Tips for Good Logos

What makes a good logo? A good logo is distinctive, appropriate, practical, graphic, simple in form and conveys an intended message.

Simple A simple logo design allows for easy recognition and allows the logo to be versatile & memorable. Good logos feature something unique without being overdrawn.

Memorable Following closely behind the principle of simplicity, is that of memorability. An effective logo design should be memorable and this is achieved having a simple, yet, appropriate logo.

Timeless An effective logo should be timeless – that is, it will stand the test of time. Will the logo still be effective in 10, 20, 50 years?

Versatile An effective logo should be able to work across a variety of mediums and applications. For this reason a logo should be designed in vector format, to ensure that it can be scaled to any size. The logo should be able to work both in horizontal and vertical formats

Versatile Ask yourself; is a logo still effective if: Printed in one color? Printed on the something the size of a postage stamp? Printed on something as large as a billboard? Printed in reverse (ie. light logo on dark background) One way around creating a versatile logo is to begin designing in black and white only. This allows one to focus on the concept and shape, rather than the subjective nature of color.

Appropriate The logo should be appropriate for its intended purpose. For example, if you are designing a logo for a children’s toys store, it would be appropriate to use a childish font & color scheme. This would not be so appropriate for a law firm.

Assignment – Famous Logo Changes Use the Internet to research and locate a famous, brand name logo that has changed throughout history. You may not use the Pepsi logo for this assignment. Analyze the logo changes and do the following: Create a new document that shows a series of images that show the company’s logo design as it has progressed. Copy and paste from the web into Corel. A minimum of 3 changes is required for the logo. Analyze and document the changes and list potential reasons for those changes – what changed, why – your opinion. Use paragraph text in your Corel document.

Assignment – Local Business Logo Choose a local business (must be in Murray and NOT a large chain like McDonalds, Wal Mart, etc). Locate, if possible, a copy of their existing logo and then redesign the logo for that business. Internet, paper, or phone book……. Your design must have 3 variations of the logo You may modify the existing design to IMPROVE it or you may start from scratch with an entirely new design concept. Your choice. Finished designs are due at the end of the block on Friday.

Evolution of a Logo - Variations