Logo Design

“Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the simple.” ~C.W. Ceram

Developing a logo is an important step for any company. This one simple graphic will represent a company and give the public a first impression of who that company is. You will be designing a professional logo for your new design company.

Getting Started With the Design Process

Before you start a new design project, your first step in the design process is to do research. Make sure you know your audience! Solid research reduces design time. Find out what your client wants. ALWAYS look at what other successful designers have done and see what you can incorporate into your design. Google is your friend, perhaps you can also use it to search for inspiration.

Inspiration

Check these student examples – Valhalla High School: 1112 | 1011 | 0910

Abduzeedo Logos: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Denis Wong: 01 | 02 | DesignrFX: 80 Logo Examples | 25 Logo Designs Using Letters and Symbols | LogoPond | Logo From Dreams | Logo Faves | Logo Moose | Logo Gallery | Logo of the Day

Tutorials

Green Leaf Studios

Changing Preferences | Project Preview | Document Setup | Contrast | Alignment | Repetition | Holy Trinity: Kerning, Tracking, Leading | Alignment II | Quick Check I

Green Leaf Studios II

One Trick Preview | Download Starter File (Right Click: Save File as . . .) | One Trick Fix | One Trick Practice | Type Treatments Preview | Type Transparency | Type Shadows and Outlines | Type Outlines II

3rd Party Tutorials

If you want to learn more about the type tool in Illustrator (including how to type on a path aka around a circle) check: Illustrator’s Type Tool.

Personal Logo

“I have never designed a logotype without first trying it in Helvetica. It is still the most versatile, classic and readable of all typefaces.” ~Steff Geissbuhler

Your task is to create at least five logotype designs for your fictional design company. Choose a career in design (i.e. Web design, graphic design, photography, etc.) and base your logo off your chosen career. You are to use typography as your main design element. Remember to use contrast and NO MORE than TWO fonts.

Tips

  • Simplify, simplify, simplify!
  • Simple, yet unique.
  • Spend time looking through the Inspiration examples above.
  • Stroke outlines on text are usually not good.
  • 10 Common Mistakes in Logo design

Tutorials

12 Essential Rules to Follow When Designing a Logo

Project Introduction: K.I.S.S. (courtesy Skocko at the Valhalla Mac Lab)| Graphic Design Tips (**HINT** Could your project grade be based on this?)

Choosing the Right Font | Find Your Font | Design Tips: Before and After | Key to Design

Finishing Up: Bring Logos into Photoshop | Experimenting with Layer Styles | Saving for the Web | Creating a Desktop Wallpaper of Your Best Logo

Extra Resources

Logo Design Process | What Makes a Good Logo | 5 Logo Design Tips | Logo Design Process | Smashing Magazine: 60 Logo Design Tutorials | Six Revisions: 15 Logo Design Tutorials | 10 Successful Logo Designs | Logo Design Love | World’s Best Logo Designers | History of Logo Design