Logo Directions

Digital Skills: Review Text to Path, Color palette, Pen Tool, Eraser, Shapes, Blob Brush, Shape-Builder, Tool/Pathfinder, Cut

How to Design a Logo

1). Do the research

2). Paper before digital

3). Begin in black and white – (if it doesn't work in black and white, it probably will not work in color)

4). Make it fit the company

5). Seek simplicity

6). Icon and words work together AND apart

7). Keep meaning subtle

8). Sometimes font can do it all

9). Consider negative space. (see the Fed Ex logo)

10). Consider visual movement. (Think about the size, position, font and angles if your logo is to imply movement or action. Western culture reads left to right, so logos with movement follow the same rule. What if the MPS logo were flipped)

11). Color variations – specific color(s) for logo, and BW, reverse?

12). Limit Typefaces (One or two typefaces in a logo is a reliable rule to follow. Remember, simplicity is the key to a strong, functioning logo. If you think you need three or more fonts, you're probably wrong).

13). A second person can see what you cannot

14). Seek out and thoughtfully-consider intelligent criticism

15). Try to make something that has not been seen before and DON'T COPY other ideas

Always Clarify. When meeting with your client, ask for clarity. Try to help them to define and refine their goals with the design. When showing a design, if they do not like it, help them to be clear as to why they do not like a design. Ask for specifics.

Consider Style Guides. (also referred to as Branding Guides or Usage). Once the final design is selected, you determine how and when the logo will be displayed. This includes specifics on colors (PMS Color Guides are standard), size restrictions, proximity rules, background colors, font specifics (typeface, size, position)