There is a lot of theory, design, and research that goes into a logo design. Here, I distill the significant points to consider when designing a logo for a product or business. A logo instills trust, quality, and recognition for your company by marking your brand using images, shapes, fonts, and color. Here are some practical guidelines and design criteria for a professional logo design.
1. Simple Design
Keep the logo design as neat and clean as possible for easy and instant recognition. A great logo may feature unexpected characteristics or unique quality, such as the arrow symbol between the ‘e’ and ‘x’ of the FedEx logo. In short, steer clear of overly complex designs.
2. Vector Design
An effective logo is flexible so that it can be manipulated with graphic design applications and retain its quality presentation in electronic and print mediums. Logos are used in different arrangements and formats, such as business cards, presentations, websites, or business forms. Design your logo in vector format so that it scales to any size while retaining its resolution. For this reason, I always use Illustrator as my tool of choice. Also, document the fonts used and convert the fonts to vector outlines to scale with the other logo elements.
3. Color Design
Logo color is essential to the design because it provides a powerful connection to your brand. Keep the number of logo colors to a minimum. Select your colors from a process color guide such as the Pantone Matching System, so your colors are precise and clear on what you get. Pantone color matching is standardized, making it easy to communicate and get the right color every time.
If your logo contains gradients, like many web-based business logos these days, be sure it presents well in solid colors. If the logo design is in one solid color, the shape should still be recognizable. Create a black and white version of your logo for publications printed in black and white.
Finally, convert the process colors values to RGB and CMYK to reproduce for electronic and press reproduction.
4. Industry Appropriate Design
Are you looking for a fun logo for children’s kindergarten school? Try using handwriting or childish-looking fonts and color schemes. Use industrial images for manufacturing or a more sleek approach for medical firms. Avoid the use of clipart and photographs; they look tacky and are often recognized because of their familiarity.
Keep these four concepts in mind when you create a professional logo for your business.