Guide & Tips: Create A Perfect Hand-Drawn Logo Design

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A well-designed logo is a must-have for a business. This is true especially today when there are many other businesses to compete against. Good logo designs allow businesses to stand out from the crowd, show their personality, and create a good impression on the customers.

As a business owner, you want to avoid generic and unoriginal logos. Your logo is your brand's visual representation. It is the face of your business. You want it to be unique and different, one that will make your audience take a second look. The question is, how do you create such a logo?

Frankly, there are many ways one can create a unique logo for their business. One of the tried-and-true ways is by hand. That's right; we are talking about hand-drawn business logo designs. Hand-drawn logos appear more personal and approachable. These kinds of logos embody the brand down to the letter.

Still not convinced? Or perhaps you want to delve further into hand-drawn logos? Either way, you want to read on. In this post, we talk about how to craft a hand-drawn logo, the types of hand-drawn logos, and why hand-drawn logos are amazing. Let's start right away.

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How to Craft a Hand-drawn Logo

Crafting a hand-drawn logo doesn't necessarily mean you have to actually draw it. You can make one with logo templates, for example. However, if you use such a method, you are very likely to end up with something that looks a bit off. 

If your audience can tell that it is actually just a bit of clip art and not really hand-drawn, then it is a failure. Why? Because it fails to communicate a sense of authenticity, which is the very reason you decide to go the hand-drawn route.

So, despite the advance of logo design software and tools, the best way to craft a hand-drawn design is to actually draw it either on paper and then scan it or use apps that emulate physical tools like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

1. On paper

If you are manually drafting logo designs on paper, do take advantage of what you have. Be it the granular nature of pencils, the viscosity of ink, the thickness of brushes, or the texture and weight of the paper itself. Anything. 

A hand draft design often shows off its crafting process. Taking advantage of the above will show off how it is made and what it was made with, thus adding a sense of authenticity and creativity. 

Also, consider using textured paper as it gives more character. Try to avoid sharp edges as they prevent you from getting the paper texture. When a manual draft logo is done well, the audience can immediately imagine the designer sketching the logo just by looking at it.

Created by Andrea Binski | https://dribbble.com/shots/11007630-Tasty-Custom-Typography

2. Using apps

Crafting hand-draft logo designs on paper is not the only available option. Today's technology enables us to do it using a digital stylus and apps that emulate physical tools. 

You probably won't get the right look from digital design tools right away. You won't get the look and feel of crafting on paper, either. And that's fine. It takes time and cares to get the right look from them, especially if you are not used to them yet.

On the flip side, hand-crafting a design using apps is quite convenient. There are plenty of digital tools that can help you before, during, and after the design process. For example, you can use Image Trace to emulate tracing paper. There are thousands of premade fonts to draw inspiration from, too.

If you decide to use a premade font that has a hand-drawn look, do so with care, and don't use it for your design as is. Instead, spell out your company's name in the typeface you want to emulate, then trace it over yourself.

This way, you will end up with something with an authentic hand-drawn look. Add your personal touch to the logo designs and make something that truly shows your brand's personality.

Whether you draw it on paper or use apps, you want to try different ideas. Create some iterations of your ideas. If you do it on paper, make extensive use of tracing paper. If you are using apps, use the appropriate tool to emulate tracing paper.

Draft a design and trace it again and again and again until the visual elements are simplified down into a single doodle. By using or emulating tracing paper, you can create a design that conveys your brand identity in the right way.

Created by Unico | https://dribbble.com/shots/15267550-GlowStix-Handwritten-Logo-Design

Types of Hand Draft Logo Designs

1. Cursive and hand-lettered logos

There is nothing wrong with going classic. If anything, what is considered classic is often tested and true. Indeed. You can't go wrong with a classic. This applies to company logo designs as well. Speaking of which, hand-lettered logos are as classic as branding gets.

These types of logos function just like a personal signature, except for a company. No two personal signatures are alike. So are hand-lettered logos. If you want a style that guarantees a truly unique and personal design, then look no further than hand-lettered logos.

The similarity doesn't end there, of course. Just like a personal signature, a hand-lettered logo can serve as a business' stamp of approval. A company can put it on its products to stand apart from the crowd and tell customers who made the products.

