Complete Guide: Incorporate Key Elements Into Logo Designs
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A good design comes with a lot of measurement behind its creation. In logos, the measurement can go as far as the basics of understanding the different elements of the visual identity. The logo is a major contributor to making a vital first impression on customers toward certain businesses. Due to that role, the design process is rather complex.
In its uses, the visual identity of the company poses great value, telling a story, creating an impression, and helping the audience to trust the brand. That is why the fundamental of creating a good logo design is from its key elements. Elements or the foundations of the design can envelop almost the very basic details of the logo or the aspect in it.
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As it sounds pretty basic and very underwhelming, learning about the essentials of the design can lead to the process going beyond smooth. In many cases, the logo sounds and looks very overwhelming. It is especially true if the creator does not have a lot of experience, which can lead to a certain confusion in developing the imagery.
But it does not make the job impossible. In other words, it can be done as long as the creator has a good grasp of the design grounding. Those grounding are the elements that cover every little aspect of the design. It includes brand details and information such as goals, audience, and values. Designers need to sketch out the logo's potential for its development.
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After the grounding elements, the logo creation goes as far as learning about certain features. Those features are what make the design have meaning, connotation, or ideas. They are something handling graphics, style, design, color, font, and vectorization. It shows that the grounding work behind professional designers is not as complex as you think.
With that preview, you have got your groundwork ready. The next thing to do is to start tackling some designing tasks for the logo step by step, highlighting logo design elements and making it a good visual identity. To ensure the work and design process take its better road, here are the elements and details you should learn further.
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1. Brand Message
As the first step, the brand message is one of the essential elements that come with varying points to highlight. The key point of a brand message is to understand what makes a good logo design good for the business or the company. It explains why the name of the element is a brand message. So, it will lead the creator or designer to learn about the accuracy of brand messaging.
What kind of elements is a good brand message? It is specific information that can eventually weigh and shape the whole design to perfection. In its implementation, designers need to think about and take the logo as a whole. It suggests that the final project comes with the brand's unique personality, weighing the logo as a good representation of the company.
If categorized as elements, the said brand message has a pretty complex factor in pinpointing. It is because the components share portions of varying considerations under the sub-factors. Those factors comprise emotions in logo design, message, play, brand image, and story to a good representation or a function as a whole visual identity.
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The best way to approach the elements is by learning the good portion of the company, brand, or product represented. It is important since a good logo is the identity of the said product. Thus, the designer can take this element as the first responsibility in analyzing, learning, and determining its audience, values, and translation to design.
1.1. Brand Values
Brand values are one of the components of the brand message element itself. It is a detail focusing on highlighting what kind of values the company or the brand tries to push. When it comes to good logo design, the said values can turn into a good addition to the making. It helps choose the good imagery, style, and information to tell. Thus, the logo has real value in it.
1.2. Story And Message
Every brand and company has a story to tell. It is one of the principles that build a good idea into a memorable and attractive logo element. The design showcases what kind of message and story the company wants to tell to the audience. When executed well, it supports the visual image to deliver or introduce itself to the target reader.
1.3. Audience
As much as the company or the logo design appears unique, fun, and attractive, it should fit the target audience. Audience and its demographic have become one of the sub-factors that designers should not mess around with. It is because the details and interpretation of the demographic mold the design into a good and proper logo. Something that hit the jackpot, a.k.a the real target.
1.4. Mood And Imagery
Another key point in the first element of a good logo is the mood and imagery of the brand. Every brand is given certain views to highlight. It includes the interpretation and imagery of the company itself, such as professional, casual, fun, youthful, and many more. As creators learn about the brand message elements, they will likely work around the mood and imagery.
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2. Logo Style
A logo design comes as a clear identifier for the brand or the company. Sometimes, the creator should create something new underlying the unique personality and brand message. Therefore, the logo industry has a certain style design to pull out and determine the direction of the project itself. It is similar to a standard in the market without being the sole restriction.
In the case of a good logo design style, the number of logotypes will differ from one source to another. It also classifies the logo styles into certain design trademarks, which makes a clear category in the industry. Among the vast interpretations of a good visual style element, you can highlight at least five main styles to work with.
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2.1. Mascot
Among many logo design styles, the mascot is one of the popular options you can find in the market. As the name says, the design puts its visual elements on a character. The character representing the company is usually a person or an animal; sometimes, a good representation is the face of the company. Why does the company use a face that characterizes the brand?
The easiest reason for developing a mascot is to deliver meaning and an impression of the company. It is comparably easier to use a good persona to develop a certain meaning. Take the example of Colonel Sanders of KFC; the person is the element that states the face representation. The person is simply easier to remember and express the company's mood.
2.2. Letter Mark, Monogram, And Wordmark
Many other good logo design examples rely on working with letters or text. Thus, the style elements one can focus on in the design are monograms, wordmarks, or letter marks. Each option focused on creating an effective visual identity fully relies on font choice and design. The key difference is how the creator presents or visualizes the idea.
With letter marks and monograms, the logo design uses a good letter element. It mostly works with only one or more letters, signifying the initials of the company name. A simple sign is a good example of how a direct initial turn into a proper visual identity. Meanwhile, the wordmark is the style using the name of the company as it is.
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2.3. Pictorial
A pictorial design is a good popular option for products that focus on working with symbols. The key is to provide a symbolic or imagery style to communicate the traits, values, or message of the company. The idea itself can go as far as the creative mind will venture. Creators can use elements such as shapes, icons, imagery, or symbols for the idea.
