White Papers Quick Selection:
10 Things to Consider When Designing a Logo
Introduction
Designing a logo can be such a contentious issue. It can be much less painful if you consider some of these guidelines when designing, or working with someone to design a logo.
1. Keep it simple…sir! The k.i.s.s. theory is extra important here.
2. Must be legible at all sizes. Avoid ornate text and hand drawings. You must be able to put it on a business card or blow up to a billboard and keep it legible.
3. A little mystery is beneficial. If your company makes hamburgers, it is not necessry to have a picture of one in the logo. Graphic metaphors work well to explain the services offered, and make it interesting to the viewer.
4. It must be able to be reproduced in black and white and color. For color it’s best to have 2-4 colors maximum, although 2 is best.
5. It should be reversible. Dark on light and light on dark.
6. Avoid outlined fonts and gradients. They get lost at small sizes and make it impossible to read. Gradients are also very difficult to reproduce accurately across different mediums.
7. Make it unique. Don’t steal or copy!
8. Avoid text over a graphic. It muddies the water.
9. The tagline is not part of the logo. They can be placed near each other, but they are two separate elements.
10. Keep it from being too wide or too tall. Think business card as the maximum ratio.
