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THINK ICON. Logo Creative Process


There are many components to building a company's brand: its voice, its experience, its strategy...the list goes on. However, a logo is probably the most important visual aspect of a brand. It is what people see and associate with a company, and dictates the company's visual identity across the board. It is therefore crucial to have a strong logo that will catch your audience's eye at first glance.

Every designer has their own process for creating a logo, but here are a few basic pointers on how to construct a successful one:

RESEARCH

While this might be the least "fun" part of the logo creation process, it is arguably one of the most important steps. You want to find out as much as you can about the company in advance. What are their core values? How do they want to be viewed by consumers? What is their target audience? All of this information shapes how a logo is put together. For example, a younger audience might be more receptive to a more modern logo with brighter colors, while an older audience might respond to a more traditional style with serif fonts.

BRAINSTORM

Before you even make it to the drawing board, there is some brainstorming to do. You might compile a list of catchwords that would associate with the company's brand. These words help identify images or icons that can be used or incorporated into the logo. Oftentimes, these words are pulled from the company's mission statement (if they have one) or could simply be words that are related to the company or its products and services. Once you have a solid list, you can begin to develop themes.

SKETCH

This is where the fun begins—sketch away! While some people like to take their logo drafting straight to the computer, others may prefer to get it down with a pencil and paper. Start with writing the word or words of the company name out—all caps, all lowercase, title case, first letters of words, etc.—and see how the letters all fit together with each other. This way, you can even see if any of the catchword images can be incorporated into some kind of icon.

DRAFT

Once you have some solid logo concepts, it's time to take them to the computer. With a general feel for what your options look like, you might start by exploring a few typographical choices to help determine the style of the icon. Also, a couple of things to keep in mind when putting your logo together: embrace negative space—look at how your letters are interacting with each other and you might find a clever symbol; keep it simple—it's easy to overcrowd your logo, but when it comes to logos, less is more; and finally, don't forget to have fun. It definitely shows in the final product!

Designing a logo is not necessarily an easy process, and, depending on the client/industry, some designs may come easier to you than others. It's important to be flexible in the process and continue listening and expanding your knowledge. Ask for second, third, maybe even fourth opinions if you find yourself stuck. Sometimes all you need is a fresh pair of eyes. Find your groove and the rest will fall into place!