How to make a logo
Ok, so you’ve got to the point in setting up your business that you need to start thinking about a logo, a visual representation for all your hard work and hopes and dreams you have for this enterprise you have created. Well, this is where logo design comes in, and the talented designer you will hopefully be smart enough to employ to design it for you (please don’t do it on your own, they invariably look crap).
So in order to get started with your logo design, what exactly do you need and where do you start. Well, the first thing to do is to have settled on the business name, make sure it’s something strong, memorable and easy for clients to both remember and pronounce. Next, consider whether you need a slogan, most businesses don’t, but they can work well in some instances.
Creating a logo can be a challenging and creative process.
Here are some general steps you can follow to create a logo:
- Understand the brand: Before you start designing a logo, it’s important to understand the brand’s values, target audience, and overall message.
- Brainstorm ideas: Begin by sketching out ideas or creating a mood board to gather inspiration. Have a think about the look you want to achieve for your brand & don’t be afraid to go looking at what others have done.
- Decide on your colour scheme.Colours are super important to your logo, not only in the logo themselves, but logos determine the colours to be used throughout all of your branding materials, maybe even on the building you end up renting for office space, so it’s pretty important. Select a color scheme that complements the brand’s personality.
- Choose a font: First and foremost, the font you choose for the logo should be legible. If clients can’t read it, they don’t know what your company is called and you will have the never ending pain in the arse of telling them. Serif fonts can convey a more traditional or formal tone, while sans-serif fonts are more modern and casual.
- Sketch out rough drafts: Use your ideas, color scheme, and font selection to sketch out rough drafts of your logo. Don’t worry about making it perfect yet.
- Refine your design: Take your rough drafts and refine them into a more polished logo. Experiment with different color combinations and font sizes until you’re satisfied with the final product.
- Test it out: Once you have a final design, test it out on different mediums such as business cards, websites, and signage to make sure it’s legible and effective.
Remember, creating a logo is a process that takes time and patience. Don’t be afraid to seek feedback and make revisions as needed.
So what makes a good logo ?
What I tell clients again and again, is that the best logos are all simple and clean. Please don’t add in loads of text to your logo, it will look crap. You don’t need a name, an icon and a long winded slogan, keep it simple.
Another thing to remember is that while your logo might look great onscreen nice and big, what’s it going to look like shrunk right down for say business card use or in the top corner of your website. Your logo should be tested out for all of these situations to make sure it’s both legible and looks good in all circumstances.
A good logo will be memorable, sticking out in the minds of your clients and prospective clients and being immediately recognisable as your brand representative.
Versatility: A good logo should be versatile and work well across different mediums, such as print, digital, and signage. It should also be scalable, so that it can be used in a variety of sizes without losing its quality or legibility.
A good logo should be appropriate for the brand it represents. It should reflect the brand’s personality and values, and be relevant to its industry.
The last thing is that a good logo should be timeless and not be tied to a particular trend or fad. It should be able to stand the test of time and remain relevant for years to come.
Overall, a good logo should be effective in communicating the brand’s message and values, while being simple, memorable, versatile, appropriate, and timeless.