Hand-lettered logos also makes a brand feel more human and friendly. Due to how personal they are, they make an excellent choice for businesses that interact directly with customers.

Created by Joshua Diaz | https://dribbble.com/shots/17805123-Firebrand

2. Manually drafted sketches

You can also incorporate a sketch of an idea, object, or scene. For example, if your company sells tables and chairs, including a sketch of a table and chair can be a good idea. Manually drafted sketches can do wonders because they have loosely formed shapes. Some even have an almost abstract appearance.

The loosely formed shapes make the design open for interpretation. They also give off a free and floating atmosphere, which is perfect for businesses relating to experiential products, such as furniture stores, coffee shops, and even agricultural businesses.

3. Rustic and down-to-earth

What's amazing about hand-draft logo designs is that their imperfection makes them more appealing. It adds to their beauty.

Machine-made designs might be perfect and precise design-wise, but in some cases, it is better to show imperfection. A well-designed hand-crafted logo usually has that down-to-earth feeling.

Machine-made designs also don't have the tangible and organic feel that hand draft ones do. If you want to create a brand with an organic and rustic feel, hand-draft logos are your friend.

Created by Jason K Yun | https://dribbble.com/shots/16741675-A-Pair-of-Birds-Converge

4. Fun and playful handmade elements

Creating something by hand can be quite exciting. Playing an instrument, painting, cooking, and yes, even graphic design. A logo doesn't have to be serious all the time. Yes, it is the face of a business. But sometimes, it is better to incorporate fun and playful elements into it.

This is especially true if being fun or playful is a focal point of your business. Use organic patterns with colors that pop, paint with bright hues, or incorporate children's drawings. Bring in the fun and playful elements. If your business values fun, hand-draft logos are certainly worth considering.

5. Artisanal and craft logos

Hand-draft logo designs are flexible. They can be classic, down-to-earth, fun, and exciting. They can be on the more formal side, too. This comes as no surprise. Hand draft designs' old-fashioned nature can give a vintage and artisanal look.

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Why Are Hand Draft Logos Amazing?

1. They help convey approachability

In today's world, every brand needs a digital presence. A digital presence doesn't necessarily mean its logo needs to look or feel digital. Rather, as the brand's visual representation, it needs to convey approachability. In other words, something that the audience can relate to.

Hand-draft logo designs are amazing at that. The loose imperfections and softer edges make them feel authentically human. They may not be as precise as digitally-made logos, but their imperfections are what set them apart and make them more approachable.

Many brands out there are too digital. They could use a bit more humanity. If you want your brand to feel more approachable, you definitely want to consider using hand-draft logos.

2. They highlight craftsmanship and quality

Well-designed logos are attractive. Although they draw attention and make good impressions, not all of them can highlight craftsmanship and quality. Only those that are manually drafted can. They just have a sense of craftsmanship that other types of logos don't.

You might have probably noticed that there is something attractive about manually drafted logos' perfectly imperfect qualities and nuanced details. In addition, manually drafted logos feel cared for, considered, and even timeless.

Logos were originally manually drafted. Many old hand-drawn logos from the 60s, 70s, and 80s still look good today. Their qualities allow them to stand the test of time.

Created by Wells Collins | https://dribbble.com/shots/18678191-Unused-Oaties-Logo-Concept

3. They are 100% unique and ownable

A logo is the face of a business. The last thing you need is for it to be generic. If the face of your business is generic, no one will bother looking at it, let alone take a second look. You need it to be 100% unique and ownable. It needs to be not only yours but also yours only.

As imperfect and flawed as they are, designs drawn by the human hand cannot be replicated. A computer cannot replicate its nuanced and spontaneous imperfections.

This is one of the reasons why manually drafted logo designs are amazing. They are both 100% unique and ownable. If you want a logo that only you can own, a hand-draft logo is a way to go.

4. They capture the nuanced elements of the brand

A well-designed logo captures the nuanced elements of a brand. While there is a myriad of typefaces out there, it is not easy to find one that represents your brand, let alone captures its nuanced elements.

