Logo Thoughts

andersdb · 11-22-2003, 05:38 AM

I have been looking at the Logo designs of some well known companies such as CocaCola, Sega, Hertz, Sony and IBM. Most seem to use stylised text with little or no pictorial elements to their Logos. I am putting together some logos for my domains and would be interested to know others thoughts re preferences for pictorial or text logos.

Darren · 11-22-2003, 06:03 AM

Theres a way to making professional style logos, but, if I told you that I'd be letting down the business I work for and everybody would be turning logo desigers! It's not a secert, it's just something you have to learn through time of logo designing.

Now-a-days logos are more stylish and modern, which is spoiling the use of clipart and fancy designs, but clipart and fancy designs are still big is someplaces...
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/website-development/11386-logo-thoughts.html

...I mean, anybody can take the font Arial, type something, set it's character spacing, bold it, italic it, and put it inside a fancy circle, which then is know as a logo. However, if you take something from a clipart image, and trace it, then get your Arial font, contour it and italic it in uppercase, and maybe make a fancy tail using the last letter then the logo is much more unique and deserving.

Might sound simple, but it's not. It depends on whether the customer wants a modern logo or not, and what you have to work with as far as their business is concerned; If a business is called 'Lightning Co.' then you automacticlly assume lightning bolts for a logo, or something fancy along them lines, but when it comes to designing a logo for 'Council Work' then it's a little more challanging and you have to do some research into it... All in all, it's usualy the 'Council Work' logo that will look better in the end!

Anyway, sorry if this hasn't helped you, but I'm sure it's gave you and a few others something to think about.

Good luck with your logos, be sure to post them for feedback. If you need any help you know where you get me!

andersdb · 11-22-2003, 06:37 AM

Thanks for your feedback Darren. I appreciate your insights into the Logo design business and will post a few of mine when they are ready. It occurs to me that a Logo should suit both electronic and print mediums (including black and white) of various sizes. I guess clear text designs would be better suited to this than intricate graphics. I appreciate though that it will still require a lot of thought re font style, weight, colour etc to be both memorable and suggestive of a mood appropriate to the respective domain/business. I have been looking through some books on Logo design, as I guess it should help to learn from the processes designers have gone through to produce familiar Logos.

Darren · 11-22-2003, 06:48 AM

Your really getting into this whole logo biz, arn't you andersdb!? Thats really great, keep up the work. You'll learn alot.

Yes, you are right; Logos should suit both electronic and print mediums. One major thing you need to take into account when designing logos is that it's easy for all types of business mediums ranging from signage to letter heads.

Alot of people don't take this into consideration, and by saying this I'm talking mostly about freelance logo designers that do logo work online in their spare time. No offence, off course. If you look at the profolios of designers like this, they use bitmap imagery and shadows on their work... This is bad because usualy it's not resizeable for large printing and when it comes to signage work, the logo has to be completely traced leaving the shadow out and having to modify the image, which turns into a mess.

If you fancy chatting on a messager, andersdb, let me know. We could have a few interesting conversations about the whole logo biz!

Elefekt · 11-22-2003, 11:40 AM

I dont beleive in there is a WAY to make it. I think you should just express your imagination and just create whatever comes out. I do beleive in a few GUIDELINES.

First if you are making it pretty complex be sure to make it vector so that you dont need to touch it up for later uses after its scaled.

Another thing is you should make it neutral so that its not a million lines but it aint no cirle either. Try to find the balance.

Colors. I think colors are great in a logo but be sure you are able to change the colors as you evolve.

Last kind of make it relevant to the name. Dont draw a circle for square.com. Well duh.

Darren · 11-22-2003, 11:56 AM

Great input Elefekt.

If your stuck on colour ideas for a logo, design using only black and white first. If need be, use some gray. Once complete play about with the colours. If you start messing around with the colours half way into the design, you'll not get the proper feel of the actual logo. Also, try and keep logos to 2 colour limit. 3 colours is fine but anymore and your pushing your luck.

As Elefekt said, don't draw a circle for a company called (For instance) 'Square Media'! Work around the logo name, and think of leads to diferrent shapes and ideas you could input to the design.

If your working on a logo, and can't think of any ideas, don't give up... Have a little break and look online, or at clipart for inspiration. Have fun creating your logo, and don't sit there slumped back staring at the screen.

Elefekt · 11-22-2003, 12:06 PM

Yea DONT give up. What I do for anytype of thing is start with some sites I know and just click on affiliate buttons and look for inspiration.

JW darren what do you use to make logos (the program)

g0ldy · 11-25-2003, 01:53 AM

andersdb the logo for what domain, if you give us the url....we might be able to help you with ideas for designs?

Coastalguy · 11-25-2003, 03:38 AM

I had a contest on NamePros for my biz Winning Edge Sports. I finally decided on something that was clean and uncluttered. My rational was that it had to look professional on a sign but also on clothing (caps, golf shirts etc). Brian managed to pull that off!

Here's the logo:

http://xeet.com/WES/wes-2-arrowmod.gif

ST

phrone · 11-25-2003, 03:55 AM

Darren is 100% correct. Not a bad logo either, how ever, I'd crop it a little bit unless you plan to put more in

11-22-2003, 05:38 AM	THREAD STARTER #1 (permalink)
andersdb NamePros Regular Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 332	Logo Thoughts I have been looking at the Logo designs of some well known companies such as CocaCola, Sega, Hertz, Sony and IBM. Most seem to use stylised text with little or no pictorial elements to their Logos. I am putting together some logos for my domains and would be interested to know others thoughts re preferences for pictorial or text logos.

