The
logo of Symantec costs a jaw-dropping $1,280,000,000. Maddening, right? Not if
you are a multimillion software brand and know what your reputation is worth.
And if a multimillion-dollar brand is lending such worth to its logo, so should
you.
Since
a good logo can make or break the reputation game for your brand, it is only
logical that it is made with utmost responsibility and attention. Here are five
things to remember when designing a logo:
1. Acclimate and Attune
Brands
and businesses are conscious entities. It might not seem like that, but trust
us, they have a mood and mind of their own, which entails that they have a
specific personality.
Before
putting together a logo design, it is intelligent to get familiar with the
brand in as much detail as possible. This will help you encapsulate the value
or the mantra of the brand aptly. Be thorough, be relevant, and you have a head
start.
2. Know what’s what
The
design industry is a dynamic one. Always changing, always evolving. We know it
can get hectic, but we didn’t make the rules, so ride along.
Before
you start your creative logo design, explore around and know what design trends
and styles are popular. Remember, a logo needs to strike a conversation with
the general public. If your logo doesn’t speak in the tone of the time, you
will end up shushing away your crowd.
3. Begin Conventionally - Sketch!
If
you are as smart as we are (highly unlikely, but…), then you’ll know that a
logo design process is multi-tiered. Each problem lurks behind a thousand strokes
and will only unravel after you are done with them.
That’s
why it is sensible to start with a sketch first. We recommend a sketchpad, but
you can be as conventional as you want. This will allow you to toy around with
many designs and styles. This can also allow you to visualize your logo outside
a digital screen (if you are sketching on a pad or paper), where you can see
the flexibility of your design on other mediums.
4. Keep it simple
We
know you want to flood the screen with all the designs because you are a
creative god, but as veterans of the design industry, we will discourage that
(with a heavy heart!).
Logos
have to make the biggest impact in the shortest amount of time. This makes a
whole lot of details redundant and useless. There might be instances where
details might seem tempting, but a lot of details are futile. It can be a 3D, a
custom, or even an animated logo design. The simpler the design, the better.
Remember, a simplistic design is easy to remember compared to one cluttered
with details. Take the example of NIKE. Need I say more?
5. Digitalize with caution
With
a logo design, it aint over till it’s over.
Before
you transform your Sketch into a Digital logo, don’t just jump on the first
illustration tool you have. Choosing the best tools and software can be
difficult, given that the industry is boiling with many.
Also,
these illustration tools might offer themes, color schemes, and styles that you
might not have experimented with due to various limitations. Toy with them.
Play around with multiple colors, and experiment with different shapes and
figures. You might end up with a better, more stellar version of what you
started with. In other words, don’t rush. Please!
A
logo design journey is a fun one. Even when it’s not, it is. When you embark on
one, be sure to enjoy it, and be open to criticism, especially when it comes to
a dime a dozen in the world of the internet, but most of all, be thorough with
your research before making one.