Ten logo design tips from the field

I’ve learned from quite a few mistakes during my time as a designer, and to save you from doing likewise, here are 10 logo design tips I picked up.

1. A logo doesn’t need to say what a company does


Restaurant logos don’t need to show food, dentist logos don’t need to show teeth, furniture store logos don’t need to show furniture. Just because it’s relevant, doesn’t mean you can’t do better.

The Mercedes logo isn’t a car. The Virgin Atlantic logo isn’t an aeroplane. The Apple logo isn’t a computer. Etc. Etc.

2. Not every logo needs a symbol


Sometimes a client just needs a professional wordmark to identify their business. Don’t be afraid to ask what they think.

3. Two-way process


Remember, things might not always pan out as you hope. Your client might request something you disagree with. If that happens, try giving them what they want, then show them what you believe is an improvement, and why. They’re less likely to be so resistant if they already see how their thoughts pan out.

4. Picasso started somewhere


You don’t need to be an artist to realise the benefits of logo sketching. Ideas can flow much faster between a pen and paper than they can a mouse and monitor.

5. Under-promise, over-deliver


If you’re unsure how long a task will take to complete, estimate longer. Design projects are like construction work — you piece lots of little elements together to form a greater whole, and setbacks can crop up at any time.

6. Leave trends to the fashion industry


Trends come and go, and when you’re talking about changing a pair of jeans, or buying a new dress, that’s fine, but where your brand identity is concerned, longevity is key.



Don’t follow the pack.


Stand out.

7. Work in black first
By leaving colour to the end of the process, you focus on the idea. No amount of gradient or colour will rescue a poorly designed mark.

8. Keep it appropriate


Designing for a lawyer? Ditch the fun approach. Designing for a kid’s TV show? Nothing too serious. I could go on, but you get the picture.

9. A simple logo aids recognition


Keeping the design simple allows for flexibility in size. Ideally, your design should work at a minimum of around one inch without loss of detail. Look at the logos of large corporations like Mitsubishi, Samsung, FedEx, BBC etc. Their logos look simple and are easier to recognise because of it.

10. One thing to remember


That’s it. Leave your client with just one thing to remember about the design. All strong logos have one single feature to help them stand out.



Not two, three, or four.



One.

More logo design tips

http://www.logodesignlove.com/logo-design-tips

D A V I D A I R E Y- SYMBOL

http://www.davidairey.com/symbol-angus-hyland-steven-bateman/

Lovelypackage

http://lovelypackage.com/page/2/?s=stamp

Conceptual Photgraphy

http://davidryle.com

http://www.andrewbmyers.com/

http://www.fabsn.com/theblog/photos/

http://experimentalphotoarts.blogspot.com/

Minnesota Zoo logo sketches

Minnesota Zoo logo sketches

The Minnesota Zoo logo combines an ‘M’ with a Minnesota moose. It was part of the zoo’s wayfinding system of typography, symbols, and signs, cited in the design section of TIME magazine as one of the best of 1981.

Client: Minnesota Zoo
Designed in 1981 by: Lance Wyman

Sadly, it looks like this one’s no longer in use. Here’s the current design…

If you know who created it, please let me know so I can offer credit.

—

Update:
The current logo was apparently co-designed by Zubasti Interactive (thanks@headedforhades).

http://www.logodesignlove.com/minnesota-zoo-logo

The Six Universal Attributes Of a Great Mark

If we weren’t in the room when the decisions were made, if we don’t know what the CEO’s intentions were, how can we say one logo is “better” than another?

As in ice skating, technical merit can be judged independently of communications content, and we can all see the skater fall. The first five things that distinguish great marks from ordinary ones are technical; the last one addresses content. Great marks are always:

1. Distinctive.
   The design idea need not be unique in the world, just distinctive enough so you can “own” it in your particular marketplace.
   
2. Practical.
   Can be printed small, in ink or pixels; works in black on white as well as in colors; works in reverse too, white on black. (Faces, human or animal, usually flunk this last test; the eyes turn white.)
   
3. Graphic.
   Communicates purely in visual terms, to the right brain hemisphere; doesn’t depend on verbal, intellectual interpretation. (Example: Tenneco seriously considered and rejected a “10ECO” logo design. Clever, but it’s not a mark, it’s a pun.) If a wordmark, it can be recognized by form alone (you don’t have to “read” Coca-Cola’s logo more than once or twice).
   
4. Simple in form.
   Contains only one graphic idea, one gimmick, one dingbat. Thus if there’s a symbol, the accompanying name is plain and unadorned. And if it is a wordmark, one idea or device makes it special–like IBM’s stripes. (The more unique the name, the simpler the graphics can be.)
   
5. One message.
   In content too, great designs try to express no more than one attribute (such as stature or speed or dynamism) and support a single aspect of positioning.
   
6. Appropriate.
   In the end, of course, the content’s got to be right. An otherwise-great mark fails if the reputation, positioning, and personality expressed are at odds with management intentions.

T.S.
"Across the Board," February 1997
http://www.identityworks.com/issues/issues1.htm

How much does logo design cost?

http://www.logodesignlove.com/

Clients need to know. So do designers.

I’ve known some clients to think designers are just stalling when they don’t offer an immediate quote, that they’re trying to figure out how much the client can afford. But what good would that do? Designers are by no means guaranteed the business, so it makes more sense to offer a quote as soon as possible.

The topic of cost isn’t a simple one, because no project is the same, and every client differs. I can’t provide my own prospective clients an accurate quote until I know exactly what is needed, and I won’t know those needs until I’ve asked quite a few questions.

This design pricing formula does a little to explain the complexity of cost.

http://www.davidairey.com/design-pricing-formula/

Best Photoshop Photo Manipulation Tutorials of 2011

Undress a Giraffe in Photoshop

Create a Superhero Movie Inspired Photo Manipulation

Create a Fallen, Rain-Soaked, Angel Composition in Photoshop

Create a Lost Fantasy Micro World in Photoshop

Create a Powerful Human Disintegration Effect in Photoshop

How to Make a Car Advertisement Poster Design

Create a Fictional Arctic Snow Frog in Photoshop

Create a Rocky Text Effect with Space Background in Photoshop

Create a Dark Human Photo Manipulation in Photoshop

Create a Devastating Tidal Wave in Photoshop

Army Squirrel Photo Manipulation

Create a Panoramic Photo Manipulation in Photoshop

Tribal Fighter – Manipulation Tutorial

Create an Intricate Mythological Statue

Create a Nebula Cosmolady in Photoshop

Making of The Futuristic City

Dark Knight Rises Poster in Photoshop

Photo manipulation: Surreal oceanscape in a bottle

Classic Photoshop Tutorial: Lightning Effects

Milk Monster Tutorial

http://www.ourtuts.com/best-photoshop-photo-manipulation-tutorials-of-2011/

How to Design Enticing Infographics that Work

What are Infographics?

Infographics are web-friendly graphics that include bold images and text to convey a message, theme or to encourage others to research and learn about a specific topic. Many infographics contain facts, statistics and other intriguing and eye-catching information to stop people in their tracks when browsing online, promoting them to view the infographic for themselves.

Before Making the Infographic…

Before you make an infographic, it is important to determine what it is you want the image to say to others and how you want your audience to interpret and view the image as well. You should also view various infographics that are similar to yours to find color schemes and styles that are fitting for your own website, message, or the theme of the infographic you desire.

Write the Content

It is important to prepare the content before actually designing the infographic. Lists of facts are ideal when creating infographics. You can research online and find white papers, PDF’s, or informational videos. Based on that information, you write and determine the content that will be shared in the infographic, with links to sources.

Designing the Infographic

When you design your infographic, it is essential to make the text readable by choosing a print-appropriate font, such as Helvetic, Arial, or a traditional serif-type font such as Georgia. You can use downloaded fonts, but be sure to preview the infographic and test the infographic with friends and family for readability and how well the message is translated.

Choose only important bullet points to highlight in your infographic, such as main points you want to showcase and what you represent. Use bold graphics that are not extremely busy to keep people reading the infographic, rather than becoming distracted or moving on. Use bold text that is in headlines rather than adding paragraphs of text to keep the most attention on your graphic and its real messages (rather than filler). Remember, it is important to convey a specific message or opinion with infographics, so the easier to read and the simpler, the more viewers you will get.

