Reasons Why Should Have A Black & White Logo Design
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A vital question that you must answer before starting to design a logo is, "What colors should I use?" It's no secret that choosing a color palette must be adjusted to the colors that represent your company's products. Then, what about a logo that combines black and white or a logo with shades of gray?
To be honest, a black-and-white logo can be useful at this time. This has to do with the psychology behind the logo with that color. Moreover, both used to be quite popular in the realm of printing. Black and white is a printing solution to save ink.
As previously stated, black-and-white photography was popular before the internet. When printing is not needed because there is already social media, why should you still use a black-and-white logo?
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A black-and-white logo is a monochrome version of your logo. Black is a color usually associated with night or darkness, but it can also represent calm and elegance. A popular color that never goes out of style.
Several logos are dominated by black, for example, the famous Adidas and Chanel. Both of them already have attractiveness, popularity, and an image that is both strong and classy.
On the other hand, white represents purity, innocence, wisdom, and harmony. No wonder white is widely used by technology companies or products that emphasize luxury. You can pay attention to the modern, clean, and strong Apple logo. White is not a color used alone, as it will be combined with other colors. It can be mixed with black, making the background white.
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Why Should We Have A Black-and-White Logo Version?
It doesn't matter if you have a logo in any color; we recommend you have a black-and-white version. A logo must look neat, not colorful, because that can make the logo look less harmonious. By having two versions, you can use the logo flexibly and effectively anywhere. Here are some other reasons why you should have a black-and-white logo version:
1. Flexible across various media
Have you ever faxed documents or perhaps scanned them? However, a black-and-white logo is more flexible and can be seen in various media.
When faxing documents, not all colors can be supported. On the other hand, the black-and-white version is the solution. Black and white can enhance the tone of a document and make your design stand out.
2. Printing Specific Products
Some logos can be used in ways such as embroidery, textile printing, embroidery, 3D printing, and laser engraving. All of these products cannot support files with a certain color, but they can still support monochrome formats, namely black and white.
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3. Partnerships with Other Companies
You may be invited to collaborate with or partner with other companies. Usually, your logo will be displayed in several places, such as websites, products, or some other medium.
Some brands prefer the monochrome version of the logo because it is more scalable when placed in various places. Monochrome colors will not distract from the main or core colors of the brand.
If you don't have a monochrome version, your biggest worry is that irresponsible parties might convert your color logo to black and white on their own.
This is bad because they don't necessarily have experience designing logos. Who knows if they'll make a poor monochrome version of your logo? This will potentially reduce the quality of your brand.
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What Are The Characters of The Black and White Logo?
We know that many brands have color and monochrome logos. This shows that the black-and-white version is important. Apart from being scalable, flexible, and elegant, a logo with these two colors is also considered to be able to convey a strong message about a brand.
The following are some of the characteristics of a black-and-white logo that you need to know:
1. Sophisticated and luxurious
Lovers of high-end brands will know that many of these well-known brands use logos in a combination of black and white. With a limited and simple color palette, they convey strong brand values. Check out some examples like Bentley and Gucci, both of which come in elegant and classy versions.
There are also b&w brands with neat and simple designs. You will immediately think of an elegant brand, even when you see it for the first time. Besides, some fashion brands also tend to choose simple logo colors, such as black and white.
Gucci, Chanel, and Gucci are brands that are recognized worldwide. They produce sophisticated and quality products. All three also have the same logo color, which is black and white. Both of these colors represent exclusivity, which is used as a key to looking good by big brands.
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2. Minimalism
The second characteristic is a logo that looks minimalist. Many businesses make the wrong decisions when designing a logo, such as using too many colors. A logo with too many colors will not work on all media, especially t-shirts and certain media that limit the use of color palettes.
From the beginning, black and white were colors that symbolized class, including minimalism and cool. Your logo will look simpler with both colors, even when displayed at a small size.
There are many reasons why the majority of big brands prefer simple designs and colors. You can see several examples of big brands such as Nike, Sony, Apple, and Nike.
They believe more in the appeal of a simple logo that is stronger and more iconic. It is easier for the public to remember and recognize brands with a minimalist logo design.
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3. Authority Message
A logo with a combination of black and white can convey clear authority. Many use a monochrome design to be the site with the best logo in their industry. There's no denying that black and white makes for a classy design that commands respect.
You can see things like strength, courage, and determination when a black-and-white logo involves a bold font. Many logo designers struggle and lack direction with certain colors, images, and fonts that don't convey a company's identity very well.
You can observe several well-known brands, such as the New York Times, Forbes, and Inc., that have successfully used monochrome logos. Their black and white logo was successfully simplified to their brand name or initials.
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4. Classic Design
Black and white denote class and quality. Designs that are long-lasting and will not be timeless because this logo is classic and timeless. You can use it at any time. Other colored logos must keep up with the times, so they are often changed and adjusted. On the other hand, black and white designs don't do that.
There is one example among many brands that have gone through a lot of change, and that is Taco Bell. This logo was created in brown, green, yellow, and orange in 1985. Nine years later, the logo was changed to yellow, purple, and pink.
Then in 2016, Taco Bell used more minimalist and softer colors, namely black, white, and purple. This last design looks more sophisticated and professional.
A black-and-white design will not make your brand look out of date. It also minimizes the possibility of changing it one day.
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5. More Practical
You will like the characteristics of this one, where black-and-white logos are very practical because they are easy to print. Not only does it make your logo easier to print and cheaper, but it also avoids the possibility of making the wrong color choices.
Many brands out there have had to think hard about how to choose a color palette that fits their brand identity. The goal is to create the best design possible, not just any design.
There are several colors; you will know them by a certain hex color. The wrong choice means it will affect the color of your logo. Take Lowes, for example, who uses the hex color #004990 as his main color.
