{"id":10531,"date":"2016-08-31T10:58:22","date_gmt":"2016-08-31T16:58:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/macblaze.ca\/?p=10531"},"modified":"2016-07-22T11:16:55","modified_gmt":"2016-07-22T17:16:55","slug":"logo-design-for-dummies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/macblaze.ca\/?p=10531","title":{"rendered":"Logo Design for Dummies"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is a\u00a0short article I wrote for August issue of T8N magazine<\/a> on 8 tips for good logo design. Nothing earth shattering and written to fit into their 8s section.<\/em><\/p>\n

###<\/p>\n

A Logo Is Worth a Thousand Words<\/h1>\n

Every good logo <\/span>tells a story. In fact, your logo is often the first introduction that potential customers have to your business and, therefore, needs to be able to stand on its own as your front-line brand ambassador. Tall order? A little, but with more and more customers wanting to feel a connection to the brands they support, the role of your logo as a brand ambassador becomes increasingly important. So what makes a logo a good logo? And just how does it tell your story? Here are 8 tips to consider\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Always Consider This<\/b><\/h4>\n

If in doubt, leave it out. If you can\u2019t rationalize something in your logo, chances are it should be removed. When your logo is at its simplest, it\u2019s probably at its strongest. Be ruthless.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

1. Ask the Whys<\/b><\/h4>\n

Why do you have a logo? Who does it target? What is its purpose? If you can answer these deceptively easy questions, you are well on your way to creating a great logo. Time spent figuring this out is probably the single most valuable thing you can do when considering logo design. And don\u2019t forget: since every good logo tells a story, yours should be filled with meaning (both obvious and hidden) and even occasionally whimsical\u2014did you know the Apple logo has a \u201cbyte\u201d missing?<\/p>\n

\"logo<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Keep It Simple<\/b><\/h4>\n

Name the first three logos that pop into your mind, and chances are they are clear and uncomplicated (at least on the surface). Simple but powerful logos almost always prove the best at standing the test of time. Trust in that.<\/p>\n

3. Logotype vs. Logomark<\/b><\/h4>\n

People often confuse a logomark (think Nike\u2019s swoosh) with a logotype, which uses the name of the brand rather than a symbol or icon (think Google or Disney).<\/p>\n

A logotype<\/i><\/b> is often the easiest and most all-around logo to use since it identifies the name of the company or product, as well as expresses the brand. But it is also often bulkier and is sometimes more difficult to use in situations where something smaller and simpler would work better.<\/p>\n

A logomark<\/i><\/b> can help enhance brand identity. This is especially true if your mark happens to be a representation of your product or service. And if a logomark is marketed correctly, it can often be more identifiable than a logotype, as exemplified by the Apple or Lululemon logos.<\/p>\n

\"logo<\/a><\/p>\n

4. Shape, Proportion & Symmetry<\/b><\/h4>\n

Where does your logo need to appear? If you do a lot of sponsorships, the logo will often appear at the bottom of a sign or poster, along with a lot of other logos. Do you have (or want) a strong web presence? Will your advertising strategy involve TV? How about print? The shape and proportion of your logo may affect how it fits in different applications or media, so try out the basic shape in as many situations as possible.<\/p>\n

A symmetrical logo is aesthetically pleasing and will encourage more symmetry in whatever application it\u2019s used in. Asymmetry can carry a complexity that communicates different emotions\u2014anything from laid-back to intense or moody. There is no right answer, but take a moment to carefully consider the implications.<\/p>\n

5. Colour & Tone<\/b><\/h4>\n

Make no mistake, your colour choice will<\/i> communicate ideas. Lego\u2019s red, for example, reflects passion and energy, Starbucks green speaks to nature and freshness and Intel\u2019s blue conveys professionalism and sincerity. Consider your message before committing to a colour choice.<\/p>\n

Remember, too, that for a logo to be really useful, it needs to work in black and white or even in reverse (as white on a dark background). So colour should be the last decision you make.<\/p>\n

\"logo<\/a><\/p>\n

6. Active vs. Passive<\/b><\/h4>\n

Consider your business and consider your brand. Should your logo convey a sense of movement and activity? Red Bull\u2019s charging bull and Twitter\u2019s flying bird are both instilled with motion and energy, which complements their brands. What do you want your potential customers to feel?<\/p>\n

7. Negative Space<\/b><\/h4>\n

Don\u2019t forget that the shapes in your logo can often convey more than one image. The right facing arrow embedded in the FedEx logo is the classic example of using negative space to add meaning. But also consider the simplicity of the white peacock in NBC\u2019s rainbow of tail feathers or the clever \u201c1\u201d in the Formula 1 logo. Used correctly, negative space can allow you to add more elements to the design without increasing the complexity.<\/p>\n

\"logo<\/a><\/p>\n

8. Consider Custom Type<\/b><\/h4>\n

When it comes to good logo design, a typeface should be unique. A custom, hand-drawn typeface is always better than something standard or that you download off the Internet\u2014just take a look at the timelessness of Coca-Cola. A custom type helps ensure that your unique logo will stay that way. But if you can\u2019t afford a completely custom font, at least customize any pre-existing font to make it your own.?<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

###<\/p>\n

8 Biggest Logo Mistakes<\/b><\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Overdoing the special effects. More is not better.<\/li>\n
  2. Using too many fonts. Use one or two at most.<\/li>\n
  3. Not considering its scalability. Does it work as well tiny as it does on
    \na billboard?<\/li>\n
  4. Being too trendy. Don\u2019t just jump aboard the bandwagon\u2014stand out!<\/li>\n
  5. Being too abstract. Don\u2019t leave your customers guessing.<\/li>\n
  6. Leaving it to an amateur. Cousin Bob may be cheap, but you inevitably get what you pay for.<\/li>\n
  7. Relying on stock art. It\u2019s the quickest way to look like everyone else.<\/li>\n
  8. Relying on colour to be effective. All too often, colour is a luxury you can\u2019t afford.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Did You Know?<\/b><\/h3>\n

    \"golden<\/a>Since the time of Euclid, people have studied and used the golden ratio, which in mathematics, is when the ratio of two quantities is the same as the ratio of their sum to the larger of the two quantities. Good logo design often makes use of such classic principles. Despite the fact that the bite out of the Apple logo seems to violate the symmetry of the logo, if you break it down, you can see that they put a lot of work into applying\u00a0math to the design.<\/p>\n

    Note<\/strong>: many people think the strict adherence\u00a0to the Golden Ratio\u00a0in\u00a0the Apple logo is a bit of a myth<\/a>\u00a0but I think the use\u00a0of proportion and symmetry still shine through regardless of the precise math.<\/em><\/p>\n

    \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    This is a\u00a0short article I wrote for August issue of T8N magazine on 8 tips for good logo design. Nothing earth shattering and written to fit into their 8s section. ### A Logo Is Worth a Thousand Words Every good logo tells a story. In fact, your logo is often the first introduction that potential […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/macblaze.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10531"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/macblaze.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/macblaze.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/macblaze.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/macblaze.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10531"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/macblaze.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10531\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/macblaze.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10531"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/macblaze.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10531"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/macblaze.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10531"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}