How to design a logo: the ultimate guide

Maybe you’re a conceptual person and like to start by collecting verbal ideas. A proper brainstorming session may be just what you need to nail down the look you’re trying to achieve. Here are three steps that will help you come up with the best creative logo ideas:

1. Follow the rules of brainstorming: Brainstorming is about getting all the ideas (even the really bad ones) out and writing them down. Even a horrible idea can spark a conversation that leads to a great solution.

2. Think like your audience: Make a list of words that describe your brand and how you want it to be perceived. Think like a person in your target demographic and always remember what would be important to them.

3. Get Everyone Involved: A one-person brainstorming is fine, but only diversity will make magic happen.Bring people from all departments or even friends and business associates. The more perspectives, the better.

Have a question? Just ask our team.

When it comes to brainstorming your logo, don’t be afraid to think outside the box and be a little different. See how logos like the Crypto Caveman and Sweet Trip cleverly combine ideas you wouldn’t necessarily associate with each other, like cryptocurrencies and cavemen or a honey bee and a pin on a map? These original logo choices help them express character and stand out from the crowd.

Make a mood board

If you’re a visual person, a mood board might just be the tool for you. perfect for you to get inspired. You can create an actual board by cutting out and pinning printed images or make a digital one (Pinterest would be the obvious choice here). Just collect all the images that appeal to you; it can be other logos, color combinations, illustrations or graphics, go wild! You’ll see your mood board reflect the style and design features you’re gravitating towards in no time. Do you need a good place to start? We suggest you check out the 99designs logo inspiration gallery.

Think about how your company can be visualized in your logo. Simply Rooted is all about down-to-earth, local food and their vintage logo perfectly reflects that with hand-drawn root vegetables. If you’re striving for a similar aesthetic, your inspiration panel might include vintage logo images, hand-drawn illustrations, and organic shapes and colors. Or take a look at how Rugged’s logo envisions its ‘rugged’ brand identity in a bold, rugged-looking wordmark, but still packs a luxurious vibe with a reflective gold effect. Your moodboard gives you the opportunity to put all these elements together.

4. Check out the competition

—

Best place to borrow ideas? Your competition! Take a look at what’s already available, what works well with your audience, and what to avoid. As you look at those other businesses, think about what makes them different from you and how you can emphasize these differences in your logo design.

Make sure you clearly differentiate yourself from your competition. If every other business in your industry is going monochrome, maybe you should go with some color to make it stand out. If everyone else is traditional, maybe a fun, modern logo will catch the eye.

Look at the three counter logos above and how they communicate their brand personalities. The Orthrus Ventures lion logo is classic and reliable, while the Tidy Finance logo looks modern and cool. However, if it’s fun and approachable you’re after, let Hot Toast inspire you with its bright color and whimsical illustration.

5. Choose Your Design Style

—

Now that you have a clear idea of ​​your brand and are feeling inspired, it’s time to start translating that into your design. There are many different elements that come into play here, from colors, shapes, and graphics to typography. Isolating each component and what it can do for your logo will help you take things one step at a time, rather than getting overwhelmed with the whole design at once.

When thinking about your logo, the first thing you want to do is to do is pick the right design aesthetic for your brand. There is no one style that is right for everyone, only the best for your brand.

Classic

Trendy logos can be fun and exciting, but they can quickly look outdated. A classic style gives you more staying power and can help you reach a larger audience. This aesthetic keeps it simple and doesn’t venture into crazy color palettes, graphics, or fonts. A classic style tells people that you are reliable and down-to-earth.

Retro or Vintage

There’s a reason why vintage and retro designs have been in style for quite some time. They instantly remind you of the past and evoke romantic feelings of nostalgia. A vintage logo tells customers that history is important to you and that everything you sell is done right. Distressed, hand-illustrated logos in brown and beige color palettes fit this aesthetic perfectly.

Modern and minimal

Brands often choose a clean, minimal style to communicate how fresh and modern they are. This style uses lots of white space, minimal details, and clean lines often resulting in sleek, minimalist logos. A minimal, modern style shows your customers that your brand is up to date, cool and knows what counts.

Fun and quirky

This is a popular choice for brands with a young (or young-at-heart) target customer.The fun, sinful style ulliar tends to be colorful and cute, often using symbols or illustrations to create a positive image and friendly environment. Opt for a quirky mascot or sweet illustration to let your brand’s fun character shine through.

