6 key considerations for making a great logo.
Trying to summarize a brand through a logo can be challenging from a creative and technical perspective. Great logos are some of the most recognizable and resonant symbols out there. To give you a jump-start toward creating a logo that fits, here are six key considerations for making a great logo.
Explore logos that work
The Nike swoosh, the Apple logo, and the Amazon smile are examples of great logos that we easily recognize. Keep in mind, they all earned that status over many years, after countless marketing and ad campaigns. Instead of trying to design the next iconic logo, focus on legibility (at all sizes), usability, and evoking the feeling of the brand you’re designing for.
Get to know the brand
A great logo will reflect a company’s identity—its core values and essence. Get to know your client and their brand early in the design process.
Make it vector for scalability
Logos must look sharp at different sizes, in a variety of formats and color versions. Creating a logo using vectors (shapes, drawing, and type) allows for infinite scaling and consistently high quality. With Illustrator, you have the industry-standard vector tool.
Determine which type of logo fits your needs
There are many forms, sizes, and types of logos out there. Your logo can contain an icon and type (like the Adidas logo), just an icon (like the Apple logo), or type only (called a wordmark or monogram, like the Coca Cola logo). As you experiment, decide which logo type best fits your needs.
Streamline your design
A logo should be easily recognizable as a representation of your brand. Legibility is vital, so beware of over-designing. A logo with clean, simple design elements quickly and easily conveys brand identity. The best artistry in excellent logo design is where simplicity and creativity meet.
Keep iterating
When you come up with a core idea, keep iterating, revising, refining, and reimagining it. As you create new versions, save your previous logo design versions so you can refer back to them as needed. Review all of your versions and try combining design elements from each. Sometimes a good logo just needs a simple tweak to become great.
Armed with these six key considerations, you’ll be well on your way to creating a logo that fits your brand and reflects your client’s mission, values, and spirit.
