Logo design processes

[stephenj148]

I'm starting to get more into logo designs and things of that nature. I'm wondering where the best place to start is. I know that designers say they start with sketches and go from there. But where do you get your ideas from. What things make you come up with the design that you post on here for people to see. What is the difference between good fonts and bad fonts.

I find myself trying to design logos and end up with no creative idea and scrap the project. ( Not business... personal projects to teach myself) I know one of my flaws is my patience and fonts that I choose are hardly any good.

Just interested in hearing a few of your ideas on how you guys approach logo designs.

 

[jholtman1234]

:Welcome:My biggest thing when designing a logo you got to ask yourself whats important in the logo say they want the text to be the stand out or maybe they want a simple yet colorful graphic to persuade there point. Now what i usually do is pretty much 21 questions about the company and there motives then from there you combine the elements and with the 21 questions you will figure out what type of font they lean more towards. whether it be script, block, graffiti, etc. then from there you can take images from there company and you brainstorm it. I usually do up to 10 logos to see what the customer leans towards then combine elements they do like then BAMMMMM! you got the perfect logo!!! if you have any questions let me know i have been in the graphic design business 8 years now and have done over 200 logo designs!!

Always make sure your logo looks

 

[Rick]

I follow the standard design process, we have discussed it here so I would do a search for logo design process. You might want to google it too....

Basically, it's..

--Intake of Information/Design brief:
an early often the beginning statement of design goals.

--Analysis:
analysis of current design goals.

--Research:
investigating similar design solutions in the field or related topics.

--Specification:
specifying requirements of a design solution.

--Problem solving:
conceptualizing and documenting design solutions

--Presentation:
presenting design solutions

--Development:
continuation and improvement of a designed solution.

--Implementation:
introducing the designed solution into the environment

--Evaluation and conclusion:
summary of process and results, including constructive criticism and suggestions for future improvements.

I have a massive library but Google images is your best friend when doing research. The biggest and best logo inspiration and resource is logolounge.com

I usually don't show just the logo, but I justify the solution by showing my research and analysis of it, I may include images, competing logos, color... and then the logo.

 

[Charlie J]

I have a feeling this is going to be a good thread. Rick

 

[Mosh]

Type of biz, type of customers, reproduction budget (lots of people don't think about this) lots of thing go into a logo design at our shop. The more you know about a company and it's customer base the easier it is and the more effective the design is going to be.

Another thing is it the company's name or the product they are wanting to get noticed. FRED's Bank or Fred's BANK. lots to cosider.....

 

[saktrnch]

Another thing is it the company's name or the product they are wanting to get noticed. FRED's Bank or Fred's BANK. lots to cosider.....

I thought it was Fred's FUNKY FONDUE

 

[Jon Aston]

If you can't describe what you are doing as a process, you don't know what you're doing. ~W. Edwards Deming

Rick consistently churns out great design - which he is able to charge a premium for. Clearly, the guy knows what he is doing. Now we know why.

 

[Wes Phifer]

Telling the customer why you did what you did justifies it and usually makes for fewer changes. That was a great point Rick. I only recently learned this and it really can save a lot of time on a project. You did it for a reason just tell them why and they trust your judgement more.

 

[Circleville Signs]

I also do quite a bit of logo design, and have a process similar to Rick's.

One of the things that Rick didn't break out in his brief process description above though is one of the parts of my process that is MOST important -

Setting expectations

This has to happen right off the bat. I make sure that not only do I have a solid understanding of the client's goals, but ALSO that they have a good understanding of what my process is, and most importantly, what my process IS NOT.

They need to understand that when i am designing a logo for them, my primary goal is not to make THEM like their new logo. The primary goal is to design a logo that pushes the boundaries of the industry that they are a part of, that effectively communicates in a visual manner who they are, and what major aesthetic that they want their target customer to feel/experience, and that is memorable.

