One of the most common tasks for a designer is to come up with a logo that represents a brand/business/service/product/etc. It’s not easy. A logo has to be simple but it can convey a lot:

The first thing you want to do when figuring out a brand identity is to consider some words and associated images that might fit.

You’re going to design a logo for my class. So, the first thing to do might be to come up with some descriptive words that will help you figure out what the logo should look and “feel” like.

Here are the results of that little poll. Check out these words and ideas to help you come up with something suitable for your logo design.

Once you have some ideas for the direction of your design, you want to consider what type of logo it’ll be and what it’ll be used for:

Ideally, you’d want a logo that could be scaled up or down by adding or removing text. Once a brand has some recognition, or in a place where it isn’t as important to get all of the information across, you can use a simple Wordmark, Pictorial Mark, or Abstract Mark.

Because you’re designing a logo for a “brand” that isn’t exactly world famous, you’ll need to incorporate some kind of images/shapes/icons/etc. and some text to form either a Combination Mark or Emblem.

A couple of sites/resources to consider:

fonts.adobe.com – you have access to a massive library of fonts. Don’t go with something easily recognizable or standard. Think about those descriptive words and pick a font that conjures up some of those emotions/descriptions/reactions.

The Noun Project – Many of you can draw really well. I can’t. At all. So I often need a little help with the artwork. The Noun Project is a great place to start.

A logo needs to be scaleable! You need to be able to use it in places where it’s going to be really tiny, like on the side of a pen, and really huge, like on a billboard. In order to be that versatile and adapt to any size/scenario, it needs to be a VECTOR design! Use Illustrator!

If you need a simple, effective tutorial to help you get started with the program or review what you might have forgotten, go here: Get to know Illustrator tutorial

Upon completion, you will have to assess your own logo and hand in a reflection. Later, you will take a look at everyone’s logos and help assess theirs based on the same criteria:

• Appealing (Does this logo catch your eye and make you want to pay attention?)
• Interesting (Does this make you interested and want to check out the business/service/place?)
• Creative/Unique (Does this stand out as being different and creative?)
• Memorable (Later on, if I asked you what the logo loos like, would you remember?)
• Appropriate (Does the design suit the business/service/place and its target audience?)
• Clear and informative (Can you tell what type of business/service/place this logo is for?)

Fill this out when you are finished your own logo. Be honest and provide some real thought into the choices you made: