parts of being a designer is that you learn new things with each project. Every client is different and even in the same profession, people do their work in different ways. Logo design should start with some basics. Getting to know the client and their product well will help you choose the strongest design direction and help you reach consensus on your logo design toronto further down the line.
Make sure you ask your client why they exist. What do they do and how do they do it? What makes it different from other brands? Who are they there for and what do they value most? Some of these questions may seem so simple as to be unnecessary, but they can be challenging to answer and will lead to more questions about your clients’ business. What you discover at this early stage of the project can really help ensure you don’t miss the market when you start developing your logo design.
03. Start with a sketchbook
With the many digital tools available today, you might consider creating a logo design right at your computer, but using a sketchbook gives you a break from the glare of brightly lit pixels and, more importantly, jots down a lot of design ideas. faster and freer. Without a digital interface, you have complete freedom to explore, and if you wake up in the night with an idea you don’t want to lose, a pencil and paper by your bed is still the best way to get it. .
Sketching makes it easy to place shapes exactly where you want them – there’s always time to digitize your marks later (see our sketching tips for more advice). It can also be helpful to share some sketches when describing design ideas to clients before digitizing the brand. This can make it easier for them to visualize the result without the distraction of font and color, which can sometimes cause clients to reject the whole idea. But don’t share too much; only your best ideas.
04. Make sure your proposal is relevant
The design of the logo must correspond to the ideas, values and activities it represents. The elegant font will be more suitable for a high-end restaurant than a children’s room. Likewise, a palette of fluorescent pinks and yellows is unlikely to help your message appeal to male retirees. And creating a brand that bears any resemblance to a swastika, regardless of industry, just won’t work.
You know these things and they may seem pretty obvious, but reasonableness goes deeper than this. The more appropriate your rationale for a specific design, the easier it will be to sell the idea to the client (and this can be the most challenging part of the project. Remember, designers don’t just design, they sell).
05. Create a design that is easy to remember
A good logo design is memorable and allows the brand to stay in the mind of the potential customer despite other brands competing for their attention. How can this be achieved? Simplicity should be your watchword here. A really simple logo can often be picked up after just a quick glance, which is not possible with a very detailed design.
A trademark must be concept-focused; on a single ‘story’. In most cases, this means that it should have an uncomplicated shape so that it can work at different sizes and in a variety of applications, from a website icon in a browser bar to a building label.
06. Consider a broader brand identity
It is usually presented in the context of a website, poster, business card, application icon or all kinds of support and applications. The client presentation should include relevant touch points that show how the logo looks when potential customers see it. It’s a bit like being stuck in a rut – it can help you step back, look at the bigger picture, see where you are and what you’re surrounded by.
When it comes to design, the larger image represents every potential item your logo design could appear on. Always consider how the identity works when there isn’t even a logo. Although extremely important, a symbol can only have an identity. Feature product images can be also used as your brand icon. Letzmarket provides the best product photography service in Toronto. One way to achieve cohesive visuals is to create a custom typeface for your logo. This type of font can then also be used in marketing headlines.
07. Try to be different
If all of the brand’s competitors use the same typographic style, the same kind of palette, or a symbol placed to the left of the brand name, this is the perfect opportunity to differentiate your client rather than let them blend in. Doing something different can really help your logo design stand out.
However, so much similarity in the market does not necessarily mean that your job has become easier. It often takes a bold client to buck the trend they see all around them. However, showing imagination in your design portfolio is one good way to attract the type of client you want, and demonstrating the suitability of your concept can help dispel any qualms.
08. Don’t be too literal
A logo doesn’t have to show what the company does; in fact, it’s often better not to. More abstract brands are often more permanent. Historically, you would show your factory or maybe a heraldic emblem if it was a family business, but symbols don’t show what you do. Instead, they make it clear who you are. The significance of a mark in the public eye is added only after associations can be made between what the company does and the shape and color of its mark.
