25 design tips for killer logos. Whether you're a designer, or a business owner looking to brand your company, here's 25 top tips to designing a killer logo - the cornerstone of your brand. Learn what to do, not to do, what formats you'll need for a professional identity and more.
6. ProTip#5ProTip#5
A logo should depict your
company personality.
Serious.Whimsical.Cutting-edge.Friendly.Yourlogo
needstographicallyportraytheessenceofyour
company.Amismatchcanbedisastrous.
Serious.Whimsical.Cutting-edge.Friendly.Yourlogo
needstographicallyportraytheessenceofyour
company.Amismatchcanbedisastrous.
7. ProTip#6ProTip#6
A logo doesn't have to
portray what you do.
It’softenbettertohaveamarkthatdoesn'tdepictyour
companyfunctionsliterally.Abstractandsymboliclogos
aremuchmoreadaptable&flexible.
It’softenbettertohaveamarkthatdoesn'tdepictyour
companyfunctionsliterally.Abstractandsymboliclogos
aremuchmoreadaptable&flexible.
8. ProTip#7ProTip#7
Your logo is for your
audience.
Sure,it'simportantthatyou"like"yourlogobutthat's
secondaryinimportance.Itmustappealtothe
customersyou'retryingtoattract.Yourlogoisforthem.
Sure,it'simportantthatyou"like"yourlogobutthat's
secondaryinimportance.Itmustappealtothe
customersyou'retryingtoattract.Yourlogoisforthem.
9. ProTip#8ProTip#8
Your logo needs to have
instant impact.
Nobodyisgoingtotakeminutestoadmirethesubtle
symbolismandintricaciesofyourlogo.Ithasafractionof
asecondtograbtheviewersattention.Bebold.
Nobodyisgoingtotakeminutestoadmirethesubtle
symbolismandintricaciesofyourlogo.Ithasafractionof
asecondtograbtheviewersattention.Bebold.
10. ProTip#9ProTip#9
Keep your logo
nice & simple.
Complexlogosarehardertoremember,
don'thaveinstantimpactandwon'treproducewell
whenusedatsmallsize.
Complexlogosarehardertoremember,
don'thaveinstantimpactandwon'treproducewell
whenusedatsmallsize.
12. ProTip#11ProTip#11
Select typefaces carefully.
Use two fonts max.
Fontstylescanbehighlysymbolicofthethemeofyour
business.Bonustip:usemorethantwodifferentfonts&
yourlogomaylooklikearansomnote.
Fontstylescanbehighlysymbolicofthethemeofyour
business.Bonustip:usemorethantwodifferentfonts&
yourlogomaylooklikearansomnote.
13. ProTip#12ProTip#12
A logo's shape,proportion
& footprint arecritical.
Formaximumadaptability,yourlogoshouldbesquare
orhorizontal.Afootprintisanimaginaryboxaround
yourentirelogo.Trailingelementscancauseproblems.
Formaximumadaptability,yourlogoshouldbesquare
orhorizontal.Afootprintisanimaginaryboxaround
yourentirelogo.Trailingelementscancauseproblems.
The
Golden
Ratio
Actual
'Footprint'
16. ProTip#15ProTip#15
Color is secondary in the
design of your logo.
Yourbrandcolorsareimportantintheuseofyourlogo
butnotinthedesignofit.Alogothat's"heldtogether"
bycolorisapoorone-itshould"work"inanycolor.
Yourbrandcolorsareimportantintheuseofyourlogo
butnotinthedesignofit.Alogothat's"heldtogether"
bycolorisapoorone-itshould"work"inanycolor.
19. ProTip#18ProTip#18
No glows,lens flares,drop
shadows or bevels.
Specialeffects&filtersareusuallyaddedtoalogowhen
it'sthoughttobe"missingsomething."Theseeyecandy
solutionsonlyleadtoreproductionheadaches.
Specialeffects&filtersareusuallyaddedtoalogowhen
it'sthoughttobe"missingsomething."Theseeyecandy
solutionsonlyleadtoreproductionheadaches.
20. ProTip#19ProTip#19
View your logo
from every angle.
Sometimesyourlogomaylooklikesomethingentirely
differentifviewedupsidedownorsideways.Betteryou
findthis"hidden"symbolthaneverybodyelse.
Sometimesyourlogomaylooklikesomethingentirely
differentifviewedupsidedownorsideways.Betteryou
findthis"hidden"symbolthaneverybodyelse.
26. ProTip#25ProTip#25
A logo is not
a brand.
Alogoisthecornerstoneofyourbrandbutitisn'tthe
entirepicture.Youcanbuildabrandwithacombination
ofconsistentvisuals,themes&colors.
Alogoisthecornerstoneofyourbrandbutitisn'tthe
entirepicture.Youcanbuildabrandwithacombination
ofconsistentvisuals,themes&colors.