LOGO: Ultimate guide for the making

Designing a logo is easier said than done. Designers are sunk in thought to make it meaningful. If you might have done some logo design research you must understand. If not let’s give you a guided tour for designing.

Simple and basic rules to follow when you start designing a logo from the scratch:

1. Preliminary work is a must!

Pick a tool; pen/pencil. Pick a place; desk/outdoors. Take a blank drawing board and start to sketch or just draft using a vector program, such as Illustrator. The time spent on this rough sketching will pay off at the later stages of your design. You are creating the base plan of your structure. Remember the rough sketches lead to innovation in a static idea. Planning is half the work done.

2. Ask questions!

Doesn’t matter even if you bombard the client with questions, Do it! It will reflect in your logo; this procedure has proven to be as important as the idea of the logo itself. You need to sublime with the client’s ideology about the brand and expected logo, hence immerse in the idea that your client suggests. Again note that, design should be yours and not what client draws, remember ‘YOU’ are the designer.

3. Keep it simple.

Do not clutter or try to do too many things with one design. Try different options but don’t it mix all in one for the thirst of creating something out of the world. Complex graphics, multiple fonts and too many colors is barely going to make any room for your logo to leave an impression in the customer’s mind. Simplicity is not the goal but the by-product of a good idea and modest expectations, as said by Paul Rand.

4. Careful with the colors, they are empathic…

Speaking of colors, every color ruminates a different emotion, feeling and a message to resonate. If you might have read our previous blog, ‘Hear what tale the colors tell’ you will know. Colors possess the ability to make your design remarkable yet sometimes it is very suitable to go greyscale or monochrome. Keeping it grey, an immortal life span of the logo is encouraged.

5. Typography: Beware of the "font communication!"

Typography also communicates like colors. Various fonts have diverse meanings. Wrong typo in the logo can create miscommunication. For instance, a Handwritten or a comic font is completely unsuitable for a Corporate Company. Also, use of too many fonts is very overwhelming! It’s a strict no-no in our studio. Do not distract the viewer by involving more than two fonts.

6. Bring it to balance.

"Check alignment!" every designer must say it aloud before settling on any design! Designers should have an Eagle-eye on the alignment of his design. We have a keen eye for details! We never miss any. Balance the weight. By ‘weight’ here we mean both, the size and its density. The weight of the color can also be managed by using darker or lighter shades. A balanced logo is visually appealing.

7. Size matters.

Ill sized logo is considered, a poor design. Design in a size that doesn’t make it stressful for the viewer to understand. For example, if the brand name inside the logo is written in a relatively smaller size, it becomes very unamiable. Choose a size that balances all aspects of the logo. Also ensure that your logo can be scaled to any other size and is compatible with multiple media.

8. Ideology: suit the company.

The logo you design must tailor the needs of the client, as well as suit the background of the company. For instance, if you are a designing for a restaurant it is completely moronic to use objects like a book or football in place of a something related to food or the restaurant culture in the logo. Do your research, explore all avenues!

9. Avoid effects, just KISS it!

Try applying effects to check if it suits your logo but it is often best to keep it simple. "Keep It Simple, Stupid". The real identity is the KISS effect of the logo. Take the example of McDonald’s logo by Jim Schindler in 1962, the simple and remarkable design has become the beacon of inspiration to logo designers.

10. Remember the goal is Recognition.

While creating a design bear in mind, the logo of the company represents the organization. Therefore the logo should be unique and as easy as to spot a black sheep in the herd of white. The company will henceforth be depicted by this logo you design so you are smart enough to decide, whether you want to turn the heads and be the talk of town or be a matter of laugh in the town.

11. Keep it original, mark its value.

Being inspired is a sign of a good leader, but copying the ideas makes you unethical. Originality is the rule of thumb. This moral differentiates a good designer from the herd. To make the design a trademark and to achieve a value for the brand name…Take a chance, cook your ideas and present the best dish in your mind!

Infinista Concepts is a boutique digital marketing agency in India with deep expertise in Seo, Smm, Sem, website design and development.