How to Design a Logo?

A logo is the graphic symbol that gives your company, website, organization or product instant recognition by your target audience or client base. Iconic logos such as the McDonald’s golden arches, Coca-Cola’s unique script, or Nike’s “swoosh” symbol activates instant associations with that company’s products. Admittedly these companies spent millions of dollars developing their logos.

The good news is that you don’t have to have a million dollar budget and a graphic design consultant. You can learn how to design a logo that is distinctive and memorable - one that will serve you for years to come.

The Design Process

Before you dive into the actual design work, it is essential to spend some time thinking about your overall goals for the project. The time you spend gathering information and analyzing your intended impact will save you time and frustration in the actual design process.

Some things to consider include:

• Slogans associated with your product, service, or company.
• Colors and images that epitomize your ideas.
• The mood you would like to set. (For instance if you are designing a logo for a children’s game, you would want to create a fun and whimsical mood.)
• Uniqueness. Think about how to make a logo that will set your product, service, or company apart from the thousands of others in the world.

Components of Good Logo Design

All logos contain color and image and/or text. The simplicity of these core components can be deceiving, because the range of possibilities and combinations are endless. It is the combinations and nuances of these components that determine how you design a unique logo for your project.

Images can be taken from your personal or corporate photo gallery, purchased from photo compilers, drawn free-hand and converted to a digital image, or created on a graphic design program. Once you’ve selected your logo image, you can bend it, stretch it, curl it, or distort it to fit the project’s vision.

The logo color is your next main consideration. In a logo design, color can be applied to the background, the text fonts, and the image itself. Choose colors that help convey the mood and intention of your project. Purple, for instance, suggests sensuality, while red conveys energy, and yellow stimulates the imagination. Your use of color and shading determines how to make a logo color fit your intention. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

Text is not only informative but it is also a graphic element. As such, the font you choose, the color and the placement of the text are as important as the actual words.

Software for Creating Your Logo

Logos can be created on software you already own such as Microsoft Word or Adobe Photoshop. If you don’t have any of these programs, there are a number of online sites offering free tutorials that show you how to make logos. For the best results in the shortest amount of time, choose a software program that you are already familiar with.

Designing a great logo is worth the time you invest in it. Your logo brands you for instant recognition by your audience.

For more information on logo design, visit the Logo and Graphic Design FAQ section of flyingcowdesign.com