The time has come to create a logo for your new business. But where should you even begin? Today we’re discussing a few essential tips to keep in mind while developing a logo design. Do the necessary research before you start any sketching and design work to avoid wasting time and energy into ideas that are not conducive to your brand. Better yet, consult with an agency about your brand and logo ideas.
Sketch Out Your Designs
Never underestimate the power of quickly sketching out your current ideas. It’s an excellent way to get ideas out of your head and onto paper without wasting valuable time. Thumbnail sketches often go highly unnoticed but help you get both the good and bad ideas out. Once you see it on paper, it’s easy to identify whether or not the idea is worth building upon or scrapping. We advise doing at least ten thumbnail sketches of the logo ideas that you have, choosing your top 3-4 and further building upon those ideas. Once you’ve solidified those 3-4 logo options, it’s time to begin your next step.
Black & White
You’ve finished your design sketches, so now it’s time to get those created in Illustrator. Whether you’re hand drawing your entire logo using a tablet and pen or starting with some pre-built elements, it’s time to get those ideas into your design program. As you build out your logos in Photoshop, Illustrator, or whatever software you may be utilizing, remember to let the creativity flow. Your ideas may continue to develop as you create your vector logo. However, it’s vital to create this first round of logos in black and white. It may surprise you, but we as humans have a very particular perception of colors and the emotions behind different color choices, so to avoid choosing or disapproving a logo because of a color choice, opt to do these first versions in black and white only. Once you’ve chosen the black and white option, it’s time to move onto the next step.
Typography
This tip ties into the time you’ll be creating your black and white options. Choose relevant fonts that best tell your brand story. You’ll want the fonts you choose to look great on any marketing pieces, so make sure to think big picture to achieve this. It’s advised to try to keep your font choices to 2 or less. Make sure to do your research in knowing what fonts pair best together and the best practices around choosing a font.
Develop a vertical or horizontal version of your logo
Your logo needs to be flexible in this day and age. Your logo will be displayed prominently on many different platforms. It’s imperative that no matter the size it will be presented, it needs to be recognizable. By creating both a vertical and horizontal version of your logo, you are greater ensuring that reality.
Color Options
Once you’ve chosen your favorite black and white logo option, it’s time to begin with color. If your brand already has established colors, consider those and how you can elevate them with the new logo. If you’re a new business, do color study research to know what colors will help tell your brand’s story while enhancing the logo you’ve created.
Brand Guide
Create a brand guide sheet so your business can easily share your brand guidelines with others you’re working with. Doing this will save you valuable time sending files over to the contractors, vendors, and agencies that you work with.
Hiring an Agency for Logo Design
Creating a new logo can be daunting. There are many factors to consider, and we recommend hiring a design agency for consulting or designing your new logo. Hiring professionals is an excellent investment in your company to ensure you’re not making critical mistakes in brand development and conception.
If you decide to hire an agency, keep these best practices of logo design in mind to make sure they are focused on developing a successful logo for your business. The Belford Group offers brand consulting and logo design services, so give us a call to set up an appointment to discuss your branding needs. We’d love to hear from you!