"Design is so simple, that's why it's so complicated.” Wise words from the late Paul Rand describe the job of designers everywhere. Make it simple. It takes a trained eye to differentiate between what is indispensable and what is irrelevant. That is what sets apart amateurs from artists: knowing what to delete. The goal of logo design everywhere is to make a company instantly recognizable. What is left out of a logo is just as important as what's included.
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Although I’ve written on the basics of logo design before, in the coming weeks we will discuss five aspects a company (or designer) must consider when a logo is first designed (or when it's redesigned). To rightly include these means understanding the very core of a business and what the goal of a logo is.
It takes a trained eye to differentiate between what is indispensable and what is irrelevant.
Purpose
Designing a memorable logo first involves knowing the purpose of a logo and therefore the purpose of your company. After all, at the most basic level, a logo is “the visual representation of a company or organization.”1
Type or Kind
When we know the purpose of a logo and this specific logo, we must then decide the type or kind of logo that best suits the business. So this could be a symbol or icon, a wordmark, a letter mark, a combination mark, or an emblem.
Graphic & Font
The decision on the type of logo affects the next two considerations. Once the type of logo is decided, you must then decide on the graphic style of the logo and the font in the logo.
Scaleability
Some companies want to use their logo on a pen. Some want to use it on a billboard. Many want to use it on both.
This raises the issue of scaleability. Your logo needs to look good small and large. And this means two things: your logo needs to be simple — only simple logos are legible small, and your logo needs to be a vector. Only vectors can be infinitely enlarged without losing quality.
Color
The last, but far from the least, decision that must be made pertains to the color of your logo. Often, the color of a logo sets the tone of a company’s communication. Because of this, color is vitally important.
Stay tuned and subscribe to learn more about and see examples of each of these five crucial considerations for a logo design.
If you want someone else to design your logo for you, work with me! I will make sure your voice is heard throughout the design process.
If doing it yourself is more your style, but you need to learn how to use the right software, check out my course below. I teach you the skills and resources you need to make your company memorable.
