30 Best Duotone Logo Design Ideas You Should Check
Two colours are the perfect technique for creating bold and dynamic visuals. Check out some of the best duotone logo design ideas to inspire your projects!
Created by Jason K Yun | https://dribbble.com/shots/17071180-Griffin-Gang
The duotone logo design is a modern approach to creating visually striking and memorable brand identities. This design technique involves the use of two colors to create a simple yet impactful logo. By limiting the color palette, duotone logos often evoke a sense of elegance, sophistication, and contemporary aesthetics. The background of duotone logo designs can be traced back to various influences and artistic movements that have shaped the world of graphic design.
One significant influence on duotone logo designs is the field of printing and photography. Duotone printing was first introduced in the early 20th century as a technique to reproduce photographs with limited colors. By using two contrasting colors, printers were able to create visually appealing images that captured the essence of the original photograph. This technique soon found its way into the world of graphic design and advertising, where it was utilized to create impactful visuals and communicate messages effectively.
Duotone logo designs have been influenced by contemporary design trends and the evolving tastes of consumers. In an age where attention spans are short and visual clutter is abundant, simplicity and memorability are crucial for effective branding. Duotone logos offer a solution by combining two contrasting colors in a way that captures attention and creates a lasting impression. This design technique allows brands to stand out in a crowded marketplace and leave a memorable visual mark on their target audience.
Here are some of the best duotone logo design ideas you can reference:
1. Rose Hill
Created by Coric Design | https://dribbble.com/shots/18617246-Logo-Design-for-Rose-Hill
Red and chocolate brown create a warm and vintage look on your logo. This logo is not only using different colors. It also uses three different fonts, one slab serif font, one modern sans-serif font, and the last one is a decorative script font. Use red and chocolate brown for the text as well. Use a neutral shade for the background.
2. Wildwood Design Co
Created by Wildwood Design Co | https://dribbble.com/shots/14971560-Wildwood-Design-Co
Another way to create a vintage logo design is by using blue and yellow. Both have two different characters since blue is cool while yellow is warm. The combination of both will create a balanced look. Use the element of nature to make the logo more natural. For example, a yellow sun and a blue island will make a gorgeous combination.
3. Westville LeFleur
Created by Jeremy Vessey | https://dribbble.com/shots/17007617-Westville-LeFleur-Logo-Hatchet-Arrow-Typeface
If you have no idea which colors will create a perfect logo design, use two shades of a color. For example, this one has a dark brown and a light brown. The dark one is for the text so that people will not struggle to read it. And the light one is perfect for the icon. Color your background with something soft.
4. Youth Hostel America
Created by The Monochromatic Institute | https://dribbble.com/shots/16296630-Youth-Hostel-America
The idea of a duotone logo is to use two contrasting colors. And there's nothing more contrast than red and blue. However, note that blue is a more soothing color compared to red. If there's text on your logo, make sure that the dominant color is blue instead of red.
5. House Of Cut
Created by Ostem Studio | https://dribbble.com/shots/20177200-WILL-CUT-BARBERSHOP
Here's another example of a blue and yellow combination. Before combining both colors, pick the color for its background first. And then you'll know where to use the blue and yellow. This logo uses yellow for the main text and as the accent color of the illustration. The blue complements the logo and the complementary text.
6. Baby Gilmore
Created by Andy Gilmore | https://dribbble.com/shots/19796590-Baby-G
Yellow can be a color that makes your logo look fresher. This baby logo design has yellow as the main color of the background and the illustration. Since yellow is eye-catching enough, you may want to use neutral colors for the rest of the logo. Black and white are going to ease people in finding and reading the text.
7. Vibe Glass
Created by Nolan Fleming | https://dribbble.com/shots/16800690-Vibe-Glass-Branding
Blue can also color your background, but you should pair it with the right colors. As a background color, blue can be too bright, which means you need other colors that will soothe your audience. This one has white for the text and peach for the flame illustration. Peach is a soft color which means it will blend flawlessly with other colors.
8. Cloud Mountain Farm Center
Created by Cameron Jennings | https://dribbble.com/shots/20825237-Cloud-Mountain-Farm-Center
Another duotone logo to consider is the collaboration of seaweed green and light salmon. These colors are perfect for a farm logo. Seaweed green will be a nice color for the tree, while light salmon can make another object on the logo look nice and sweet. In this logo, the light salmon is used to color the apples.
9. Salt Lake City Utah
Created by Jordan Wilson | https://dribbble.com/shots/18199843-Salt-Lake-City-Utah
Yellow and blue is the most famous combination for duotone logos. But both colors have many different shades. You may want to combine Tuscany yellow and Maya blue for your logo. Both have bright shades, which means the accent color should be something neutral. White is a much better option than black; it will blend with bright colors.