This is one of the reasons why manually drafted logo designs are amazing. Unlike ready-made typefaces, manually drafted logos allow you to not just represent your brand properly but also capture its nuanced elements.

There is no need to compromise or look for the closest typeface that represents your brand. With hand-draft logos, you can get exactly what you want. No more browsing font websites to find the right typeface.

Created by Damjan Ćorić | https://www.behance.net/gallery/156884519/Old-Tom-Venture-Club-Brand-Identity

5. They promote creativity

Perhaps you want to design your logo yourself? In that case, ready your pencil and paper. Putting pencil to paper is much, much faster than sketching your ideas out on a digital tool. Doing so allows the creative juices to flow freely.

When designing a logo, you will need as many ideas as you can come up with. The problem is ideas flow fast, and you can lose them if you don't capture them quickly. And frankly, sketching out ideas digitally is just not as fast as pencil and paper.

As you sketch out an idea, your brain is formulating another. That's just how powerful manual drawing is. The same thing can't be said about sketching out ideas digitally.

6. They remove the digital influence

First, a disclaimer: digital technology is not inherently bad. That said, there are times when you want to remove the digital influence. Digital technology is no doubt very useful in design. After all, we can use digital technology to control color palettes, sharpen the details, make the designs clear, etc.

But, as convenient as it is, you need to think about the technology you are using. Even if this happens at the subconscious level, it hinders us from thinking creatively. By contrast, drawing by hand is natural. You don't need to think about it. It removes the digital influence, allowing you to think creatively unhindered.

Created by Fahrenno Asnawan | https://www.behance.net/gallery/112863345/2020-Works

7. They are quicker to sketch

You can sketch ideas quicker using pencil and paper than you do digitally. This is hardly surprising. Drawing by hand or manually is an instinctive process. It promotes not only ideas but also experimentation.

Conversely, drafting ideas using digital tools takes time. Even an action as simple as opening the program and establishing a document takes more time than picking up a pencil. And you will do more than that if you take the digital route.

Drawing manually is quicker. You will take less time to prepare and have more to sketch out ideas.

8. They stand out

A well-designed logo is many things. One of them is unique. If you want a foolproof way to stand out from the crowd, consider manually drafting your logo. Manual draft logo designs are not just unique in their own way, though. They also stand out and leave an impression on the audience.

If your competitors are using digitally-made logos, using a manually drafted logo will allow your business to stand out from the crowd rather easily. What's more, your customers will appreciate the personal feeling the logo conveys.

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

9. They show dedication

When it comes to showing dedication, manually drafted logo designs are better than their digitally-made counterparts. That's not to say digitally-made logos are bad, of course. They can be good. It is just that they can't show dedication the way manually drafted logos can.

Not everyone is a logo designer, but everyone knows that dedication is needed to create manually drafted logos. Manually drafted designs show that they are considered and cared for. A logo that shows dedication makes it easy for the audience to think positively about the brand.

10. They are more personal

Last but not least, manually drawn logos are more personal. Manually drawn letter logo designs are akin to a personal signature for a business. What is more personal than that? Their digitally-made counterparts don't compare in this aspect.

A manually drawn logo can also serve as a stamp of approval. It shows customers who made the products, making it easy for them to recognize and memorize a brand.

In addition, since it feels and looks personal, the gap between the business and customers is shortened. Your customers will surely appreciate that.

Created by Wells Collins | https://dribbble.com/shots/16144600-Tape-Machine-Logo-Variations

Conclusion

Despite the advance and widespread use of design software, there is always a place for hand-drawn logo designs. And there are good reasons for it. For instance, hand-drawn logos help convey approachability. 

Hand-drawn designs tend to have loose imperfections and softer edges, something that adds a touch of humanity to the brand. Not every brand needs to look or feel digital. Sometimes, it is better to go with a logo that feels authentically human.

Hand-drawn designs also appear they have been personally inscribed. This not only makes it personal but also highlights craftsmanship and quality. This, in turn, can make a good first impression on the audience.

Just like any other logotype, it takes time to create good hand-drawn logo designs. But the time, effort, and money you spend on it will be worth the result. With a good hand-drawn logo, your brand can stand apart from the crowd, create a good impression, and, of course, show more personality.