December 27, 2022

How to Create A Logo Design from Scratch

Logo design is one of the most important and primary elements of a business.
Let’s find out how you can create a fantastic logo design from scratch!

Created by Mateusz Witczak | https://dribbble.com/shots/19557185-Unikat-Real-Estate

This topic will be broad and lengthy when it comes to logos. Anything related to logos will require several other discussions because studying logos will branch off on a number of topics. How choose the most appropriate color and fonts is one of the sub-topics of a logo.

Designing a logo from scratch is not easy because there are several steps that you have to take. You can see a number of logos around, ranging from the logo of the country's flag to bags, shoes, and snacks. A logo is not created without reason because a logo is an important part of a business's identity.

Each logo has a specific meaning. You can observe it on the country's flag or a famous brand. The choice of red usually refers to courage, while white is purity or innocence.

Created by Ramotion | https://dribbble.com/shots/14919766-Drawing-Sketches

To make a good logo, make sure you keep it simple, don't use more than three colors, and be distinctive or unique. However, you need a few steps to arrive at a logo design that is as simple as it is elegant.

Here are several important tips you can apply to make a logo from scratch:

1. Illustrate your brand identity

Brand identity is a variety of visual elements such as logos, colors, typography, and several other elements related to the brand. When you decide to create a logo, it is the first step towards developing a stronger brand identity.

Think carefully about your brand and who you are as a brand, then create a logo that can represent your brand well. You can start by asking these things:

What is the essence of your business?
Why did you choose this business?
What is your motivation for choosing this business?
What are your business's vision and mission?

This is the time to identify the differences and uniqueness that set you apart from your competitors. What makes customers feel lucky to choose your product? Then, determine how you strive to build your brand.

No less important is the value of the business. Do you already know the core values of the business you are going to run? With clear values, everything will be easier. That's as stated by Roy E. Disney, who has been successful with Disney.

Created by Nguyen Vien | https://www.behance.net/gallery/127417265/The-MUG-Brand-Identity

As an example, you can consider the McAfee logo, which has a close relationship between design and core values. The symbol that appears in the logo does look like a protective shield. But actually, it is the shapes of the letters "M" that are intertwined with each other so as to produce a strong connection from various sides.

McAfee believes that working together is the key to facing challenges in the digital era. The point of unity here is that resources, organizations, and technologies are as interrelated as the logo. This reason prompted the brand to create two separate pieces that eventually came together to form a shield. No less important is their tagline, which reads, "Together is power."

This is a great example and source of inspiration for your logo design. You can use it as inspiration to create yours. A good logo must be able to convey a certain essence. A logo, when designed correctly and maturely, can communicate who and what your brand is. In addition, a logo must also:

Timeless and flexible across ages.
Customers find it easy to remember, and it sticks in their minds like glue.
Simple, neat, and visually pleasing.
Aesthetically pleasing.

Created by David Silva | https://www.behance.net/gallery/153479815/The-Module

2. More Logo Design Ideas

It's not wrong to seek inspiration for logo design ideas from various well-known brands. It's your job to find as much inspiration as possible. By looking at a few logos, you will be able to open up a number of images in your mind.

Next is how to continue the picture by pouring it into the design. There are several accounts that will help you find lots of logo inspiration. For example, a number of accounts have many of the following resources:

Passion logo. You can find lots of interesting and innovative logos. You can also see some of the models or designs from designers who make popular logos.
Place logo, which shares various logos made by artists. The logos displayed vary because they come from various industries and different genres.
Bmnicks. Bmnicks can also be a good place to look for resources. This account will help you get some logo inspiration from New York City designers. This account will really help those of you who need wordmark logo ideas. Begin checking it right away.
The Branding Collective. As the name suggests, you will find many resources related to branding, one of which is logos. There are many beautiful and attractive brand identities, so you will be inspired to create your own design that is no less amazing.
Archives logos. The Logo Archive will suit those of you who are looking for pictorial or abstract logos. You can find many interesting things on this account, which belongs to the famous designer Rich Baird. The impression that will be displayed in the logos here is white and black, which gives a classic yet elegant impression.