11-22-2003, 06:37 AM	THREAD STARTER #3 (permalink)
andersdb NamePros Regular Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 332	Thanks for your feedback Darren. I appreciate your insights into the Logo design business and will post a few of mine when they are ready. It occurs to me that a Logo should suit both electronic and print mediums (including black and white) of various sizes. I guess clear text designs would be better suited to this than intricate graphics. I appreciate though that it will still require a lot of thought re font style, weight, colour etc to be both memorable and suggestive of a mood appropriate to the respective domain/business. I have been looking through some books on Logo design, as I guess it should help to learn from the processes designers have gone through to produce familiar Logos. Last edited by andersdb; 12-03-2003 at 08:38 PM.

11-22-2003, 11:40 AM	#5 (permalink)
Elefekt Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Hawaii Posts: 3,529	I dont beleive in there is a WAY to make it. I think you should just express your imagination and just create whatever comes out. I do beleive in a few GUIDELINES. First if you are making it pretty complex be sure to make it vector so that you dont need to touch it up for later uses after its scaled. Another thing is you should make it neutral so that its not a million lines but it aint no cirle either. Try to find the balance. Colors. I think colors are great in a logo but be sure you are able to change the colors as you evolve. Last kind of make it relevant to the name. Dont draw a circle for square.com. Well duh. __________________ Standards Voice - Coming soon...

11-22-2003, 12:06 PM	#7 (permalink)
Elefekt Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Hawaii Posts: 3,529	Yea DONT give up. What I do for anytype of thing is start with some sites I know and just click on affiliate buttons and look for inspiration. JW darren what do you use to make logos (the program) __________________ Standards Voice - Coming soon... Last edited by Elefekt; 11-22-2003 at 12:30 PM.

11-25-2003, 03:38 AM	#9 (permalink)
Coastalguy NamePros Expert Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Great White North Posts: 6,978	I had a contest on NamePros for my biz Winning Edge Sports. I finally decided on something that was clean and uncluttered. My rational was that it had to look professional on a sign but also on clothing (caps, golf shirts etc). Brian managed to pull that off! Here's the logo: http://xeet.com/WES/wes-2-arrowmod.gif ST __________________ FOR SALE: MLSHomes.org/MLSRealEstate.tv/VWTH.com

11-22-2003, 06:03 AM	#2 (permalink)
Darren Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: eBay Posts: 1,990	Theres a way to making professional style logos, but, if I told you that I'd be letting down the business I work for and everybody would be turning logo desigers! It's not a secert, it's just something you have to learn through time of logo designing. Now-a-days logos are more stylish and modern, which is spoiling the use of clipart and fancy designs, but clipart and fancy designs are still big is someplaces... ????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/website-development/11386-logo-thoughts.html ...I mean, anybody can take the font Arial, type something, set it's character spacing, bold it, italic it, and put it inside a fancy circle, which then is know as a logo. However, if you take something from a clipart image, and trace it, then get your Arial font, contour it and italic it in uppercase, and maybe make a fancy tail using the last letter then the logo is much more unique and deserving. Might sound simple, but it's not. It depends on whether the customer wants a modern logo or not, and what you have to work with as far as their business is concerned; If a business is called 'Lightning Co.' then you automacticlly assume lightning bolts for a logo, or something fancy along them lines, but when it comes to designing a logo for 'Council Work' then it's a little more challanging and you have to do some research into it... All in all, it's usualy the 'Council Work' logo that will look better in the end! Anyway, sorry if this hasn't helped you, but I'm sure it's gave you and a few others something to think about. Good luck with your logos, be sure to post them for feedback. If you need any help you know where you get me!

11-22-2003, 06:48 AM	#4 (permalink)
Darren Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: eBay Posts: 1,990	Your really getting into this whole logo biz, arn't you andersdb!? Thats really great, keep up the work. You'll learn alot. Yes, you are right; Logos should suit both electronic and print mediums. One major thing you need to take into account when designing logos is that it's easy for all types of business mediums ranging from signage to letter heads. Alot of people don't take this into consideration, and by saying this I'm talking mostly about freelance logo designers that do logo work online in their spare time. No offence, off course. If you look at the profolios of designers like this, they use bitmap imagery and shadows on their work... This is bad because usualy it's not resizeable for large printing and when it comes to signage work, the logo has to be completely traced leaving the shadow out and having to modify the image, which turns into a mess. If you fancy chatting on a messager, andersdb, let me know. We could have a few interesting conversations about the whole logo biz!

11-22-2003, 11:56 AM	#6 (permalink)
Darren Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: eBay Posts: 1,990	Great input Elefekt. If your stuck on colour ideas for a logo, design using only black and white first. If need be, use some gray. Once complete play about with the colours. If you start messing around with the colours half way into the design, you'll not get the proper feel of the actual logo. Also, try and keep logos to 2 colour limit. 3 colours is fine but anymore and your pushing your luck. As Elefekt said, don't draw a circle for a company called (For instance) 'Square Media'! Work around the logo name, and think of leads to diferrent shapes and ideas you could input to the design. If your working on a logo, and can't think of any ideas, don't give up... Have a little break and look online, or at clipart for inspiration. Have fun creating your logo, and don't sit there slumped back staring at the screen.

11-25-2003, 01:53 AM	#8 (permalink)
g0ldy Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Sydney Posts: 2,145	andersdb the logo for what domain, if you give us the url....we might be able to help you with ideas for designs?

11-25-2003, 03:55 AM	#10 (permalink)
phrone Account Suspended Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Maine Posts: 1,114	Darren is 100% correct. Not a bad logo either, how ever, I'd crop it a little bit unless you plan to put more in

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