10 Mind Blowing Logo Design Tips! 🤯

Summary

In this informative video, a seasoned logo designer shares 10 essential tips for aspiring logo designers. Starting with black and white sketches to simplify shapes, understanding that a logo is the face, not the entire story of a company, and adjusting letter spacing are just a few of the insights offered. The designer also emphasizes the importance of sketching at least 20 concepts, avoiding online inspiration initially, creating compelling presentations, and checking for design uniqueness to ensure a logo's success and avoid legal issues.

Takeaways

• 🎨 Start with black and white: Focus on the shape and simplicity of the logo first, ensuring it works without relying on color.
• 🏢 A logo is the face of the company: It should be unique and memorable, not necessarily descriptive of the company's industry or products.
• 🔠 Adjust letter spacing for logos: 'Kerning' should be tighter in logos than in paragraph text to ensure the logo looks balanced.
• 🚫 Avoid immediate online inspiration: Create at least 20 concepts without looking at online sources to prevent unintentional copying.
• ✍️ Sketch at least 20 concepts: Pushing beyond the initial ideas can lead to more unique and creative logo designs.
• 📑 Present logos effectively: Use storytelling and mockups to show how the logo can be used in various contexts, enhancing client understanding and approval.
• 🤔 The Noun Method: Combine two standout nouns from the client's brief in their simplest forms to create a distinctive logo.
• 🌏 Change your location to refresh creativity: Shifting environments can provide new perspectives and inspiration for design.
• 🔍 Overshooting in custom typography: Adjust the size of certain letters to create visual balance, compensating for optical illusions.
• 🔒 Check logo availability: Before presenting a logo, ensure it isn't already claimed by conducting thorough searches in databases and using tools like Google Lens.
• 📝 Proof check thoroughly: Avoid potential legal issues and client dissatisfaction by verifying the originality and availability of your logo designs.

Q & A

Why should a logo designer start with black and white colors when creating a logo?

Starting with black and white helps to focus on the shape and simplicity of the design, avoiding overcomplication or dependency on texture and color. It ensures the logo design works well even when it is shrunk to smaller sizes like on a business card.

What is the main purpose of a logo according to the speaker?

The main purpose of a logo is to serve as the face of the company, not to explain what the company does or sells. It should be unique and memorable, representing the company's identity.

Why should the spacing between letters in a logo be tighter than in paragraph text?

The default spacing in Adobe Illustrator is set for paragraph text, which is usually wider than needed for logos. Tighter spacing ensures the logo looks cohesive and fits well within its intended use.

Why is it advised not to look at online sources for inspiration when starting a logo design project?

Looking at online sources too early can lead to unintentional copying or creating a design that's too similar to existing logos, which can result in legal issues or client dissatisfaction.

What is the significance of sketching at least 20 concepts before finalizing a logo design?

Sketching at least 20 concepts helps to challenge the designer's creativity and push past initial cliché or existing ideas, leading to more unique and original logo designs.

How can a logo designer effectively present their logo designs to clients?

A designer should create a story and a presentation that shows how the logo can be used in different contexts and make mockups specific to the brand. Presenting the logo ideas over a call can further help in convincing the client.

What is the 'Noun Method' for creating logo designs as mentioned by the speaker?

The Noun Method involves taking two nouns from the client's brief and drawing them in their simplest form, then finding similarities and combining them to create a logo that represents both elements.

Why is changing the design environment important for a logo designer?

Changing the design environment can help refresh the designer's perspective, draw inspiration from different cultures, and understand new design aesthetics, which can enhance creativity.

What is 'overshooting' in the context of logo design, and why is it important?

Overshooting refers to the optical illusion where certain shapes, like circles, may appear smaller than they are due to their curves. Adjusting for overshooting helps to create a visually balanced logo.

Why is it crucial to check the availability of a logo design before presenting it to a client?

Checking the availability of a logo design ensures that the design is not already in use or claimed by someone else, preventing potential legal issues and maintaining the trust of the client.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Logo Design Fundamentals

This paragraph introduces the video as a guide for logo designers, sharing 10 valuable tips from the creator's experience. It emphasizes starting with black and white to focus on shape simplicity, understanding that a logo is the face of a company rather than a literal representation of its business, and adjusting letter spacing (kerning) to fit logo design standards rather than paragraph text.

05:02

🚫 Avoiding Inspiration Overload

The speaker advises against relying on Pinterest or Google for immediate inspiration, cautioning that this could lead to unintentional replication and potential legal issues. Instead, they recommend creating at least 20 unique concepts first and then seeking inspiration to refine ideas, ensuring originality and a strong personal touch in the design process.

