A logo is often a designer's most visible work. It may sit on a signboard for ten years, on every receipt and on every social media post. Clients care about logos, and adverts for print shops, agencies and in house teams regularly list logo design among the core tasks.
Kinds of logo
- Wordmark: the name in a carefully chosen font, often adjusted by hand.
- Lettermark: initials, useful for long names.
- Symbol: a simple picture or shape with no words.
- Combination: a symbol with the name beside or below it. This is the most common choice for small businesses.
- Emblem: the name inside a shape, like a badge or seal, common for schools and associations.
A simple process
- Ask questions. Use the branding questions: customers, feelings, competitors and where the logo will appear.
- Research. Look at competitors so your design looks different, not similar.
- Sketch on paper. Draw twenty quick, rough ideas in pencil. Quantity first; most will be bad, and that is normal.
- Choose two or three. Pick the clearest ideas and refine them.