10. Cultivate Garden Shop
Created by SG Kivett | https://dribbble.com/shots/20399109-Cultivate-Branding-Set
A light brown and dark green will also create a vintage logo design. This logo, for example, has light brown as its background so that the dark green illustration will look more impressive. For the text and accent color, it uses ivory white, something neutral but not as boring as regular white. It also looks more vintage than white.
11. Toughies by BBco.
Created by Coric Design | https://dribbble.com/shots/19538006-Toughies-by-BBco
The color you use as the background will affect the look of your Duotone logo. This one looks smoother than Youth Hostel America because of the light brown background. The blue text and red rope logo don't look too bright or bold. Use the color of a parchment that will make your logo more retro and vintage.
12. Contentment
Created by Nebojsa Matkovic | https://dribbble.com/shots/17352312-Contentment
A natural logo design should use the colors of nature. This one has Castleton green as the main color and yellow as the accent color. The white on the background makes the logo look fresh and more stunning at once. Use uppercase letters and pick a tall font to ease your audience in reading the text around the logo.
13. Courtney Askew
Created by Courtney Askew | https://dribbble.com/shots/18549390-Personal-Logo
Pink and hot pink are going to create a bright combination for your logo. Those colors are enough to catch everyone's attention. For the accent color, pick something smooth, like chick yellow and white. Don't use another bright color, or else you are willing to hurt the eyes of your audience.
14. Yosemite Lager
Created by Ilham Herry | https://dribbble.com/shots/20378072-Godfrey-Font-Family
To make a masculine logo design, the combination of Halloween orange (#EE5921) and raisin black (#242124) will be perfect. Use raisin black for the background and orange for the main text of the logo. For the complementary text, get a shade of white; this is how you make people focus on the main text.
15. Tridi Boy
Created by Gustavo Zambelli | https://dribbble.com/shots/18501780-0944-Tridi-Boy
A skull logo design doesn't have to be in monochromatic colors like black and white. Make your skull logo look more fun by using a combination of pink and blue. First of all, use pink for the skull and then frame it with blue. Use blue to draw a head and face illustration right on top of the skull.
16. Broken Creek
Created by Ilham Herry | https://dribbble.com/shots/17390357-Fairley-Font-Collection
Trying to create an elegant logo design with some masculine touches? Use metropolis black (#1A1A1A) for the background of your logo. And then, you may want to use dark gold and silver gray for the eagle illustration and the text of your logo. Use decorative text that will enhance the elegance of your logo.
17. RR Bombers
Created by Jay Master | https://dribbble.com/shots/19738750-RR-Bombers
If you will have an illustration under the text, use orange for the illustration and white for the text. Since both are bright colors, you want to use a dark color for the background. And there's nothing more royal than the darker shade of blue. It is going to create a masculine look. For the text, pick a bold font to make it more readable.
18. Ramblers Barbershop
Created by Andy Boice | https://dribbble.com/shots/14835539-Ramblers-Barbershop
Black and white is always the best option for an old-school logo design. Make a monogram logo and color it white so that you can place the black text and illustration on top of it. If you want it to look fresher and more colorful, yellow can be the background color of the logo.
19. Krooked Lighting
Created by Coric Design | https://dribbble.com/shots/18940448-Krooked-Lighting
Bone white makes the right option for the skull logo on your black background. But these two colors may make your logo look a little boring. Add something fresh to the logo without removing its scary look. Do it by adding two lightning that comes out of the eyes of the skull. This object will enhance the scary look of the logo.
20. Mama Americana
Created by Amit Botre | https://dribbble.com/shots/10734978-Mama-Americana
Though you are going to use two different colors on your logo, one of them should be the main color while another one becomes the accent color. This logo has red as its main color. You can see it on the main and complementary text and also on the vehicle. Blue on the car makes the logo look more proportional.
21. Ruff House
Created by Joshua Diaz | https://dribbble.com/shots/17805285-Ruff-House
Can you spot two colors on this logo? The outline of the text is the second color. That color is also used to make the shirt and hat of the dog. You don't need to make both colors look standout. And you don't have to use two contrasting colors. Two shades of brown will make a nice logo.
22. Hillsbrew Beer Festival
Created by Jordan Wilson | https://dribbble.com/shots/20465700-Hillsbrew-Beer-Festival
Chocolate brown is a sweet color you can match with many other colors. This one combines chocolate brown with yellow, and they make a fantastic landscape logo. The brown becomes the main color, and the yellow that comes from the sun accentuates the landscape design. White is the best option to make everyone focus on the fantastic illustration.
23. Ibex Industries
Created by Jason K Yun | https://dribbble.com/shots/17961232-Ibex-Industries
Peach is a soft color that will look nice with some other colors, especially with dark blue color. The animal on this logo has a dark blue body and peach outline. Use the same concept for the text. Frame the animal with blue text and then frame the whole logo with a peach frame.