📈 The Power of Presentation

The importance of presenting logos effectively is highlighted, using Nike's advertising strategy as an example. The speaker suggests creating a compelling story and presentation for the logo, demonstrating its versatility and potential applications, which can significantly increase client satisfaction and the perceived value of the design.

🔍 The Noun Method for Concept Generation

This section introduces the 'Noun Method' for generating logo concepts by combining two significant nouns from the client's brief. The method involves simplifying these nouns and finding commonalities to create a unified design that represents both elements, leading to a variety of unique and meaningful logo ideas.

🌏 Stimulating Creativity Through Environmental Change

The speaker shares personal strategies for maintaining creativity, such as changing the design environment by traveling to different places for fresh perspectives and inspiration. They also note that small changes in routine or workspace can be beneficial, emphasizing the importance of an adaptable and varied approach to design.

🎯 Overshooting for Visual Balance

The concept of 'overshooting' is explained, which refers to the optical illusion that certain shapes, like circles, appear smaller than they are when placed next to others. The speaker advises designers to adjust the size of elements to achieve visual balance, even if it means deviating from strict mathematical proportions.

🔎 Ensuring Logo Uniqueness and Availability

The final tip stresses the importance of checking the uniqueness and availability of a logo design before presenting it to clients. The speaker recounts a personal experience where a lack of due diligence led to a costly mistake and lost trust. They recommend using tools like Google's global brand database and other image search features to verify that the design is not already in use.

Keywords

💡Logo Design

Logo Design refers to the process of creating a visual symbol or icon that represents a company or brand. It is a fundamental aspect of brand identity and plays a crucial role in establishing recognition and trust. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of logo design by sharing tips for aspiring designers, highlighting the process and considerations involved in creating effective logos.

💡Black and White

In the context of the video, 'Black and White' refers to the initial phase of logo design where the focus is on the shape and form of the logo without the distraction of color. This approach helps designers to concentrate on the fundamental structure of the logo, ensuring that it is simple and effective even in its most basic form, as mentioned in the first tip.

💡Concepts

Concepts in logo design are the initial ideas or visual representations that form the basis of a logo. The video script mentions that a designer should have at least three good concepts ready before introducing color, which emphasizes the importance of brainstorming and exploring various design directions before finalizing a logo.

💡Simplicity

Simplicity is a key principle in logo design that the video script advocates for. It suggests that starting with black and white helps in achieving simplicity by focusing on the essential shapes and forms. A simple logo is more likely to be versatile and memorable, as it can be easily recognized and applied across various mediums.

💡Company Face

The term 'Company Face' is used in the video to describe the role of a logo as the visual representation or 'face' of a company. It is not meant to describe what the company does but to create a unique and memorable identity. The Apple logo, for example, is mentioned as a face of the company that does not explicitly state what the company sells.

💡Kerning

Kerning is the process of adjusting the spacing between characters in a logo to achieve a visually pleasing result. The video script explains that for logo types, the kerning should be tighter than default settings to ensure the logo appears cohesive and balanced, especially when the text is part of the logo design.

💡Inspiration

Inspiration in the video is discussed in the context of avoiding direct imitation from online sources like Pinterest or Google. The speaker advises against relying on these platforms for initial ideas, as it can lead to unoriginal designs and potential copyright issues. Instead, designers are encouraged to create multiple concepts first and then seek inspiration to refine their work.

💡Sketching

Sketching is highlighted in the video as a critical step in the logo design process, with the speaker recommending at least 20 sketches to push beyond cliches and find unique ideas. This method is emphasized for challenging the brain and forcing creativity, leading to more original and effective logo designs.

💡Presentation

Presentation in the context of the video refers to how a designer showcases their logo designs to clients. The speaker suggests creating a story and mockups to demonstrate how the logo can be used in various scenarios, which helps clients visualize the brand identity and increases the likelihood of approval.

💡Noun Method

The Noun Method is a technique mentioned in the video for generating logo design ideas. It involves taking two nouns from the client's brief and simplifying them to their basic forms, then finding similarities and combining them to create a logo that represents both elements. This method is credited to designer Alan Pitos and is part of the process for creating iconic logos.

💡Overshooting

Overshooting is a concept in logo design that refers to the optical illusion where certain shapes, like circles, may appear smaller than they are due to their curves. The video script explains the need to adjust the size of such shapes to create visual balance, ensuring that the logo looks correct at various sizes and scales.

💡Availability

Availability in the context of the video pertains to ensuring that a logo design is not already in use or registered by another entity. The speaker shares a personal experience where a lack of checking led to a problematic situation, emphasizing the importance of verifying the uniqueness of a logo design before presenting it to clients.

Highlights

Start with black and white in logo design to simplify shapes and ensure scalability.

