Above: Carve Board Art Logo
I created a logo that both uses the C shape of the brand name and looks like a snowboard carving into the slope or a surfboard carving the open face of a wave. This logo can be used as simply the carve shape without the rest of the type or with the type included. The Carve shape was drawn in Illustrator with the pen tool. The font used was converted to outlines and manipulated in Illustrator.
Below: Julia Read New Media and Web Design Logo
When signing my initials, I always combine the J and R in this way. To make it more interesting and representative of my identity I included a mountain and wave into the design. It is simple enough to scale with some extra personality included into the design. When I first developed the concept it included a lot of extra colours, details and thin lines but was simplified so it looked good at any size. It was also hand drawn in Illustrator with the pen tool.
Logo design is an important consideration for any business. In every day life, logos are everywhere and it is hard to come up with an original and timeless concept that will stand out. Consequently, it is important to make a memorable and simple logo that can be recognized at any size, in both colour or black and white.
For designers, Logos are a challenge since you must create a logo that is:
3) Establishes or reinforces a brand identity and ideology
6) Recognizable in both a black and white version and a colour version
7) Works on both dark and light backgrounds
Brainstorming and Sketching:
The first step is to begin to research the client's brand and target demographic. Some businesses will have already created a brand identity style guide. This may limit your logo ideas since you are required to create a cohesive look that follows the established guidelines.
After this, start sketching thumbnails. It is a good idea to talk to the client about what requirements they want for the logo and get feedback on your ideas at an early stage. This will ensure that your ideas align with their branding and message before you spend too much time developing a concept.
Make sure you keep all your sketches for a couple of reasons. First because you may need to show proof that your ideas came from brainstorming and not during a google search for logo ideas. You may have came up with a logo that has a doppelganger somewhere else in the world that you were unaware of. It is important to protect yourself from future legal action by keeping all your sketches. Secondly because there are no bad ideas when you are brainstorming! Those sketches could be a jumping off point for better ideas and you may be able to use them as a resource for future projects.
Remember that sketching means sketching the old fashioned way - with a pen and paper! Although not all designers have the best drawing abilities, it is the fastest way to get your ideas down and move on. They do not need to be very detailed or beautiful as long as you know what they represent. One of the best tips I got in my Illustrator class at BCIT was to create logo sketches with a thick black marker instead of a thin pen or pencil. This would ensure that you were not tempted to create a design that was too intricate with thin lines that would make it hard to recognize when scaled to a small size.
Once this is done, it is time to pull out your computer and open Adobe Illustrator. Why Illustrator? Illustrator is a vector based program that allows you to create images that are infinitely scalable. This means if you blow up the logo and put it on a billboard it will not become pixelated or look any different than it would when scaled to the size of a dime. In other words, the quality of the image will remain consistent at any size.
Spend lots of time practicing in Illustrator and becoming comfortable with all the tools available to you. One of the best tools to master for logo design is the pen tool because it offers you the flexibility to create a shape and then tweak it afterwards by manipulating the anchor points.
If you are creating a logo out of a typeface you have three options. The first is to use an existing typeface that you have the rights to use. The second is to adapt an existing typeface by converting it to outlines in Illustrator and moving the points to create your desired look. The final option is to create your own typeface!
When selecting a typeface consider the following:
1) Do not to create or use a typeface that is too fashionable or overused since you are trying to create a memorable brand and unique identity.
2) Logos should be timeless so it is important to use a typeface that will not go out of style or look dated in a few years.
3) Aim to use a font that is simple and thick enough to use at a small scale.
4) Ensure the typeface matches the brand and follows any established brand styles and typefaces!
5) Consider the use of only typography in the logo.
6) Don't use more than 2 fonts.
K.I.S Principle: Keep It Simple
K.I.S is self explanatory yet often overlooked in logo design. Do not forget to apply simplicity to your design. Try not to overdo it and ensure that you strive for a simple, clean look with a good use of negative space. Though intricate designs can be amazingly beautiful, they are usually not right for logos. After you have finished your design always ask yourself - does this logo need _____? If the answer is no, then simplify! Think about all the most recognizable logos in the world and remember the K.I.S Principle because it works! Don't try to show or do too much.
Some good examples of Simplistic, Recognizable and Memorable Logo Designs:
A couple of good examples where logos have been simplified after a redesign include the following:
Get Feedback on your Design
Once you have finalized your design please get feedback on it from as many people as you can. One google search for logo disasters will make it evident that different people see different things when they look at an image. Sometimes as designers we have blinders on and do not see our own mistakes until it is too late.
The following examples of logo disasters do not need much of an explanation. Yet, there is a lesson to be learned. Before they became a logo a designer and client failed to see what others do when looking at the design. It can't hurt to show your design to a few people to ensure that it cannot be misinterpreted in an unintended way...
AVOID becoming another Logo Disaster!
There are tons of logo resources online and in books that can help you hone your logo design skills. I have only touched upon the basics of logo design that I have learned during my studies in the BCIT New Media and Web Design program. Follow these guidelines and educate yourself by looking at the many other resources available. Think outside the box! Some of the most memorable brands and logos have names and images that don't necessarily go with their products. For example, Penguin Books and Apple Computers.
Overall, try to create something simple, scaleable, functional and memorable. Have fun designing!
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