Getting Others to Share the Infographic

Choose bright colors and modern graphics when you design the infographic to make your image eye-catching, causing others to stop and read the graphic themselves. Sharing the infographics are easy on the web than offline. You can`t print infographics the way you print business cards, because they have big dimensions and is hard to do it. So, the idea is to spread the word on the internet. Add text to encourage others to share by describing a goal of the infographic or why it is necessary and important to share with others, as this will help to get strangers involved with sharing your message to their own families and friends. Make sure you add a box at the bottom with the HTML code that people can copy and paste to share the infographic on their site and social media channels.

Anybody can easily write and submit an article, they are a dime a dozen. A good infographic can set you apart from the crowd and command more attention and readers. If you are going to spend the time to create an infographic, it is important that you do it right to make it worth your time!

http://www.ourtuts.com/how-to-design-enticing-infographics-that-work/

10 Must Follow Graphic Design Blogs

Being a graphic designer by profession, I always keep a sharp eye out for anything that could help me with my art. Whether it’s new software or a new design trend that’s catching on, I like to stay updated on everything that is happening in the design arena and below I will mention ten invaluable graphic design blogs that have helped me immeasurably with my work over the last decade.

SmashingMagazine

I really like this site. I mean, who doesn`t like it? It is the crème de la crème of graphic design blogs. Is like PrintRunner for online printing. It is very easy to navigate and everything is neatly organized for the viewer. Moreover, it talks in-depth about web design and UX design, two very active fields that I am involved in professionally. There are some eBooks as well for those who want to learn the basic concepts of graphic and web design from scratch.

YouTheDesigner

One of my favorite places to stay up-to-date, YouTheDesigner.com is an excellent source of cutting edge design news and tips. Here you will also find designers talking about the latest graphic design trends and will also come across detailed tutorials and resources that you can easily relate with your own projects.

DesignObserver

Another great place where designers gather to share their experience and input is the Design Observer. Founded by 4 gifted designers in late 2003, Design Observer is an excellent source for topics such as graphic design and popular culture. Writers from around the world share their input in the form of essays, reviews and short blog posts. They are a great read and informative as well.

Typographica

Typographica is an excellent source of information on typographic design and fonts. You will find in-depth reviews on typefaces and type books. It has a detailed archive of all the typefaces that were introduced every year much to the delight of graphic designers worldwide.

Dexigner

This site covers graphic design from multiple angles and industries which often time coincide with the projects that I am involved in. Every time I am looking for some creative ideas or just general information about particular industry logos, I come here and I have almost always found something informative. It’s a great blog for designers to follow.

LogoDesignLove

As you dwell further and further into the graphic design field, you will come across big names in the field that you would want to add to your social circles and follow their blogs. Logo Design Love is one such example. Owned by David Airey, one of the greats in the graphic design industry, the blog offers insightful information on logo design and brand identities.

The Dieline

TheDieline is another great graphic design resource. I like it because they`re dedicated to the progress of the package design industry. Their purpose is to showcase the best package designs from around the world. Is another kind of graphic design but a valuable website which can provide you enough inspiration for your projects.

OutlawDesignBlog

Not to be taken in a literal sense, if you are looking for a one stop platform to all things graphic design, you go to Outlaw Design Blog. It has everything – Video tutorials, industry news, upcoming events, freebies and much more.

WebDesignTuts

An excellent platform for web designers, here you will learn about the latest CSS trends, textures, and more. When I first started to get my feet wet in web design, this was the blog I used to read up on. They have a great collection of tutorials and image galleries that are very helpful in assisting new and upcoming web designers grasp the basic and advanced of web design.

GraphicDesignBlog

Graphic Design Blog is an extremely handy and reliable source for graphic designers. Here you can find tools, books, valuable insight from expert designers and other valuable links related to graphic design. The blog offers a mix of work and play, showcasing popular designs, trends along with popular and interesting design techniques.

I hope you find the above mentioned list as useful as I did when I was learning the ropes. There is no doubt that you will gain a lot of insight from each blog and become a better designer because of the invaluable knowledge provided on these blogs. You can also actively participate on these blog and share your opinions.

http://www.ourtuts.com/staying-sharp-10-must-follow-graphic-design-blogs/

OOM lifestyle book

http://www.oomlifestylebook.com/