Alot of work goes in behind the scenes to create a successful logo. Constant feedback from the client is essential to the process. I have put together five steps involved in the process of creating a new brand for a client.
Finding out as much as you can about the business you are creating a logo for is crucial. Obviously you need to know the name of the company as it is central to the final logo in most cases. You might also want to know the company tagline, as again, this might appear in your final product. Creating a logo that is consistent with business documents, software and its website is very important so it is a good idea to research these mediums to ascertain the style and colours of your logo.
It can be beneficial to find out about the services offered by the company as this might affect the final design. Keeping the audience in mind is a good idea, as with any project, because the logo must meet the needs of the user. For example if the logo is for a company who’s main clients are elderly, any text needs to be clear and easy to read.
Once you have a clear brief, you can share it with the client and outline the goals you feel the logo needs to meet.
I feel sketching is a vital stage in most design processes. It helps you to get your ideas together in an informal setting. You can quickly develop ideas on paper which will help you produce a better final design further down the line. Sketching allows you to go in many different directions and explore lots of ideas for your logo.
It’s a good idea to share some of these early sketches with your client and compare your favorites with theirs to check that you are singing from the same hymn sheet.
Once you have decided on your favorite style it is time to move onto the computer to develop your design further. This is a great stage to start experimenting with different fonts and layouts for the logo. You can also start playing around with shapes and taglines at this stage.
Time to present your proposed logo to your client and get some feedback. This will be one of the last chances you have to find out how you can improve the logo. It is a good idea to get feedback from outside sources at this stage, especially other designers. Logo Pond is a great place to get lots of constructive criticism on your logo.
Finally it’s time to take in all of the advice and feedback you got from the last stage and perfect your logo. Add a bit of colour, some details and add those finishing touches to make the final design look the business.
