How to design a logo isn’t something you can learn overnight. It requires a theoretical grounding, design skill, patience and the trained eye that comes from a lot of practice. Designers build up experience working with a range of different clients and go through trial and error. The good news is we’ve all been there at one time or another and it takes hard work to learn how to create your own unique aesthetic without relying on templates and samples. That being said…
We have tips and tricks for making your own logos look brand new. They will help you get started on this journey!
1. Start With Your Branding Persona. You don’t need any fancy tools to do so, but if you have branding as your core value then a strong set of principles behind your logo should reflect that sentiment. An example here is whether the brand persona is formal or informal. Is it more business-centric? Or is it playful and fun? If so, perhaps a graphic designer could create a template or sample which makes this identity obvious.
2. Think Of Some Examples You Can Use For Inspiration. What are some examples you’ve done in your life that have made them memorable? Maybe you love seeing yourself represented as an archetype. Are there things about your personality that make us like you? Think about what makes someone distinct. This might be a person, place or thing. Take inspiration from your own story and translate that into a pattern or style.
3. Know Your Clients And Their Needs. You can find ideas for the branding of brands based on looking into who they are, what they want and what kind of services/products they require. One way of doing this is to ask for advice from people you trust – friends, family members, colleagues, etc. They should ideally be able to provide a wealth of information, but even just getting their input can often lead to some insights (with some exceptions).
4. Identify Potential Opportunities Around Common Elements In Each Brand Identity. If you’re designing a brand new logo for a client, it’s best to start by taking note of common features across a number of similar products or services. Then think about how these elements come together and how you can adapt those patterns in order to bring your brand identity closer to your customers.
5. Build Up Research Experience. If you’ve never designed before, there are lots of resources online that can help guide you through the process. We recommend learning Adobe Illustrator as well as other popular software you may already be using. While the first step is usually simple enough (take a few minutes to explore a free version) it’s important to dive deep to fully understand what materials, fonts and colors are needed for each aspect of your project.
6. Get Inspired By Famous Brands To Gather Ideas For Your Own. When creating your logo, avoid copying anything too similar to your target audience. Rather, consider using existing images to show off how this brand has evolved over time.
7. Find Creative Solutions Instead Of Building From Scratch. Sometimes simplicity is the best approach to take when trying to nail down your brand identity. Often you’ll get better solutions faster simply because you’ve already got a base idea of what you’re going for when you decide to make changes to your logo design.
8. Check Out Online Trends At Workplace And Consumer Events For Example. There’s always something happening around workplaces, offices, malls and shops these days. As such, we can sometimes see trends emerge and use inspiration for our creative logos quickly.
9. Don’t Hesitate On Making Changes As Time Goes By. Remember, it’s okay to change things as your design process progresses. As long as you’re happy with where you’re at and don’t forget to consider the feedback and concerns of others, those additions can happen.
10. Understand Color. While most designers focus on three primary colors used within color palettes, it is very possible to customize certain color schemes by applying various shades and hues of a single monochromatic color.
11. Go Easy On Font Size & Style Choices. Using larger letter sizes, especially for letter forms can take away from the text itself. Make sure to keep the overall font size down to stay focused on the typeface (in case the text is small enough to fit perfectly into a print). However, for those types of cases, you could also use simpler letter styles of serif-type fonts rather than sans-serif types.
12. Be Mindful Of Formality To Keep Things Authentic. No matter how old your logo is, remember you’re not only representing your current brand, but also a part of history.
13. Ditch Simple Colors & Brighten Them Up. Too much red and green will dull the message and confuse your target audience. Try to maintain balance by keeping the colors slightly darker and lighter on the same spectrum. Also, avoid using solid vs dotted line effects, especially in places where there could be movement – this tends to add unnecessary tension to the logo and should not be done in moderation.
14. Look Beyond Your Target Audience. Not only does it give your logo a greater sense of authenticity, but it also helps with brand familiarity. For example, say you create a product where there is hardly any difference between gender.
15. Once you begin to introduce differences to break up the formality, you can expand your target market and ensure everyone receives a great service or product.
16. Consider Modernized Forms & Graphics Options In Your Current Logo Design To Create More Flexibility. Just one change can introduce a wider variety of designs.
17. Simplify Logos With Unique Patterns And Symbols. Another good way to simplify your logo is to ditch the simplistic, flat design and replace it with something more modernized.
18. Avoid Overusing Shapes. Many businesses still tend to use a rounded shape for their logo designs – be careful to avoid overdoing it or else you risk losing too much visual interest.
19. Focus On Iconography In Traditional Media The image below demonstrates this very principle.
20. Play With Stylistic Devices & Formatting Styles. It’s easy to get carried away when you’re starting with your logo design alone. But, once you establish a clear vision, try out stylistic devices and formatting styles to really inject a little personality into the picture that follows.
21. Hone Your Skills Beyond Prints. Sure, printing is useful in its own right, but it’s not the only format to experiment with. You can create a large canvas of print media on screen, print on digital paper or develop a custom app to digitally distribute your logo.
22. Read About Different Types Of Logo Designs & Carefully Choose How To Apply. Understanding typography is key to effectively communicating your company or brand identity to potential new clients and prospective employers alike. So make sure you read all the necessary documentation regarding formats and their respective pros and cons.
23. Learn Graphic Design Tools. Whether you choose traditional digital methods or traditional print, this course has helped me take my skills beyond visuals to art and music.
24. Watch “The Master Class” Series. Whether you prefer video courses, classes or audios, take advantage of Steve Siebold’s latest endeavor!
25. Listen For Podcasts Which Talk About Digital Marketing / Business Strategy. Any successful business needs a good marketing plan to sell, promote and grow.
26. Study Other Firms’ Successes & Failures For Models. Every industry has a model for success. Do you know yours?
27. Become Familiar With Website Development Standards. Like with copywriting or advertising, having knowledge in HTML to manage your website’s appearance is vital.
28. Investigate Web Hosting Services Providers. Being tech savvy is essential in today’s world but don’t neglect the power of effective software providers.
29. Adopt Agile Methodology As Usual. Letting teams and individuals work independently can yield amazing results.
30. Pick Something Bolder Than Ever. Nothing is wrong with following the norm. Even if its plain white page.
31. Practice Makes Perfect. Learning how to create web pages or print them has a definite impact on everything else in your life.
32. Stop Trying To Follow All Directions Directly. Doing so often leads to less satisfaction with your end result and ultimately discourages further creativity and innovation in your projects.
33. Set Goals After Starting To Develop Your Project. Setting goals and planning the direction of your next steps can motivate you to put in the effort required.
34. Decide Who Should Pay For The Effort. Everyone should have roles to play in terms of responsibility.
35. Reward Yourself When Results Are Found. Getting credit for achieving your goal is the perfect reward.
36. Consistency Brings Real Benefits. Keeping track of progress is pretty easy if you have a goal in mind.
37. Have Fun Growing Up. Creating something new is the ultimate beginning.
38. Stay Curious During Quizzes & Tutorials. Ask questions!
39. Leverage Automation – No Pointless Manual Labor Will Harm Creativity. Automated systems are a quick, efficient, accurate and reliable resource.
40. Respect People’s Responsibilities. Treat responsibilities seriously – no matter how big or small.
41. Seek Advice From Others Whenever Needed. Seeking the opinions of those who know what they’re doing is a smart strategy.
42. Believe In Good Intentions. Taking risks is how we grow as creators.
43. Enjoy Delivering Excellent Customer Service. Giving 100% attention to your customer’
