Friday, July 3, 2015

The Professional CI Logo Design Tips

By Jordan Schmidt


A good logo designer is worth his or her weight in gold. Companies are increasingly demanding better and more relevant CI logo design. They want just the right image to represent their brand succinctly and with character. They want identification that survives the digital era.

Basic design principles apply to work in this area. Once you have established the message this small design should convey, you start with the basics elements. Together they should add up to something with punch and pizazz. It's a competitive world out there and everything associated with business promotion should be tried. Logos tend to be symbolic and indirect, yet when known, they tend to speak volumes.

Every trademark should appeal to the target audience or it is not doing its job. It must also appeal to the company executives who have a given concept in mind. Experimentation usually takes place within limits. However, you do have colors and fonts to play with in varying proportions and sizes. Ultimately, the designer's final work should be successful in any location from print or digital ad to website and letterhead.

Great design is simple and clear, not overly ornate or complicated. Fonts and colors are used judiciously for best effect. Limiting them is wise for ease of absorption. Above all the symbol must be appealing, especially conveyed in print and digital media. Check with your printer when in doubt. Colors denote identity and should be carefully selected. Fonts must be interesting to the target market, but also clear. It can be edgy to elegant, but it must represent the brand.

Color is not always used, but when it is, it can be one or more complementary hues. The trademark should work as well in black and white. Font takes priority in this case. The design is a compendium of art principles that are pared down to their essence. They must be used wisely. You would not use the same scheme for a child as for an older adult. You might see a distinction for men and women. Being appropriate to the target market is a key element in the design.

It pays to look at the competition, of course, as long as you don't imitate. Designs can also be faddish and limited to a given time. Try something universal but modern using the basic principles of design. See what has been successful for the big companies in the past. Defer to them when making decisions for best contemporary results.

Balance, size and proportion: these are key words in graphic design and they apply to logos as well. Trying out different variations will bring you to the best result. You must, of course, apply your handiwork to the actual final location to be sure it is suitable. What looks good enlarged may be weak in a small size. In the long run, however, it is all about the company product or service as embodied in one limited design.

A final tip is to coordinate the trademark created to the company tag line. They are used in press releases and as mottos on letterhead stationery and website home pages. It is a team effort in conveying brand image and great thought should be given to the perfect match. Brand identity is the name of the game with logo designers, so do your homework to understand clearly the role involved.




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