If a client comes in wanting a logo, and they just want someone to "draw up their ideas", I gently, but firmly, try to re-direct their thinking. If that is unsuccessful, I send them down the road.


Gary

 

[Rick]

Setting expectations is important and is actually a part of the Intake of Information/Design Brief.

The thing is, when making the initial meeting, I am qualifying myself with my portfolio and I am also qualifying the client for compatibility of what they expect. This has nothing to do with the design process but more the business process of making a sale and being able to offer them the services they need or want. Need and want can be 2 different things, if I can't provide what they want, I am not compatible, the design process can not start.

Drawing up someone's idea is not logo design, it's artwork conversion. If they want my opinion, then they get it, but they get charged for it too. When I worked at sign shops I have had to deal with some really bad ideas, my boss did not care what was designed as long as a sign sale was made. Now on my own, I separate logo design and artwork conversion. Maybe it's to take the sting out of replicating bad ideas. They don't go through the process, they get a disk and an invoice and the work never is put in my portfolio.

This design process is basically the same process I use for everything I design. It keeps frustration down at most times, but then there is the other factor involved, that is the "outside" opinion. Right now I was on track to finish a monument sign design, my client loved it, their in-house designer did not, now where was he when the design brief was being filled out? Now I have to please that guy on a watered down version of a sign he drove by that is not architecturally compatible, which may not make it through design review without an adequate justification. You sometimes have to finish a job that is not going to communicate well so you can get to the next one that will.

Here are a couple of processes I have posted here through the years and my creative brief I give a client after the sale is made.

 

[Rick]

ooops, double posted....

 

[SignManiac]

I typically start with either a circle, a square, a diamond or a swoosh. I close my eyes, take a deep breath of fresh air and hold it in my lungs for as long as I can, while listening to Santana's Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile) live version.

When I exhale, I get a sudden rush of visions. The visions are not chemically induced if that's what you're thinking. Once I have my vision in tact, I repeat this process until I exhale a color scheme. Sometimes I'll do this a third time if I'm looking for a 3D effect. This is done each time for as many concepts as I'm looking for but generally I'm very close by the third time.

I know there are tried and true ways of designing but I've found I do better by using cosmic thought generation or the divine inspiration techniques as taught to me while I lived and studied in a Hare Krishna temple in my younger days. We all have different ways of seeing a design and this is the process that works for me.

 

[Rick]

When is Hale Bopp gonna come around again? You missed the mothership...

 

[chatterbox]

The saying, THE STARVING artist" is real.

Artist are always waiting for inspiration. There are those 20% that are just imaginative and creative and can just come up with anything.

I use GOOGLE.

I go to the images button. I type in key words. I look at other, more creative designers than myself. That is how I learned SIGN DESIGN. By learning from others.

I then get IDEAS from the designs I see, and PRESTO. I get a design.

No copyright infringement. Love it.

Client gets what they want.

Most designs are rejected by a client, because it is such a subjective enterprise.

You have to PULL out of the client as much as you can. Or you are shooting in the dark.

Mike b.

 

[GypsyGraphics]

I usually do up to 10 logos to see what the customer leans towards then combine elements they do like then BAMMMMM!

Holly cow... 10 logos!!!! I find most of my clients have trouble making a decision if I give them more than 3 or 4. Although, there's likely 10 in the trash that they'll never see by the time I have 4 I'm willing to present as options.

Just curious, are the initial 10 rough comps or illustrated and with minor tweaking, ready for prime time?

 

[CES020]

If you can't describe what you are doing as a process, you don't know what you're doing. ~W. Edwards Deming

Rick consistently churns out great design - which he is able to charge a premium for. Clearly, the guy knows what he is doing. Now we know why.

Jon, if you were closer, I'd kiss you First time I've seen Deming mentioned on any kind of forum. One of the most brilliant men to ever walk the planet when it comes to production of anything (information, sandwiches, metal, or anything else).

Nice to know someone out there studies his work