Handmade

The handcrafted style conveys a clear message: this brand is individualistic and stands for quality craftsmanship. The style works well in combination with other aesthetics, like vintage, to really get the message across. But it can also be paired with fun, minimalist styles for a simple and sophisticated or bright and youthful look.

Can’t pick just one?

Of course, these styles aren’t mutually exclusive. exclusive – just mix and match them to fit your brand. For example, your branding can be both handmade and fun at the same time, just watch how the quirky illustrated logo of The Crafting Cactus pulls it off.

6. Find the Right Logo Type

—

In addition to the general style, there are 7 main logo types you can choose from when creating your logo. You can choose the one that best suits your company name or overall aesthetic, or combine them to create something unique.

Lettermarks (or monogram logos)

Lettermark logos can be be great at simplifying your company logo, especially if your name is very long or hard to remember. Many companies choose to use their initials, just think HP, CNN or HThey usually consist of text embedded with a symbol or icon, such as insignia, seals, or crests. The Rockwell Lighthouse emblem shows how these traditional shapes can give you a classic, old-school look.

7. Pay attention to color

Do you have any questions? Just ask our team.

Colors can have many different meanings. The psychology behind color is complex, but to keep it short, colors have certain emotions and ideas associated with them. To learn more about color theory, be sure to check out this detailed guide on logo colors and their meanings.

• Red: Red represents enthusiasm, passion and anger . It’s an excellent choice if your brand is flashy, youthful, and wants to stand out.
• Orange: Orange is used much less than red but is just as energetic. This is a vibrant, invigorating, and fun color.
• Yellow: If you want to appear approachable and friendly, yellow is the right choice. It exudes a cheerful, affordable, and youthful energy.
• Green: Green is extremely versatile and can really work for any brand. It’s especially perfect for anyone looking to connect with nature.
• Blue: Blue is a very classic and common choice. It’s calming and cool and symbolizes confidence and maturity.
• Purple: Purple can be your ticket to looking luxurious. Depending on the hue, purple can be mysterious, eclectic, or feminine.
• Pink: If you’re looking for a feminine shade, nothing works better than pink. But that is not all! With shades like pastel pink, millennial pink, or neon magenta, pink can give your logo a fresh, grown-up, yet youthful, feminine look.
• Brown: the Brown might sound like a strange color choice at first, but it works perfectly for rugged, masculine vintage logos. It can give your brand a handcrafted, unique, and aged look.
• Black: If you are looking for a sleek, modern, and luxurious look, black will be a great choice. A minimalist black and white logo is the way to go if you want to keep it simple.
• White: Do you want your logo to look clean, modern, and minimalist? Use a lot of white in your logo. As a neutral color it works in combination with all other colors, but adds a clean, youthful and economical touch.
• Grey: Gray is the ultimate color if you want to achieve a mature look , classic and serious. Darker shades look more mysterious, while lighter shades are more approachable.

Mixing Colors

Of course not You need to stick with a monochrome logo using just one color, but you can combine multiple logo colors to tell a full brand color story. To choose colors that work well together, take a look at the color wheel.

• • Complementary colors lie directly across from each other on the color wheel. They bring out the best of both colors and create a very dynamic look.
  • Similar colors fall close to each other on the wheel. If you want the colors in your logo to be harmonious, they will work well together.
  • Triadic colors are drawn from three equal sections on the color wheel. Choose these for an exhilarating and bold effect.

8. Choose the Right Font

—

You want to choose a font that complements and completes your logo. There are 4 basic types of fonts you can work with to give your logo a unique look:

Serif Fonts

See how the font gives the Avalon logo a stylish look? and timeless? Serif fonts can make your logo look classic and high-end. Serifs are the little “feet” at the end of the letter, which makes them look a bit more dated. They are very versatile and look great with any type of design, but they work especially well with vintage, elegant, or classic designs.

Sans Serif Fonts

Sans-serif fonts are perfect for a modern and clean look. They don’t have the little feet that serif fonts have, which makes them look very elegant and simple. This works great for modern branding, like the cool minimalist Delta Salt logo shown above.