24. Criquet Stuff
Created by SAMPLE | https://dribbble.com/shots/16305692-Criquet-Stuff
A fun logo should have some fun colors like canary yellow (#FFEF00) and bottle green (#006A4E). Bottle green is a darker shade of green that will make everything on the logo more readable. And canary yellow is a fresh color that will add more freshness to your logo design. Add some white, and you will make get a proportional logo.
25. Proof FTW
Created by Coric Design | https://dribbble.com/shots/19778966-Proof-FTW
A simple logo design will look eye-catching if you choose the right colors. The night shadow black (#1C1C1C) for the background is a brilliant idea. And then, you may want to use smashed pumpkin orange (#FD673A) for the logo. This orange shade freshens the logo and makes it more alive.
26. RAM
Created by SPG MARKS | https://dribbble.com/shots/17271709-RAM
Light brown and khaki can also be a brilliant combination for your Duotone logo design. Use light brown, which is darker than khaki, on the text. And then use khaki for any illustration you have on the logo. Light brown makes the text more readable compared to khaki. Since both colors are soft, pick a dark color for the background.
27. The Cloak Room
Created by Victoria Georgieva | https://dribbble.com/shots/16266630-The-Cloak-Room-Vintage-Speakeasy-bar-logo-concept
This logo also uses red and blue, but it uses both colors separately. If red is used for the background, the blue will be on the text. But if the background is blue, the text is going to have red. This duotone concept is going to allow everyone to spot the text easily. But make sure that you use the right font for the logo.
28. Flour
Created by Ilham Herry | https://dribbble.com/shots/20378092-Flour-Sack-Label
Black and red can also make a vintage or retro logo design. Use both colors on the illustration and text. But pick a soft neutral color for the background. A soft and neutral color lets people read the text easily and won't look away from the main part of the logo. Red is going to catch people's attention.
29. Griffin Gang
Created by Jason K Yun | https://dribbble.com/shots/17071180-Griffin-Gang
Copper and blue are very contrasting, but they may look awesome on your logo. This logo uses copper for the illustration and then use blue for its outline. The same blue is used on the text of the logo. A shade of copper will make a nice background.
30. Sequatchie Cove Creamery
Created by Coric Design | https://dribbble.com/shots/19779056-Sequatchie-Cove-Creamery
Milk white is another alternative to create a vintage color. This shade of white will match any other color. Dark purple, for example, is a brilliant color for the text and illustration on the logo. Combe dark purple with a bold font and uppercase letters. Your audience will automatically focus on the cow illustration and also the text around it.
Frequently Ask Questions
What are duotone logo designs?
Duotone logo designs are a modern approach to creating impactful brand identities. They involve the use of two colors to create a visually striking and memorable logo. By limiting the color palette, duotone logos evoke a sense of simplicity, elegance, and contemporary aesthetics. This design technique draws inspiration from duotone printing, the Minimalist movement, advancements in technology, and contemporary design trends. Duotone logos are well-suited for digital environments and offer a solution to stand out in a crowded marketplace, leaving a lasting visual impression on the target audience.
Why do businesses use duotone logo designs?
Businesses use duotone logo designs for several reasons. Firstly, duotone logos create a visually impactful and memorable brand identity. They stand out in a crowded marketplace, capturing attention and leaving a lasting impression on the audience. Secondly, duotone logos are versatile and adaptable to various applications, including digital platforms and different sizes. They ensure consistency and recognizability across different mediums. Additionally, duotone logos evoke a sense of simplicity, elegance, and contemporary aesthetics, aligning with modern design trends.
Which industry niche commonly uses duotone logo designs?
Duotone logo designs can be found in a wide range of industries, but they are particularly common in sectors that value modern aesthetics and want to make a strong visual impact. Technology companies often use duotone logos to convey a sense of innovation and sleekness. Creative industries, such as design agencies and art studios, appreciate duotone logos for their artistic appeal and ability to stand out. Fashion and lifestyle brands also utilize duotone logos to convey a sense of style and sophistication.
What are the successful examples of duotone logo designs?
There are numerous successful examples of duotone logo designs that have made a significant impact. One notable example is the Airbnb logo, which features a distinctive, simple duotone design of a white "A" inside a circular background. This logo effectively communicates the brand's focus on travel and hospitality in a modern and elegant way. Another successful example is the Spotify logo, which uses vibrant green and contrasting shades of black to create a visually striking and recognizable mark.
Are there any perks or benefits when using duotone logo designs?
Yes, there are several perks and benefits when using duotone logo designs. Firstly, duotone logos have a strong visual impact and are memorable, allowing businesses to stand out in a crowded marketplace. The limited color palette simplifies the design, making it easily recognizable and adaptable across different mediums and sizes. Duotone logos are versatile and work well in both digital and print applications. They evoke a sense of elegance and sophistication, appealing to modern aesthetics.
Let us know what you think!
All of these fantastic logo design ideas are created by some of the most talented logo designers worldwide. We hope you enjoy our gallery and remember to leave us a comment below. Cheers!
