What Do You Need to Know Before You
Design Your Own Logo?
What elements make
a successful logo? Here are 10 logo design tips that professionals use.
Everyone's got 'em. You likely see the "Nike swoosh" logo everywhere
you go. And you know the Texaco station at the corner by its distinctive "star."
So, you're thinking, "My company needs a logo, too." Maybe you want to design
your own logo too.
Why create a logo for your company?Because a logo:
--
visually represents your company in a graphic form (a picture is worth a thousand
words, remember?)
-- instantly communicates your company's essence: what it
does and what it stands for
-- complements your company's ongoing identity
package so your customers can recognize it year after year.
But not just any
logo will do. A good logo is simple yet sophisticated. Don't be fooled that a
logo design that looks simple (like the Texaco "star") has been easy to create.
Less is better, but getting to "less" requires a process of combining symbols,
colors, typography, negative and positive space into a compact unit. Once these
elements have been combined, they have to be refined and the best one selected.
That's why designers present several preliminary designs (called comps) for decision-makers
to analyze, modify, and then accept.
What should you know about creating the
right logo?Your job as designer or decision-maker is to make sure the logo is
a strong, balanced image that communicates clearly and has no clutter. The logo
should be bold and easily seen at a glance. For example, on a well-designed logo,
strong lines and letters show up better than thin, delicate lines and fonts.
The
logo's graphic imagery must be appropriate for the business. The graphic itself
should work as a unit with the company name. It should achieve a look that's distinctive,
yet not trendy. It's best to avoid trendy type styles and extremely tall or wide
shapes. You want your logo to look good for a long time.
Choose an appropriate
spot color (or two) and make note of its ink formula. The formula is a blend of
various inks that's given a PMS number so the color combination is easily communicated
to the printer. You'll refer to that PMS number when you print jobs in the future
so you can be sure the color on your logo will consistently be the same.
What
elements make a successful logo? Here are 10 logo design tips that professionals
use:
1. Simple, yet sophisticated
2. Distinctive, bold
,
and graphic (no thin lines)
3. Not extremely tall or wide
4. Not trendy
or old-fashioned
5. Looks in balance
6. Works well in all sizes
7. Works
well in color or black and white
8. Graphic element and name work together
as a unit
9. Communicates your business clearly
10. Uses graphics and fonts
appropriate for your business
A powerful logo is the first step in pulling
together your visual brand. Did you know that a tag line is as essential as a
logo? Be sure you have a memorable tag line that complements your logo.
Source:
Free
Articles from ArticlesFactory.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Karen
Saunders is the author of "Turn Eye Appeal into Buy Appeal." Hundreds of business
owners have used her simple do-it-yourself design system to create stunning marketing
materials that really SELL their products and services! Click here to listen to
a FREE audio recording, "Put the 'Bling' into your Brand" and learn how to create
your own logo and tag line:
http://www.macgraphics.net