Created by Stevan Rodic | https://dribbble.com/shots/17352678-Dog-Cat

3. Define Your Brand Color

Color is an important element that will evoke emotions. It is undeniable that most people judge a product by its color alone. Logo color is an important key because it is involved in various things related to your brand, starting from websites, newsletters, social media, and various other media.

Many well-known logos only use a single color or only two colors. A logo that uses one color will simplify the design process, and even the logo can be easily remembered by customers.

You can look at the color scheme; each color represents or has a different meaning. Yellow represents warmth, happiness, fun, and positivity. Blue represents strength, success, honesty, and security.

On the other hand, green is the right color to describe things like nature, health, harmony, loyalty, and luck. Combining colors with other colors is an important technique in color selection. You can choose between black, gray, or white to be combined with other colors.

Your logo should be visually appealing so that it can be seen in various print and digital media. Try to design in black and white first, then add certain colors.

Created by Estudio Convoi | https://www.behance.net/gallery/146190583/Mom-Branding

4. Choose The Right Font

The next important step is choosing the right font. You should know that fonts will affect how customers feel about your brand and how they connect with and interact with it.

The choice of a good font can add to the attractiveness of your logo as well as the personality of your company. On the other hand, a bad font choice can destroy your brand, resulting in an unattractive logo.

Take one example: you can use a sans-serif font for a logo that is both minimalist and modern. This font has a modern, minimalistic, and simple design.

There are three popular brands that use sans-serif fonts: LinkedIn, Jeep, and Google. There are several types of fonts for creating other iconic logos that you can choose from, for example, Helvetica, script or cursive, and display. Here are some fonts you might like to try:

Serif logo fonts: they have a classic, timeless, and impressive design. This font is commonly used by brands displaying an eternity. Examples of brands with this font are Prada, Rolex, and Mercedes-Benz.
Sans-serif logo fonts: As we mentioned before, sans-serif fonts blend well in designs. This logo is suitable for minimalist logos. Google, Facebook, and Netflix are examples of brands with this type of font.
Display logo fonts: display fonts that stand out, are unique, and are varied. Fun and engaging fonts are especially effective when used by Walt Disney because they fit the character of the brand.
Script or cursive logo fonts: The appearance of the letters is elegant, formal, and feminine. This font can be used for short logos, as they can be difficult to read. Some examples include Cartier, Cadillac, and Harrods.

Created by Damien Gimeno | https://www.behance.net/gallery/123809855/Goguette-Branding-Editorial-Design

After deciding on the font type, the next step is to determine the amount. Consider how many fonts you want to apply. A good number is between two and three fonts, with the caveat that you should plan your logo layout carefully.

Then, what are the tips for choosing a font for a logo? Choose the font that you will apply to the brand name in the logo, then the font to complement the slogan under the brand name. Josefin Sans, chosen as the font for the brand, can be paired with Abril, Lato, Playfair, or Cardo.

One important note that you should remember is to stay consistent with the font you have chosen. Consumers trust a consistent business more than a business that frequently changes logos and fonts; this will lead to public distrust of your brand.

Created by Bakoom Studio | https://www.behance.net/gallery/152662975/EXPOSICIO-LATENT

5. Begin Working on Your Rough Design

Spending time looking for lots of inspiration is quite tiring. You can take a short break, then start again by making a rough design. This is the time to pour whatever you've collected into creating a brand logo.

You may encounter a number of challenges. Trial and error are normal in the design process. Much literature is involved in creating the design until, finally, a clear picture emerges. Not infrequently, the designers need to go to a certain place to come up with an idea.

It can be that the font that you chose doesn't match your brand colors, the color combination is bland, or your design just seems clunky. Many possibilities occur in the logo creation stage. But promise to face it casually.

Refine and repeat, do this several times until you have succeeded in making a rough sketch of the logo. Your logo will take shape slowly, starting at 20 percent, then 30 percent, then 60 percent, then 100 percent. Perfect. You have clearly defined the image of your logo.

