Branding 101: Logo Design
Branding plays an important role in today’s world and logos are everywhere. From corporate logos to product logos to personal logos, the right branding can have an impact on public view.
In this article, we will cover the basics of logo design as well as some of the rules. You will learn how Vectornator can help you create an amazing logo that will help your brand stand out.
VECTORS…
The most important rule of logo design is that logos should be created as a vector graphic and not a raster-based image.
The three main reasons are:
Vectors are infinitely scalable.
This means a vector graphic can be scaled to any size without pixelating. A logo created using Vectornator can be created for a business card and scaled to the size of a billboard. It will always remain crisp, clean and clear.
Easy to edit.
Creating a logo design as a vector graphic will allow you to quickly make changes. You will be able to change a hue within under a second with the Color Picker.
Vectors have several export options.
Vectornator currently allows for the following export types: SVG, PNG, JPG, PDF, Adobe Illustrator file and of course Vectornator file. In the future, we plan on allowing for more types of exports as well. Make sure to follow Vectornator on Instagram and Facebook to learn when new features or export functions are added.
Why is branding important?
Protection
When you create an illustration in Vectornator, you can add your logo to it. This deters people from stealing your artwork. For photographers, a logo can be used as a watermark, which also ensures the security of their photo. Thus, logos are great for creatives of all types.
It makes you more unique.
Standing out is important. Creating a brand for yourself, will allow people to easily identify your work. This is also beneficial when you are looking to attract clients.
If you are creating a logo for a product or service, the logo is what will remain in the minds of potential consumers. If you have ever played the online games, where you guess the name of a brand by simply viewing a logo without the name? If you have, then you know how iconic logos always remain in our memory.
You look more professional.
If you are an artist or creative of any type. Having a logo will make you look more professional. This is especially important when you want to attract clients or even find work in fields such as advertising.
Marketing materials.
Once you have created a logo it can be used on a wide variety of marketing materials. The most important being a business card! If you attend networking events , it is important to have marketing materials such as business cards. Also, having a logo on a postcard to send to potential clients, artist reps or even ad agencies can be a good way to garner you attention.
How to create a logo.
Know your target audience.
It is very important to create a logo that will be well received by your target audience.
If you are creating a logo for a product then the design should reflect what the product is for. If you are creating a logo for yourself, then it should reflect the style of your work or your personality.
Be different.
Do not copy the logos of others. Create a logo that best works for you or the purpose.
Create sketches first.
They say an award-winning design comes after 10 initial sketches and this is somewhat true. Sketching out ideas will help you determine what is working and what is not working with a potential design. Sketches can be quick and dirty on paper or your iPad. The point is to create a few ideas as a foundation to base your design on.
Use negative space.
You do not want your design too look to busy or cluttered. So it is important to use negative space. This keeps your design clean and easy to read.
Use fonts that are bold and clever.
Remember your logo needs to be scalable, thus do not use a font that is too narrow. It is always safe to go with a bold font, this way it will always be readable. Clever fonts can be good… but do not go crazy. Again remember your font should be again readable.
Think carefully about the colors.
Pro logo designers know that one should not use more than three colors. You can but be careful doing so. Colors should complement each other and not distract. Remember your logo could be digital and printed… so it needs to be RGB and CMYK friendly.
When creating a corporate brand design, the colors you decide on will most likely be added to a brand bible. This will not on detail how colors are used for the logo but also in all material relating to the corporation.
Create a greyscale and black & white version.
A logo could appear on various types of backgrounds and images. Thus, it is important to create versions that would work in different situations. Fo example, a white logo would not work well on a white background. So it is always good to think ahead when designing a logo.
Ask for feedback.
Feedback is important when finalizing a design. Now, when we say get feedback we do not mean from family and friends. When you ask family and friends they tend to tell you what you want to hear. What we recommend is asking your peers or other creatives.
In most cities around the world, there are meetup groups for various types of creatives and this is the perfect environment to ask for feedback. In fact, Dribbble hosts events in various cities and Behance hosts portfolio reviews as well. Also, you can share a design in an online group such as a Facebook group, to ask for feedback on your creation.
Things to avoid…
Too many details.
Remember your logo needs to be scalable, so too many details can be bad if you want to shrink your logo for a business card.
Do not use stock graphics.
Remember you want to be unique and if you do decide to use a stock image as your logo then there is a good chance that others have too. Again, you want to be original. So avoid this. Of course, you can use stock graphics as inspiration. But it important to be unique and stand out in a crowd.
When people choose stock graphics, it becomes noticeable quickly. If you have 100 people in a room and let’s say 10 have used stock graphics, then one will notice it quickly. Granted stock graphics can be a good source for inspiration when creating a logo, however we recommend showcasing how talented you are by creating an original design for a logo.
Too many colors.
This goes back to readability. You want your creation to be easy to read no matter how big or small it is. So when creating a logo, it is best to stick to two or three colors. If you do decide to use more, then just be careful doing so and really think your design out.
Shadows.
Do not use drop shadows or inner shadows or even glows. Stick to a crisp and clear design. Adding shadows or drop shadows can also lead to issues for a printer.
Too many words.
Minimalism is trending right now and there is no reason to clutter your design with too many words or tag lines. You can have a clever name but there is no reason to add a lot of text. CRISP, CLEAN, CLEAR and READABLE is the most important things when creating when branding yourself.
When you are done.
After you have finalized your logo design, you can begin to test it. The best way to do this is to create mockups. This will allow you to view all the various ways that your logo could be utilized. Also, mockups can be interesting to add to your portfolio as well. Mockups showcase how a logo will finally look and can impress a potential client or give you an idea of how your logo would look on marketing material.
We want to see your logo designs.
Our team truly enjoys discovering new artists that are passionate about design. So, once you have created a logo using Vectornator you can either submit it to us through the app or share it on social media with the hashtag #Vectornator. If your creation blows our minds, then we might share it and promote your work via our social channels.
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