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Rules to create a logo

  • 12 Essential rules to follow when designing a logo

     

    The logo will be the face of the project — the very first impression — so its design is extremely important. Follow 12 essential rules in order to design an effective logo.

     

    1. Preliminary work is a must

    Preliminary sketches are an important first step in designing an effective logo. These can be as simple as paper and pen drawings or drafts made using a vector program.

    Don’t rush, or skip, this step. Start with sketches or ideas and then branch out to create variations of the original ideas.

    If nothing seems to work, start over and begin sketching new ideas.

     

    2. Create balance

    Balance is important in logo design. Keep your logo balanced by keeping the “weight” of the graphics, colours, and size equal on each side.

     

    3. Size matters

    A logo has to look good and be legible at all sizes.

     

    4. Clever use of colour

    Colour theory is complex, but there are basic rules to keep in mind:

    • Use colours near to each other on the colour wheel (e.g. for a “warm” palette, use red, orange, and yellow hues).
    • Don’t use colours that are so bright that they are hard on the eyes.
    • The logo must also look good in black and white, grayscale, and two colours.
    • Breaking the rules sometimes is okay; just make sure you have a good reason to!
    • Knowing how colours evoke feelings and moods is also important. For example, red can evoke feelings of aggression, love, passion, and strength.

    Playing around with individual colours on their own is another good idea. Some brands are recognizable solely by their distinct colour.

     

    5. Design style should suit the project

    You can use various design styles when creating a logo, and to pick the right one, you should have some background information about the project.

    This will help you determine the best design style from the start.

     

    6. Typography matters… a lot!

    Choosing the right font type and size is much more difficult than many beginner designers realize.

    If your logo design includes text, you will need to spend time sorting through various font types — often, dozens of them — and testing them in your design before making a final decision.

    Consider three main points when choosing a font to accompany your logo design:

    • Avoid the most commonly used fonts, such as Comic Sans, or else your design may come off as amateurish.
    • Make sure the font is legible when scaled down, especially with script fonts.
    • One font is ideal, and avoid more than two.

    Strongly consider a custom font for your design. The more original the font, the more it will distinguish the project.

     

    7. The goal is recognition

    The key to making a popular and recognizable logo is to combine all of these elements: size, style, colour, typography, and originality.

    Examine your own logo design and see whether it meets all of these criteria.

     

    8. Dare to be different

    Try a variety of styles to find the one that works best. Try different colour combinations until you find one that makes your design truly original.

     

    9. K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple and Short)

    The simpler the logo, the more recognizable it will be. For example, the Nike swoosh is an extremely simple logo and is also one of the most recognizable in the world.

    Follow the K.I.S.S. rule right from the start of the design process.

    Often, you’ll find that you start with a relatively complicated design and end up with a simpler version of it in the end.

    Work the design down to its essentials and leave out all unnecessary elements.

     

    10. Go easy on effects

    Don’t get carried away! Just remember that simplicity is key.

     

    11. Develop your own design process

    To produce a high-quality logo, you need to develop your own design process. This should include the following steps: research; brainstorm and generate ideas; preliminary sketches; develop vector designs; analyse; add or remove elements; finalize the design and submit.

     

    12. Use other designs for inspiration only!

    The last rule for designing an effective logo is quite simple: don’t copy other designers’ work! While there’s nothing wrong with being inspired by other designers, copying another person’s ideas or work is morally and legally wrong.

    You’re better off starting your design from scratch and making it 100% original.

     

    https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/06/12-essential-rules-to-follow-when-designing-a-logo/