Script Fonts

Script fonts are reminiscent of handwriting. From elegant calligraphic fonts to relaxed and realistic scripts, there is a huge variety. Use them to make your logo look more individualistic, like the Moon Rabbit logo shown above.

Screen Fonts

Screen Fonts are decorative fonts that are highly stylized and they really draw attention. Take a look at the Perfect You logo above that uses a display font to give the design a fun ’70s feel.

Your typography can become really powerful when you combine different logo fonts with each other. Find out how in this guide to selecting fonts for your brand.

Gather Your Design Elements

Now that you have an idea of ​​the different elements that make up your logo, you need to make sure they work together. You want to combine them harmoniously to create the vibe you’re looking for.

The logo for skincare brand Voany leaves no doubt that it’s a high-end, natural, elegant brand that uses a combination mark in an organic shape, a classic serif font, and a natural brown and beige color palette. Reflect Academy, on the other hand, looks disruptive and eye-catching by combining a modern font with colorful, abstract shapes for a fresh and unique look.

9. Contact your designer

—

Now that you have considered all the style points needed, you’re ready to start styling! There are many ways to get a logo, so you should consider which one suits you best. Agency, logo contest, 1 on 1 project or logo maker? Different prices come with different qualities, and all options have their pros and cons. For a good overview of your logo options, check out this comparison of the best ways to design a logo. Learn more about how much your logo design should cost here.

We may be biased, but we think a logo design contest is the best way to get a logo. To make sure your design comes out perfectly, the first rule of thumb in working with your designer is to communicate clearly. Writing a clear creative brief is your chance to make your designer understand who you are and what you need. Be sure to give them as much information as you can about your company and your style, so they can create something truly unique for you.

Sometimes it may take a bit of trust in your designer, but try to stay open to suggestions. Remember, your designer is an expert and has a great idea of ​​what makes a good logo. Giving lots of detailed and clear feedback is what gives designers an understanding of what you like. It may sound corny, but it’s true: the best design happens when you and your designer work together.

10. Evaluate Your Options

—

Evaluating your logo options can be difficult, so get feedback from friends, potential clients, and colleagues to help you make your decision.

What makes a good logo?

A good logo is instantly recognizable, reflects your brand message and makes you stand out. An effective logo looks professional and fits perfectly with a brand identity. A great logo should also work at any size and anywhere you want to use your logo.

A good logo:

• is unique and distinctive
• it’s memorable
• works in any size and anywhere
• reflects your brand identity
• it’s timeless

But, how to make a good logo? Here are some general questions to ask yourself when evaluating your logo options:

• Can you tell what it is in 2 seconds? Will people immediately know what your business does?
• Is it simple and memorable? Will your customers remember it?
• Is it versatile? Can it be applied to all your brand needs?
• Is it timeless or would you have to do a redesign in a couple of years?
• Is it unique? Does it set you apart from your competitors?
• Does it appeal to your target audience?

Obviously, your brand’s needs and expectations for a logo will be very different if you sell clothing for kids and you need a simple logo that can be sewn into fabric than if you make a fancy, high-end wine with an intricate label or a high-tech app that lives on people’s phones. So don’t forget to take a step back and consider the big picture while designing your logo. It’s not about personal taste, it’s about what works best for your brand.

11. What Not to Do When Designing a Logo

—

There are some common mistakes that await you when you’re designing your logo. Here are some tips on what not to do:

• Don’t give in to the clichés of your industry. Are you a dentist, so your logo must have a tooth? Definitely not. Here’s how to avoid generic logos.
• Don’t overcomplicate it. Simplicity is key to a memorable (and printable) logo.
• Don’t try to be too trendy. Trends are great, but make sure your logo doesn’t look out of date in three years.
• Don’t settle for a low-quality logo just to save a few bucks.Your logo is not the place to skimp and you often get what you pay for.

12. Integrate your logo design into your brand:

Now that you know how to design a logo, what’s next?

Once you have your logo, you’ve created the ideal foundation for all the branding material your business needs, whether it’s business cards, packaging design, or web design. By setting the tone for your style, color palette, font and overall look, your logo is the starting point for your brand assurance and your designer will be able to create a perfect look for you. And just like that, your business is ready to show the world your new face!

This article was originally published in 2017. It has been updated with new information and examples.

.