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whitefoxdesigns — How to Design a Logo, Step by Step Guide.
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#design #guide #logo #step
Published: 2015-07-22 23:53:55 +0000 UTC; Views: 5080; Favourites: 148; Downloads: 0
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Chapter 1 - From the startWhen we design a logo, we are fulfilling a need for an identity, because people think in images, not words. For example if you read “banana” on a sign, you don't think of the actual letters that form the word “banana”, you think of the fruit, you form the image in your head. That's what we want when we make a logo.
The following are features every good logo should have:
Easy to adjust. This means it has to be understandable in both small and big scale.
Charming. Once you see it you won't forget it, even if you didn't understand what it meant, you will still think about it.
Readability. It should be easy to read at any size and in any color, and shouldn't leave room for misinterpretation.
Easy to comprehend. You have to know what service or product it offers when you look at it.
Authentic. The design must not mislead the observer to believe something it's not.
Work with different color schemes. Clients often request their logos to work in color, gray scale, single color and on dark backgrounds.
Printable. Must work on different print media like screen printing and embroidery.
Compact. If a design is scattered, details may get lost in print.
Keep in mind that all clients have different needs and likes making each work different from the ones before. It's up to the designer to decide which features have priority according to the project but still making the logo functional. If the logo doesn't fulfil the needs of the client then it's a bad work.
From this moment on I will explain how to create your own design using my own personal identity as example. Get ready to start.
Now that we know the rules our identity needs to follow, it's time to create a concept. To find it we need to reduce the ideas to just a few words, three or a couple more. Each word describing a core aspect of our identity. Two of them must answer the questions; whats our product or service? and what make us different to others?, the third one is up to us.
For example, my identity is a white fox, my alias name Irian, followed by the words Design and Illustration. If we were to simplified it more it would be:
White + Fox + Irian + Design & Illustration (But design weights more because of the size of the word)
White: It's related to the idea of a start, like a white sheet of paper.
Fox: It's my favorite animal, but also it's an animal people relate with the word cunning which is smart or clever. Why is it so important? Because I find clever solutions to graphic design needs.
Design: It's what I do. I choose the word Design instead of Branding because I wanted to be able to offer or graphic design services in the future and not just logo design.
Irian: It's the alias I have used on deviantART and other websites for a long time. I can easily prescind of it and the identity won't be affected.
An identity can evolve and change along time. Very few identities stay unchanging for a long time, but it's important that you always know what's the concept. That's what makes brands different from one to another even if they share names or elements in common.
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Comments: 34
Hey, got some questions : which dimensions do you usually design your logo for a client ?
And about the final delivery you give them, do you give your source file like .psd or .ai or some .jpg and .png at the biggest dimension ?
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I usually work on a space of 2500X2500px space. When I finish I give my client a .ai file on the same dimensions. For a .psd since it changes from 72 to 300 dpi it gets bigger so sometimes I reduce the size to 3000px
When you work on vector files the size is no problem even if you work on smaller dimensions but for photoshop I would files of no less of 3000 px and 300 dpi always.
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It's really useful! Thank you a lot!
My class friends are going to make a business and they asked me to make a logo for them XDD.
These are really great tips for starter <3
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You are welcome! If you have any question please feel free to send me a note. I still need to add the sections about color choices and choosing a shape.
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"I can easily prescind of it"
What does that mean exactly?
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It means I can leave it out of consideration. In this case, I can take away the word "Irian" from my current image and people would still know it's me because of the icon. It will be easier to understand once the book is finished and I add the visual examples.
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Thanks. For some reason it looked weird but there is such a word
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It's so nice that you've posted these useful tips online for free! I was wondering about your process to end up with such slick designs.
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Well, the book with the actual graphic examples will have a cost of 4 USD. It will be in PDF format in full color.
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I meant the sample - this is good to know! May you sell many copies
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Well, I think it's experience. It's just like your draws. It's about doing it everyday. Also I try to imitate different techniques with my own concepts.
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THANK YOU OMG
Even if I come up with a design I like, I sometimes stumble on those problems later on: having a better perspective on what a design might be used for will sure help me struggle less with adapting it later! Thanks for sharing your experience with us!~
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I'm glad I was able to help. ^^
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I had to design two logos in a row last month without this knowledge and it was HELL. Wish you posted this sooner; so friggin' useful!!
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Sorry! I have been wanting to do it for a long time but work made me keep delayig it.
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Oh, well. Better late than never, I guess.
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Glad you find it helpful.
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Thanks and thank you so much for your help correcting the text!
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Thank you!
I may not submit the chapters in order since right now I'm more inspired on submiting the chapter of Advices for Freelancers which is the last one.
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Useful, I'm currently designing an app top to bottom, this will come in handy.
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Awesome! I wish I could program but I just can't fit in my brain. It may have something to do with my dislexia but I have tried to study it and it just doesn't make sense to me. ><
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Getting over that initial hump of understanding can be difficult, but it's useful.
Processing.org, great site with really helpful community, can out put android compatible programs.
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Ok! I don't mind trying again.
I believe that part of the difficulty is the fact that my mind works on images mostly. I trained it work that way because I'm a designer. That's why learning to program young is much better.
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I'm 30, age has nothing to do with it.
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Hahaha! Same here.
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