There’s a lot of aspects that I love about my job at the moment, but the number one thing is learning more new things every day. Yesterday was my first chance to see first hand the entire process of creating a logo. It’s an ability I’d like to learn as I think I’ve an eye for composition and creativity, but with a chance to see it up close hand I realize I’ll need some patience with myself.

What makes for a classic logo? I think the key elements in good logo design are as follows:

• Simple – The best logos are typically quite simple, too much intricacy isn’t usually overburdened with detail
• Sleek – Clean edges and design so that you can close your eyes and still see that image
• Bold – A quality logo is the first thing a client might see to represent your business (a poor one sadly is also the first thing they see). It needs to be bold and punchy with impact. As a consumer you know logos by the shape and colors – have a second look at the graphic with this article!
• Elegant – A great logo is like a catchy tune, as soon as you see it it’s almost as if it was always there

So, back to my experience…..there’s a reason a logo design can’t be done well for $10, the reasons are there is a lot of planning to the whole design process. I was part of the first 3 steps to follow at which point I stepped back and learned.

1. Consulting – Understanding what your client must have, would like to have and absolutely won’t want is critical.  It’s actually an intricate process if done well but will save many errors in design
2. Study – Looking at successful logos that might contain inspiration or guidance both within the industry the logo is needed for or containing thematic factors that are needed
3. Pencil Time – Sketching some concepts to see where the flow begins and ruling out what won’t work. This is prior to fonts being settled upon. It’s a very creative phase that must be done slowly to work well
4. Compile – A good time to break and discuss what works well and what doesn’t. At this stage fresh ideas seem to emerge from the rubble of concepts that were scrapped
5. Graft – Putting the pieces together, experimenting with fonts, lines and textures. Color and shading plus effects may come into the picture. Then the actual process of putting out 3 great logo examples can be completed

It’s no exaggeration to say over 2.5 hours of work went into the process and the results (I thought) were fantastic but seeing how the path to great Logo is quite twisty was a revelation. Understanding the process now can only make me better consult with clients about custom Logo design and I also see the value in having it done right.

Tell the truth, did you see that the logos above were just parodies?

Tim at greenseedwebdesign