6 Easy Steps to Creating a Logo Design
Generate logo design practice clients: FakeClients.com
Step 1 — Client briefs
If you are seeking to design logos professionally, the first step of any designer is to sit down and consult with their client. This first step basically consists of having a detailed chat with the client where you ask them certain questions to get a clearer view of their company and their desires. You can ask questions such as 'what is the audience you desire to reach?' or 'what is the meaning behind your business?'. Also, make sure to ask them where they see their business going in the future, as you want your logo to be time-proof and not just a design for right now. By doing this is not only helps you to really understand the business from the inside out, but it can also save you some time in the next step to designing a good logo, which is research.
Step 2 — Research
The second step to designing a logo is to do your research. This is a vital step in creating a good logo design. The combination of the information you got from the client brief and the one you receive from doing your research is what you should put into your design. Do not just think of the general look of your design, but also focus on the meaning behind it. Are the colors accurate to the morals of the business, and will this logo attract the right costumers? You can also create a mood board, for instance, to really create the feeling and vibe that you want for your logo and put it all together on a board. You can do this online, by going through websites such as Instagram or Dribble, where you can look at the designs of others, or just step outside and take inspiration from the logos around you. If you are confident in the information you have gathered about the desired logo and the business behind it, it is time to start sketching, the third step to designing a logo and the one where you can really start putting your creative talent and skills to the test.
Step 3 — Sketch out
Once you know what you are looking for in a logo, you can start sketching. You can do this both digitally as traditionally on paper. This step is where your creative output is really tested. When sketching a logo, always keep these keywords, as said by Tyler Littwin, designer of logos for HubSpot amongst other things, in mind; simple, timeless, versatile, memorable and appropriate. These keys to a good logo keep you from going too crazy with your design. So always keep in mind things such as ‘will this design still work in 20 years?’ and ‘is this logo easy enough to quickly understand?’. Also make sure you try out different sketches and logos, as you might not get it exactly right on the first try. Sketching is not only about creating good ideas, but it is also about eliminating the ones you do not like. And maybe you thought you had the perfect one, but you somehow create an even better one by changing just a few small things. Also, take some time to play around with colors, look up what certain colors mean and put this into your design.
Step 4 — Work out your sketch
If you are happy with a sketch and you feel like it is perfect, you can start to work it out digitally. There are different programs to do this, think for instance of Adobe Illustrator, which is a well-known platform amongst designers. Try to make sure your logo design looks smooth and professionally done. If you are not sure about it, try to do it in another way until you are sure. Also, make sure your logo looks good in larger and smaller sizes. Check this by for instance looking if your logo still looks good on a business card or t-shirt. If you are able to, ask someone’s opinion or tips on your design before you present it to your final client, as this might come in more handy then you think. A fresh pair of eyes can really look at your design objectively and honestly. When you feel like you have perfected your sketch into a well-worked out digital logo design, you can go to the next and potentially final step.
Step 5 — Present
When you have your final designs, you are ready to present them to your client. Try to give your client a few different options as their taste may differ from yours. If you are more confident in only one design, try it with different colors or differing fonts. This makes you look more professional as well, as it looks like you have spent more time into your logo designs and you let the client have the final word. If your client is immediately happy with one of your created and presented designs, that is fantastic and you are done here. However, it is often so that your client is just not satisfied enough to accept the designs you gave her and asks you to reshape or rework certain aspects of the logo.
Step 6 — Corrections and revisions
If your client is not ready to approve your first drafts yet, make sure you communicate with them enough to really understand what they are not entirely comfortable with. You want to do this so that you can draft a new logo that hopefully, they will like. You might need to do this a few times before your client is truly happy with it and approves your logo, as they look at your design differently than you do. Do not get worked up about a client not liking your design immediately, as they only want what is best for their business and tastes happen to differ. What one client might see as a perfect logo design, another might find terrible. A true designer has to accept this and work through it, as you will get out of it with the most fitting logo for your client and their business.
There you have the six steps to creating a perfect logo design. Try to not get discouraged by more difficult clients and remember to always stay practicing to maximize your creative skill set and you will make a fine logo designer.
