The intent of this animation is to give a sense of the process of making an iconic logo, and some of the underlying techniques applied.
Anatomy of a Logo
Hello and thank you for taking the time to look around. I wanted to give a very abridged overview of my logo design process as well as show some practical applications, talk about the qualities I strive to achieve with a logo's design, and how that equates to value.
To do this, I have created an abstract logo that I will talk about the process with. Now this is moslty focused on the technical execution of a logo and not the underlying problem-solving of a practical logo. The reason for this is that this is a concept logo that was designed solely to illustrate the design process. Going forward I will do my best to keep things short and to the point.
From Concept to Completion
With every logo I do a fair amount of research and concepting. Concepting is generally just drawing very crude sketches that allow me to see how the different elements of the design will work together. My main goals for the logos I design are to be focused, versatile, iconic/memorable, form-pleasing, and fit naturally in their category while still setting them apart. Obviously that is a lot but they're good goals to strive for as I never feel as though I am just settling on a design.
I spend a lot of time in this phase because this is where the end-game starts to present itself. The image below is to illustrate the idea of how I go about looking at many different designs, but the sketches in my book are far more cruder - for me the sketches aren't about being perfect, they're about exploring concepts and ideas quickly and efficiently. If most people were to look at them they would probably wonder: "How did you get from that sketch, to this final design?" The hardest part of designing a logo isn't necessarily bringing it to life in the design software, the hardest part is coming up with a worthwhile idea at all. That is why this part of the process is so very important. Anyone can create a design after-the-fact, but coming up with an original design and being able to take it from sketch-to-screen is the invaluable part.
Practical Applications
Skipping ahead slightly I wanted to show some practical applications in the form of mock-ups. We'll get back to the technical stuff afterwards. My goal with these mock-ups was to show the versatility of an iconic design. It's important to know how a logo will be used. Whether it is an app icon, or a clothing brand logo, you need to build it with those applications in mind, but still have a design that is versatile enough to effectively and naturally be built upon like a true brand.
When the element is allowed to breathe it commands attention. The "clean" aesthetic lends integrity while still allowing a wide range of creativity that feels appropriate and avoids feeling out of place. The key is to play off of the focused nature of the design - allowing the design to breathe, not cramming too many elements in, using elements of the logo as auxiliary design elements (and much more!) are all key to creating designs that feel focused, meaningful, cohesive, and professional.
Give me some space! Space is your friend, not your enemy. Filling a design full of elements creates too much visual noise and is distracting & chaotic. A focused design does what it needs to do and does it well. It's the visual version of "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
The curvy patterns at the top and bottom of the designs play off of the curvacious forms of the logo itself. The linear forms create a contrast that helps draw attention without being invasive.
The curved elements at the top and bottom are pieces pulled directly from the logo. This adds visual interest while maintaining cohesion. This is the "inverted" version of the logo in practical application.
Spaced Out
Back to the technical stuff.
It's important to let your design breathe (I hate saying that {again}, but it just... works). One way to get consistent spacing for your design is to use elements from the design itself to measure the distance. The reason this works over an absolute measurement like "5 inches" is because the logo will likely be applied on many different media and both digitally and physically. Since the design scales, so too does it's spacing needs.
In this example logo I used the "dots" inside the logo to create the spacing guidelines. By using the "dots" we will always have consistent spacing between the logo and any accompanying elements. There is generally more to it than this but the idea should be clear(er) now.
Using elements of the logo to define boundaries ensures consistent spacing across all media. Cohesion sends a focused message and consistency creates trust.
Form with a Function
It's important that your design is recognizable. This helps lend itself to being memorable. There's no magic formula to being memorable (and if there is, someone's keeping a damn good secret) but you can nudge yourself in that direction by using design principles to create eye-pleasing work. One of the ways to test the silhoutte of your design is to design it in black & white and test it with a white background and a black design, and the inverted version of a black background and a white design. You may notice that, visually speaking, the design may feel heavier or lighter based on which version you're looking at. Designs absolutely can "feel" different based on their surrounding elements and how they either integrate or contrast with those elements - which can be as simple as a change in the color of the background. But "testing" a design in this manner helps ensure that you have versatile and eye-pleasing design.
These are the original "colors" that I designed the logo in. Working in black and white initially goes a long way in ensuring the iconic and clean design because it is like working with a high-contrast silhoutte. If anything is "off" about the design, you will notice almost immediately because you are focusing solely on the form of the design. If I had designed this with multiple colors, those colors may mask any inconsistencies in the design by creating too much visual noise during the production of the logo. If you design that way, do all the work, then notice the issue long after the fact, you end up creating more work for yourself in the long-haul.
This is the inverted version of the black & white design. Aside from the obvious change in tones, does it look different to you? Does it appear "heavier"? Do the lines and their weights feel different? It is exactly the same size and proportions as the previous verision.
This is the inverted version of the final design. It was showcased in the clothing tag mockup to demonstrate its effectiveness and applications.
Final Thoughts
This was very a brief insight into my personal process and barely scratches the surface of the thought processes but I wanted to provide a little insight into the more technical parts of how I go about creating a logo. I think every designer ends up with their own processes, largely influenced by the work they admire, informed by various information and influences. This is a very brief insight into my personal process - but of course there is far more to it than what is outlined above.
I hope that this had some value for you whether you are a client looking to have a logo designed, or a fellow designer just stopping by.
