How to create a great logo ?

Yellow logo on white book

The logo is literally the front of your business. If the facade is beautiful and attractive, your customer will want to know what you have to offer. If not, they will quickly move on.

Here are 10 tips for creating an effective and eye-catching logo:

1 - Simplicity

A good logo is a simple logo! All you need to do is look at the iconic logos of brands like Apple, VW, Nike, Adidas, Louis Vuitton, Audi, etc. They are recognizable among thousands and yet are very simple. Unfortunately, many amateur logos tend to incorporate too many elements related to their activity (hammer, house, animals, etc...) which hinders their readability and use.

Scalpel

Logo of a plastic surgeon

Renault logo

New logo for the Renault car manufacturer (2021). Source : leprogres.fr

2 - Legibility

This second tip is directly related to the first. A simple logo logically makes it more readable than a logo with many elements. The details will often be invisible (and even distracting) once the logo is small on Facebook or in the header of a letter. Since the logo is usually the first thing your customers see, it must be legible at first glance.

Logo with the R letter

Very simple and legible logo made of just one letter.

Tasman District logo

Too complicated logo with too many details and colors. Source : stuff.co.nz

3 - Balance

A good logo is also a balanced logo where the components fit together naturally, where everything is in its place. To put it simply, avoid overloading one side of the logo to the detriment of the other, make sure that each element is the right size, and finally, that the readability of the logo is natural. This is probably the most difficult trick to master and usually requires a lot of practice.

Coasties logo

Unbalanced logo. Text too big, bad spacing,... Source : comocyco

4 - "One Size Fits All" Proportions

As the number of media multiplies, your logo should be able to easily find its place on a menu, an email signature, or the header of a web application. Therefore, very wide and thin logos are to be avoided and those that are too vertical. Ideally, your logo should have a 1/1 ratio (as wide as it is high) or at least try to get close to it.

In Data Veritas logo

Logo in more "square format", handy to use.

Kraft Foods logo

Horizontal logo that won't fit well in a small (square) space. Source : 1stwebdesigner.com

5 - Choosing Colors Wisely

Be aware that each color has its own meaning and can be associated with several values. If you are interested in the subject, there are entire books on the psychology of colors. For example, blue is a color that reflects confidence and stability, while purple reflects more compassion and creativity. This is why blue is predominant in the banking and industrial world, while purple is often used in health services or personal development (meditation, yoga, etc..). When choosing your colors, ask yourself if they convey the values of your business and how they will be perceived by your customers. Be aware that, depending on the region of the world where your company will be operating, the colors could mean something else, and it is vital to find out beforehand.

6 - Limit the Numbers of Colors

A logo is not a drawing, and it must be simple. This tip is also valid for the use of colors. Think of using a maximum of 2-3 colors for your logo to be easily readable and can be more readily associated with your business. You can also use several shades of the same color (light blue, dark blue, etc..).

7 - Color Harmony

When you use several colors for your logo, make sure that they work well together. There is nothing worse than ruining a good logo because the colors are poorly chosen. For example, green and red are challenging to combine, as are orange and pink. You should also avoid using colors that have very different tones ("brightness"). Unless you are sure of your choice or reflect a real need, you don't combine a fluorescent apple green with a duller blue, even if initially these two colors can be combined well.

Kani Fit logo

Colors that combine well and in the same tone.

Cazz's logo

Bad choice of colors. Source : vandelaydesign.com

8 - Do Not Overlook the Font

Like with colors, each font has its own personality and will evoke certain emotions in your audience. Therefore, it is important to choose a font that best reflects the essence of your brand / your business. For example, a brand for children will use a modern, irregular, and sans-serif font, while a newspaper would be more inclined towards a traditional font with serifs. The worst thing to do is create a mismatch between your business and the message your logo (and its writing) sends. For example, a childish font is not suitable for a "hard rock" label and would confuse the target audience. Try to be "original" and not to use "ultra-classic" fonts like Times New Roman, Calibri, or Comic Sans MS.

Gravity Holds logo

Modern font that fits well with the image and name of the brand.

Smith & Smith logo

Font not in line with the company business. Source : pinimg.com

9 - Avoid Cliche Logos and Choose the Timeless

Avoid cliches! Even if it is very tempting to follow the trend to create contemporary and striking logos, choose something more sober and timeless. Once the trend has passed, your logo that was "cool" at the time will be much less appealing and relevant to the new standards. Avoid reusing exhausted and outdated ideas! For example, vintage scissors or a hipster mustache for a barbershop is a no-go! Dig deep to find innovative ways to represent your business. Your logo will gain visibility if it is well crafted and original.

Barber logo

Original and simple barber logo

Barber logo

Cliché logo. Seen 100+ times ! Source : img.freepik.com

10 - Design a vector logo

Finally, as you create your logo, you must do it in vector form. Unlike a standard image that is composed of pixels, a vector image is composed of points connected by lines, all calculated by equations. The advantage is that a vector image can be enlarged or shrunk infinitely without loss of quality. Since your logo will be used on countless media in many different sizes, it must be created in vector form. Many programs can be used to work in vector format, and the best known is Illustrator. But there are free alternatives like Inkscape, Gravit, etc.

Matrix vs vector

A vector shape allow an infinite enlargement ! Source : Wikipedia

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