A logo is the face of the company, not a description of what it does.

Adjust letter spacing (kerning) to make logo types tighter than default paragraph text settings.

Avoid opening Pinterest or Google to prevent unintentional replication of existing designs.

Sketch at least 20 concepts to challenge your brain and find unique logo ideas.

Create a compelling logo presentation to show how the logo can be used in various contexts.

The 'Noun Method' involves combining two standout nouns from a client's brief to create a unique logo.

Change your working environment to stay inspired and refresh your design perspective.

Overshooting is essential in logo design to create visual balance, especially with custom types.

Check the availability of your logo designs to ensure they are not already claimed by someone else.

Use the global brand database and Google Lens to verify the uniqueness of your logo designs.

The importance of not stopping at the first few sketches and the value of the '20 sketch rule'.

The impact of storytelling in logo presentations to help clients envision their brand identity.

The significance of understanding a client's background and story to create a memorable logo.

The risk of relying on online sources for inspiration without creating original concepts first.

The practical advice of not sending logo presentations via simple messages, but presenting them personally.

The technique of using simple forms of two nouns and finding similarities to combine them in logo design.

The advice on not traveling the world to be creative, but making small shifts in your routine environment.

The visual illusion created by curves and how to correct it in logo design through optical balancing.

Transcripts

hello designers and welcome back so as

you all know that I am a logo designer

and I've been designing logos for

million dooll companies from past 4

years and today I'll be showing you 10

logo design tips which will tremendously

help you if you are a logo designer or

if you want to become one so let's jump

right into it tip number one start with

black and white color is easily the most

fun part about designing yes I know it

is a very delightful step but a lot of

times people have their opinions and

biases without any formal education

about color that is one of the reasons

when I work on Logo sketches I don't

even think about the colors at all in

fact I only start using the colors after

I have at least three good Concepts

ready starting with black and white will

save you it pretty much blocks you from

creating something fussy over

complicated or so dependent on texture

that it will just look like a blob when

you shrunk it down to a business card it

basically makes you simplify your shapes

which is a very good thing and if it

works in black and white it will work

with any color anywhere next is logo is

just a face of the company I see many

young designers text me on Instagram and

send me their logo designs on email

saying that their clients are not liking

their logos they're not able to charge a

higher price for their logos like I do

well the problem is not because you're

getting bad clients problem is that a

lot of logo designers think a logo

should say a lot of things a logo should

say what a company does it should say

what they sell no I mean just look at

Apple's logo they are not selling apples

and hopefully won't in the future my

point being a logo is just a face of the

company and not the whole company itself

when a client tells you to create a logo

design for a real estate form don't just

jump right into the concept of building

a house or a building think beyond that

understand their background listen to

their story and work on how you can make

their logo as unique and memorable as

possible for our third one we have King

I think by now we all know what king is

and for those who don't know it's

basically setting the spacing between

individual letters and characters and

when talking about logo types logo types

should be always turn tighter than they

are wide that's because the conning

values that we have as default on Adobe

Illustrator is set for paragraph text

and not for specific logo types so when

you type out a word and you want to use

that exact font for a logo type before

finalizing it K it tighter individually

you can simply do this by still keeping

the text editable by pressing alt or

option on your keyboard and moving the

arrow keys left or right tip number four

do not open Pinterest or Google I know

how tempting it is to just open

Pinterest or Google and type out the

logo design you're working on to get a

bunch of ideas and creative juices

flowing so that you can impress your

clients with your designs as quickly as

possible well it might even work in the

short time your client will get

impressed and even finalize the logo but

what if later they come to you asking

for a full refund on the project as the

logo which you worked on so hard was a

replica of something they found out

later on Pinterest trust me this exact

thing has happened with me before yes I

am speaking from experience so my

personal advice would be to not to look

at any online source of inspiration

after at least creating 20 Concepts on

your notebook and even if you do look at

some inspiration online don't just

blindly copy the idea take the concepts

from three to five different logos and

combine it to make it yours at number

five I have something I tell every

single designer I meet sketch at least

20 Concepts yes you have probably heard

me say this before and the reason why I

keep saying this is because I know there

are still designers out there that just

stop at the first five sketches they

ideate they do not understand the Magic

in challenging your brain to think more

and to force yourself to complete the

minimum 20 sketch rule almost always my

initial sketches are either to cliche or

something that is existing online the

way I able to create unique logo designs

is by passing that stage and forcing

myself more and more and more try this

20 sketch method out and trust me you

will thank me later then next we have a

tip which I use at my own company always

present your logos this one has

tremendously changed the success rate of

logo designs for our clients to explain

this let me give you an example we all

know this famous shoe brand called Nike

when Nike wants to sell you a shoe they

