Principles for Good Logo Design
1. Simple
A good logo is simple in its construction, but not in its concept. Quite often to the inexperienced eye, a good logo may look so simple that it looks like it was put together in a matter of minutes.
The vast majority of logo designs that are both simple and successful are backed by many hours of research and unused concepts that never made the cut. It is usually the result of an extensive and exhaustive logo design process.
Keep it SIMPLE!!!Simple is probably the most overlooked aspect of good logo design or any design. It's hard work to get to a real, simple solution though. A lot of research, lots of brainstorming, etc.
Simplicity has a direct impact on Versatility. Having a logo that is flexible, adaptable, that works in color, white, and looks as good on a coffee mug or embroidered on a shirt, as it does on a business card, is what helps make it Timeless and more valuable.The logo is the starting point for many design projects and it goes without saying it is of vital importance to an identity project.
A simple logo is much more likely to align with the other five principles of good logo design: distinctive, relevant, memorable, timeless and versatile.
2. Distinctive
A distinctive logo stands out from the crowd and will overall be unique in appearance. A logo that is unique will have an essence that somehow distinguishes it from the pack. It should be distinctive while also effectively portraying the client’s business requirements.
Given that there are millions of logos currently in existence, and hundreds, if not thousands of new ones are created every day, it is increasingly difficult to design a logo that is distinctive. The ability to design distinctive logos on a consistent basis makes an exceptional logo designer.
3. Relevant
A good logo design will be relevant to the industry, the client and the target market.
If you are designing a logo for a kindergarten, it should be fair to say that it shouldn’t look like it was designed for a bank, and vice-versa.
To design a relevant logo the designer should not rely on the design brief alone. All clients and their respective industries are different, no matter how straight-forward they may seem at first glance. By conducting further research, it will help to create a relevant design that speaks directly to the intended audience.
4. Memorable
A well designed logo will be committed to memory at a single glance, and will be easily recalled by the viewer. Simplicity goes a long way here.
Recognition breeds familiarity, which assists in building trust and loyalty in a brand.
5. Timeless
A good logo design will last for decades without the need for a major redesign. This is something a designer must constantly keep in the back of their minds during the design process.
What is the number one way to help ensure the longevity of a logo?
Avoid trends.
As creative types, it is often very tempting for designers to implementtrendy elements into a logo design. Sometimes a trendy element can even sneak its way into a design without the designer realizing.
Logo design is usually about building trust and loyalty in a brand over the long-term. Trendy typefaces, imagery and colors will be out of fashion within a relatively short period of time. therefore their use undermines the ability of the client to build long-term value in their brand. Not many clients want to have their logo redesigned every few years.
6. Versatile
A well designed logo will be usable across a wide range of applications. The logo should look good on a business card, on the side of a billboard, or as a shortcut icon on a client’s website.
To ensure versatility, a logo should be designed in vector format. This will ensure that the logo can be scaled to any size without compromising image quality. For designing a logo use Adobe Illustrator, not Photoshop.
Some clients will specify in the design brief that their logo will only be used for one specific medium, e.g. on their website. Be wary of this. Requirements often change so it is usually best to always design a logo to be used across various mediums