When printing it in multiple places or displaying it on other media, this can be a pain. Unlike black and white, the selection is easy.
Using the wrong color will only make your big brand experience a decrease in quality. With black and white, you can get a minimalist logo that is easy to apply. When you need black and white printing, finding it is also easy at a low price. The design you use is also printed faster.
Not only that, a black logo will look attractive because it seems to contain a certain hidden mystery. Many use black as a symbol of secret knowledge. It has nothing to do with magic or mystical things but leans more toward the characteristics of elegance and simplicity.
Look at Puma; black and white are made to perfection. Design that displays perfection and exclusivity. You may like to see something mysterious. It's like a luxury object that's not cheap; to reach it, you have to exert effort and struggle.
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Tips for Creating A Black and White Logo
If you want to create a logo that is perfect and able to convey the brand's message to the fullest, there are some important things that you should pay attention to. Apart from keeping the logo simple, you must combine black and white colors in a specific and thoughtful way.
Apart from that, pay attention to several other important aspects to make your logo look more distinctive. Here are some tips that you can apply to make your black-and-white design successful:
1. Specific Icons
The icon is an important part that you should pay close attention to. Usually, a logo is always wrapped in a circle, square, or other shape that can cover all parts perfectly. You can select from a variety of icon models based on your preferences and requirements.
This not only makes it easier for you to print but also makes it easier to create applications and social media profiles.
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2. Pay Attention to The Typefaces.
The next important tip is to choose the right font for the design. Nike is an example of a logo that doesn't include the font in it but replaces it with a special mark that represents the brand. The Swoosh logo by Nike can stand alone without using a font. Its meaning is "winged goddess victory." The word "swoosh" refers to the sound produced by movement and speed; it managed to represent the brand well.
It's very difficult to find a font that can represent your brand well so that it can convey the message you want. The selection of the correct typeface must include the following considerations:
- Easy to read and recognizable; don't use thin fonts that don't scale optimally in some places.
- Choose a font that is unique and represents your brand well; it is not recommended to use Times New Roman or Arial without changes.
- Choose a quality font.
- Use a font that suits your brand, and avoid fonts like those chosen by your competitors.
Remember, successful font selection will provide a perfect design. On the contrary, a bad font will destroy your brand's image.
3. Make Use of Character Traits
The second feature is the use of characters as the main logo feature. Notice that some logos, such as Starbucks, Wendy's, and KFC, have people in them. If you want an example of a unique and cool logo with black and white nuances, this is the old PBS logo that was displayed from 1948 to 2019.
The logo displays a character in the center of the design. Currently, the design has changed to monochromatic blue.
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4. Geometric Shapes
The shape is an important factor in conveying a unique or specific message about your brand. Here are some forms and their meanings that could be taken into consideration:
- Vertical lines symbolize action, growth, and noise.
- Horizontal lines indicate a more relaxed and stable approach.
- Triangle communicates power and action.
- A rectangle or square indicates dependability, security, and professionalism.
- The circle represents positivity, stability, and unity.
You can incorporate some of the shapes above into your design. By incorporating shapes into black-and-white designs, you can get the optimal model. Form is a good way to convey a brand message. Make a great first impression on your audience with a logo.
5. Texture Shape
Next is to involve some textures, such as points, lines, color illusions, or other aspects. The use of dots will serve as a differentiator for your black-and-white design. This can produce a quality design; the composition is right and eye-catching. The public will look at and pay close attention to your logo.
It's important to pay attention to these tips because the design must be detailed and full of consideration. Dots and lines are the concern of logo designers as they perfect their work.
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Take Advantage of Negative Space
You will create a logo with a combination of only two colors, namely black and white. Make sure to get maximum results even if you only use two colors. The trick is to make the best use of negative space.
The background is an important thing in an illustration; it will affect the way the audience sees your design. Negative space is the background surrounding an object. Take an easy example, which is a black Nike Swoosh surrounded by a white background.
You can make use of negative space by forming unique and different elements in your design. An example is the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium logo, which makes good use of negative space. A black tree surrounded by lions, birds, and gorillas.
It can also be said that the silhouettes of a tiger and a gorilla facing each other are an out-of-the-box idea. It's unique when they manage to make good use of the background to produce images of animals, like zoo icons.
Another example that is no less amazing is the logo of the USA Network. The letters U and A are black, while the letter S uses negative space. Negative space will make people smile when they see your design, and then they will remember it well.
Created by Lucian Radu | https://dribbble.com/shots/17989973-Standing-Bear-Logo
Some Popular Black and White Logos
Now it's time to learn from some of the popular black-and-white logos. Here are several highly popular brands that have outstanding black-and-white logos:
1. Vans
This company uses the same logo as its products. The design is simple but elegant. The writing is very neat. A design that looks simple but classy with the letter "v," whose ends extend to resemble a square root symbol.
2. The New York Times
The New York Times logo has been used since 1851. Back then, there were only black and white colors, so it's not surprising that this brand uses black, which dominates. There has not been much change from the original design.
The names of the newspapers even have old letters to show that they have been around for a long time. The black contrast with the white letters makes the writing easy to read. Seeing the design of this newspaper is like seeing a successful senior.
Created by Davor Butorac | https://www.behance.net/gallery/156156867/BT-STUDIOS-2022-LOGO-PROJECT
Conclusion
Why should you use a logo in black and white? An attractive design should be easy to switch on, simple, and legible. You will get some of these things when using a black-and-white logo. With a combination of these two colors, your design will look sophisticated and luxurious at the same time.
Take a look at some well-known brands such as Gucci, Bentley, Apple, Nike, and many more. It seems that using black and white is a brilliant idea. Your design will look minimalist and perfect. Hence, it's your turn to create your standout black-and-white design.