don't just be like here you go here's

the shoe go buy it right they spend

millions of dollars in creating ads

putting out their brand message telling

a story using their own product which

conveys you that if you are someone

serious about running you should

probably go with a Nike shoe if Nike can

spend millions of dollars in just

telling a story to convince you to buy

their shoe why why can't you spend just

one more extra day in creating a logo

presentation for which you have worked

so hard to design none of your clients

will like the logo design just by

looking at it create a story make a

presentation show how the logo can be

used in different ways possible for

different use cases and make mockups

specific to their Brand This Way the

clients will now have a vision on how

their brand will look like with the logo

which you have crafted also after making

the presentation don't just simply send

it to them over WhatsApp or email get on

a call present it to them further

convincing them that why you think these

three options are the right fit for

their brand tip number seven the noun

method the name of this method is given

by a fellow designer I follow Alan pitos

I'm sure you must have seen his viral

videos on Instagram this technique is

also mentioned in his book called logos

that last it is a must read if you want

to know the process of creating iconic

logos the noun method is nothing but

basically taking two nouns out of the

client's brief which really stands out

for example in one of my previous videos

if you remember I was designing a logo

go for an African tea brand named meow

now if you look here you have four nouns

already Africa tea meow and of course a

cat you will take two nouns and draw

them out in their simplest form keep

drawing each one and try to find

similarities between how they are

constructed what shape really makes that

animal look like a cat and not a dog

understand their shape and form try

refining and combining both the nouns in

a way you can see both the elements this

way you'll be able to come with multiple

logo design ideas just by using this

noun method this next tip number eight

uh is probably one of the most important

ones change your location when working

on a design repeatedly it's easy to

reach a saturation point and that's

completely normal creativity is

essentially in this field but it doesn't

always come easy one strategy I use to

stay inspired is changing my environment

you must have probably noticed that I

travel a lot places like Japan Singapore

turkey and many more these trips are in

just for leisure they help me refresh my

perspective draw inspiration from

different cultures and understand new

design Aesthetics which I can apply you

in India of course not everyone has a

luxury to travel while working and

that's completely okay for me these

Journeys serve a dual purpose they keep

my creativity at its peak and also

provide valuable content to share it

with you guys remember you don't have to

travel the world to be creative

sometimes a small shift in the

environment in your routine can do

wonders if you don't even have a studio

like this it's completely okay I mean

it's just been a year since I have this

you can work from your parents' room

sometimes on the dining table in the

living room or at your friend's house or

literally any nearby cafe the point

being keep changing where you work in

fact I've written the script of this

video you're watching at home in my

shudy table and I am your shooting in my

studio I have shifted the environment

where I am working the second last tip

of the video is overshooting when

working on Logo designs especially

custom types we need to keep

overshooting in mind let me explain it

with you with an example let's say we

take the the square a nice filled blank

square and then we take this circle and

put it right besides it now when we look

closely at both of them the circle looks

much smaller than the square but if we

turn on the guides we realize they are

mathematically the same height then how

is this possible the curves on the

circle with a much smaller surface area

creates a visual illusion that makes it

appear smaller than it actually is to

make this visually correct and

mathematically incorrect we will

increase the size of the circle slightly

further making it optically balanced

well you'll be surprised to know that

all the Fontes you use every single day

on your laptops already have

overshooting don't believe me just type

XO on your keyboard in illustrator with

any font you like and try to draw a line

on the top and the bottom part of the

letter X touching it you will see the O

is slightly larger and not only o all

the round letters are slightly larger so

keep this in mind when you're working on

custom type and for our last and final

tip we have check the availability of of

your logos even if you follow all the

other tips I gave in this video and not

this final one all your efforts will go

to waste this last tip is crucial you

have to make sure your Concepts or

designs aren't already out there and

claimed by someone else 2 years ago I

made this mistake while working on a

logo design for a real estate client in

Dubai I skipped the proof checking step

only to have the client call me one late

night demanding a refund I lost not only

the hard- earned money but also the

trust of that very client I don't want

you to go through the same what I did so

here is what you should do after

completing your logo design and feeling

confident about it before presenting it

to your client take an extra step open

the global brand database on Google use

the search by logo feature and drop in

your logo design there this will help

you check if any similar logo designs or

ideas have already been registered by

someone else before Additionally you can

use Google Lens or shutter stock image

search to be completely sure learn from

my experience so you can avoid these

mistakes which I did a little extra

diligence can save you from a lot of

trouble down the road well that was all

from me folks I hope these tips will

help you in your graphic design journey

and if you think this video was really

valuable do drop a like so YouTube will

recommend this video to other fellow

designers like you also while you're at

it comment down below if you need a part

two of 10 tips for logo designers