2.4. Emblem
If the pictorial is a good logo design varying from one idea to others with its imagery, emblems focus on the more stoic styling. It focuses on using emblem-style images, creating a focal identity with a shield or banner. Most of the time, emblems shed several superfluous details. Instead, creating meaning and values through the smart uses of a compact.
2.5. Combination
When one logo design style does not work, many companies pick the best solution by creating a combination image. It is a good visual identity solution for creators who are working with a new company. The idea of combination style is, as the name says, the design elements are not limited to only pictures or text. Instead, the creator blends to make an impactful identity.
Combination styles should be a good solution for new brands to establish their business and name. It is because the design combines the name and picture on the identifier. Indirectly, the brand has introduced its business directly by telling its name and showing its impression. It is a great option element, but it also comes with a complex process to fully establish.
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3. Graphic Style
If a style is one of the essential elements of good logo design, the next thing to consider is the graphic. The overall work of the logo itself focuses on working with visuals or graphics, which is as complex as creating many other aspects of the project. What makes a good graphic for the work is more than just fancy or attractive.
The most successful logo has a sense and ability to send a tone to the appearance, creating harmonious symbols and putting a heavy impact on the impression. This is why graphic style element develops or shapes a logo design. But what is a good graphic to use? The answer will go back to the brand, which the creator needs to translate into a graphic.
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In other words, details in tone, mood, imagery, or message purposely shape the graphic style. It is also best to underline that the design can turn into a more quirky, unusual, generic, simple, or anything. The key is to create a distinguishing element for the works so the imagery will stand out in the market.
When it comes to graphics, creators can pay attention to the symbolization and possible meaning of the imagery. Some images can add a sense of being cute, friendly, intelligent, trendy, and anything. There is almost no limit on using graphics, which also indicates that the creator can go as creativity takes them. But again, this is where the creator needs to know the context.
The graphic style element composes many possible images, such as using geometric shapes, characters, symbols, or associated images. Take an example of a tree, the common imagery for green industry, growth, or agriculture. Some shapes can state their meaning, such as a circle for professional logo design. Many other good identities use graphics to picture their message.
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4. Color Choice
Color takes one seat for the elements needed to create a good logo design. Color is arguably one of the heart and impactful aspects of a creative project, which also aids or affects the symbol as a whole. The importance and the strong connection of color to the imagery are mainly on how the color palette builds the aesthetic, creates meaning, and potentially develops ideas.
In many cases, the key to working with color is to understand the psychology of color design. It highlights that every color will have a certain meaning and appeal to a certain target audience. When learning and understanding that aspect, the creator will know what color to use or avoid. Thus, preventing the unappealing or rejected aesthetic element or negative connotations.
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Those negative connotations can cover a range of possible aspects, including culture, background, and target. To create good use of color, you might have to learn further about the company's information, personality, and impression. It is similar to graphics since color evokes emotion and meaning.
At the same time, this is the element that also affects several points of the logo design. A good logo design needs a proper contrast. Thus, a good choice of color from the main focal image, fonts, and background will be pivotal in the creation. However, playing with them also demands good calculation to avoid over or less contrast.
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5. Font Choice
If the logo design comes with styles focusing on font, there are also elements of typography in the creation. The choice of fonts and typography can heavily influence the type of design you are trying to pull off. In its implementation, the font can provide focus, and information, support other elements, or something you don't need at all.
The main function of the font itself is to convey written content. But, how the fonts appear or look can promote the tone or meaning as well. Thus, you as a designer should pay attention or learn further about font elements' style. The common categories for fonts are serif fonts, sans serif, script, or modern fonts.
The most traditional but reliable option is a serif, the common good option for the formal logo. Design focusing on the clean and edgy style can use sans serif. The script, with its flaw and beautification, comes as the best option for elegant logo design. Meanwhile, the modern font will add impact, boldness, and personality.
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6. Graphic Elements
With the visual and creative elements done, the last point to do is to work with vectorized symbols. Vectorized element is a point where the logo is made in vector graphics to enhance versatility and usability. Vector images can retain their quality despite being scaled in varying sizes. A good logo design should not lose its graphic quality for whatever it is used for.
The idea mainly comes as to how a sign can be used on varying design media, including on the web, in marketing, or on the billboard. Each demands a different scale or size, which means the design should stay crisp and clear. The versatility element will be the last aspect that perfects or optimizes the logo as a whole.
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Final Words
At the end of the day, working with logo design is more than just creating good or memorable imagery. The designer needs to underline the fact that the company needs a visual identity, which is why the first element to learn is the brand message. The message conveys and comprises many details about the company, including its purpose and product.
After that, the job goes further on the visual aspect. The designer needs to work with a good sense of graphic style, which can aid the process of developing the product identity. That is why the next element to learn, and master is mostly about the visual value itself. You, as a creator, will need to learn about logo design and image style.
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The style relates to the logo's design, ideas, model, and look. Graphic style pinpoints varying aspects of visuals, which later leads to how the final works will look. It deals with color, graphics, and font, the three essential logo elements that shape the project. Due to its vital roles, one needs to learn further about the elements. Thus, they know what is good or not.
If you want to learn and make a good logo design, be sure to highlight at least six elements. You need to learn about the brand message, logo style, graphic style, font, and color. After that, you can optimize the final works with vectorized projects to enhance usability and versatility. With that, you already learn the fundamentals and are ready to develop more in the future.
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