How to design a logo?

1. Start with the creative brief

Before you even open Illustrator, you need to have a well-written brief from your client. Without that, you’ll be wandering around in the dark trying to guess what the client wants.\

Start by asking questions. And remember, you can never ask too many! Here are just a few to get you started:

1. What does the business do?

2. Who is the brand targeting?

3. What is the history of the company?

4. Does the name have some deeper meaning?

5. What are the brand’s values?

6. What types of design and visual trends is your client drawn to?

Make sure to maintain open communication with your client. And don’t forget that you are the professional, and it’s your responsibility to advise the client and point them in the right direction about their design.

2. Find your keywords

Once you have all the information you need from your client, you can turn them into a logo that works!

Start by making a list of all relevant keywords for the project. Write down every word that comes to mind when thinking about the brand, and don’t worry about making sense or creating something pretty. You’ll never show this to anyone anyways!

3. Sketch your ideas

Now, use your keywords as inspiration and start sketching. Keep your client’s requests in mind, but don’t be afraid to go a little off the rails and try something different if you feel like you have a solid reason for it.

At this stage don’t think about drawing “pretty.” Sketch quickly and don’t overthink it. Focus solely on getting the ideas from your head to the paper. You should sketch as many ideas and concepts as possible.

When you feel like you’ve exhausted all ideas, put the paper aside, and leave it be until the next day. Sometimes you need to take a step back and see your sketches with fresh eyes. You may catch mistakes you didn’t see, get new ideas or even see new potential in concepts you didn’t before.

4. Refine your sketches

Take a look at all of your sketches again, this time with a critical eye. Look for mistakes, find ways to improve, and pick your favorite bits. Then, choose a few sketches you like the most, and sketch them over and over again. Drawing the same thing multiple times seems like a waste of time, but it actually is super helpful. Each version will get better and better, and you may just draw the perfect version on your 10th try!

6. Digitize your sketch

After your client chooses the one they like the best, it’s time to bring your concept into Illustrator!

Depending on what aesthetic you are looking to achieve, there are a few different ways to make a logo in Illustrator: live tracing in Illustrator after drawing by hand on paper or in Photoshop, or drawing with Illustrator’s pen tool. Neither of these techniques is better than the other, but one of them will be best suited for your current project.

7. Add text

Now that you have your logo just the way you want it to be, it’s time to add your tagline, if you have one. There’s no right place to put the tagline, but perhaps the simplest is to add it below the logo with a clean font that matches the style.

8. Add color

When you start adding color, make sure the colors you use make sense for the brand. Start by learning a little about logo colors, color theory and color trends, and then select color combinations that complement each other. Great logo colors need to stand out, but they don’t always have to be over-saturated. You can have great contrast by using only pastels.

9. Present your logo

When your logo looks perfect, put together a nice presentation for your client. Make sure you show every iteration of the logo, including different color versions. Remember that every version of the logo shown in the presentation you’ll have to provide to the client!

Start Designing Logo Now.