Created by Gert van Duinen | https://dribbble.com/shots/19889394-Little-Prowler

6. Request Feedback

Feedback is important in a creative process, such as making a logo. In this way, you can get a lot of input to make your idea even better.

Feedback is needed after you have made a rough design and refined it. After this step, you can decide which font type and color to use. Feedback can be obtained from anyone. You can give the audience some of the following questions:

What's the first thing you notice about our logo?
What did you think of our brand when you saw the logo for the first time?
Have you seen a similar logo anywhere else?
What do you think we should add or remove from the logo?

These are some examples you can use with your audience. The more specific your question is, the more specific the answers and input you will receive. You may need more feedback to improve the design because evaluation does not happen just once.

Even better if you also solicit feedback from your demographic's target market. This will be a big selling point once you enter the business world because you know what your target market likes. In any case, ask for as much feedback as possible.

Created by Helvetic Brands® | https://dribbble.com/shots/18863359-Fingerprint

7. Finish Your Logo

This is a step that has come a long way, so it's time for the final process. Check several things in the logo, starting with the brand name, text, tagline, and various other aspects. Make sure that the font and color blend has been successful throughout.

You can ask the team for help reviewing your logo design because you may not find anything wrong. Other people will usually be more thorough in correcting mistakes in other people's work.

The best course of action is to make a list of items and then cross off each section that has been completed. These are some of the things you need to do:

Make a variety of logo colors, ranging from white to full color to black or monochrome.
Make a logo with different versions to be used on the web or in print versions that can be in PDF, JPEG, or PNG format.
You may require a high-resolution file with a transparent background.

In making a logo, you must prioritize readability. Good readability is able to communicate your brand optimally. To make readability optimal, you can pay attention to the following tips:

Don't choose the wrong color combination. It's a bad idea to mix light-colored text against a light background, as this will make your text unreadable. It's better to choose colors that contrast with each other.
Get a feel for how you use certain colors with the spacing and alignment that are in the logo.
If you want to use a light font inside your logo, it's best to pair it with a symbol or monogram.

Created by Abdullah Mubin | https://dribbble.com/shots/19096977-Poine-Logo

8. Other Details

Think about your logo, which will appear in many places. Your logo will be seen on television, in brochures, on billboards, on social media, on websites, and elsewhere.

Make sure your logo is scalable to be placed anywhere without compromising its readability. Ask yourself about the right font to use for your logo. The choice of the font must match the main media of the logo you are using.

A scalable logo means that it can be displayed in almost any location. On the website, there is something called a favicon; you also have to pay close attention to it. A good logo should be able to appear on the favicon (the smallest element) or on a large billboard.

When your logo is scalable, it can be placed wherever you want, and its appearance also remains clear and not pixelated. Your logo will be easily legible and identifiable. Try to check carefully whether your logo can still be read in small or large sizes.

Keep this in mind: the perfect logo is one with a simple design. Simplicity is one of the keys to a fantastic logo. You can use two font pairs, but one is better.

The logo is indeed printed on several different assets, can be reduced or enlarged, and is even available in black and white. Imagining this is certainly not good if it's too complicated and messy. Keep it simple and flexible enough to fit into any large or small container.

Again, you have to pay attention to some popular logo brands that are worldwide. How can they get a lot of attention from such a simple logo? You know, there's an interesting visual there that immediately catches our attention.

Created by Yosbrands | https://dribbble.com/shots/16215057-Responsive-logo/

Conclusion

There are several things to which you should pay close attention when you want to make a logo from scratch. Starting with a logo that can define your brand identity well by exploring many logos is one of the several steps that you should pay attention to.

Then, choose a logo color that can define your brand through color and font; these two aspects appear to be able to give a brand personality. You can choose one font or a combination of two fonts. Some brands only use one font to represent their brand.

Don't forget to create a rough design and ask for feedback from your target market. Remember to keep your logo simple. A simple design is the best way to keep it looking professional and classy. The logo must also remain consistent because consistency helps you gain the trust of consumers. A logo whose font changes frequently will only make you lose public trust.