This is a logo design tutorial taking you through the process I use when designing a new logo
For more tips on learning design straight to your inbox click hereLast year I was asked to create a logo for In4systems, a company that creates property management software. This software is used by companies who need to manage large portfolios of properties, such as landlords and housing associations. I started by asking a few questions about their requirements and enquired about their competitors. Their brief was fairly open so I started by taking a look around at what their competitors were doing. The next stage was to start sketching. Whenever I am designing a logo I always spend a considerable amount of time sketching, it allows me to quickly try out different ideas to see what shapes and designs are like likely to work. Below are a few of my rough logo drawings which I scanned in ready for the next stage.
These sketches are very rough but they were never intended to be seen by the client they are purely a tool for me to work out my ideas. Within the sketches I thought it would be a good idea to include a descriptor/strap line in these which would give a more immediate sense of what the company does and worked this into the designs.
The next step was to start working up some of the logo design sketches on the computer. Using Adobe illustrator I used the scanned sketches as a guide and started designing the logos in black and white, choosing what I felt were appropriate fonts. Working in black and white enabled me to concentrate on shapes and type rather than be distracted by colours.
Some of these I felt were working and some weren’t so I took my preferred options and started deciding on colours.
I showed these to he client and they chose their preferred option and requested some changes to colours and the addition of shapes that represented windows. The chosen design was then worked up into stationery designs for letter heads and business cards which you can see below.
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68 Comments
I assume you did not charge the client $50 for this job
I find it quite interesting that you actually presented 4 different logos to your client. I know that many designers do not really like to do that …
Hi BizGiftGuru
I usually present a few ideas to a client. If a brief is very loose I think this is necessary to make sure you are on the right lines.
Thank you Tara for this post. It’s always very useful for me to see how designers proceed with their project. As I don’t have any commercial experience it would be even more useful to know, how much you can charge for a project like this and how much time did you spend working on it?
Hi Szabcsee
I base what I charge on how long I think I need to spend on a project and of course clients budget.
and how long did you work on that?
sorry but I don’t discuss timing or pricing on my blog.
sorry for being so nosy. The truth is that i have been doing graphic design for a few years on a volunteer basis and I will finish my course in the College this year so I would like to get some knowledge about the REAL LIFE out there but somehow it seems to be difficult to get information about these things. Anyway your blog is one of the best places where i found loads of useful and interesting stuff. So please keep posting and thank you again.
Hi
Thanks for the kind words, just emailed you with some info that might help.
Great sketches, Tara, especially as these are your ‘very rough’ ones. I’m certainly no Picasso.
Do you clients ever ask to see sketches?
Hi David
Thanks. Clients rarely ask to see sketches. I have one client that I occasionally show sketches too but he has worked in design and print for years.
“I find it quite interesting that you actually presented 4 different logos to your client. I know that many designers do not really like to do that …”
Are ya kidding? it’s very common-place for designers to present different ideas to their client. Usually there will be two/three designs that follow the brief closely and a “token” design that goes right out there!
Nice post though – it’s good to see something develop from sketch to graphic
“I find it quite interesting that you actually presented 4 different logos to your client. I know that many designers do not really like to do that …”
I always try to present 4 logo design concepts to the client. I start off sketching as many ideas as I can think of, then narrow it down to 4, before choosing appropriate typefaces and working up on the computer.
Good post.
Thanks for sharing the design process with us, Tara. Very interesting. Did the client have a logo prior contacting you? It’s interesting that later they asked you to change the colours in the logo. Did they change their branding, or they didn’t really have one before?
Tara,
I subscribe to a feed of your wonderful site. This is a terrific post! Can I use it next year for teaching middle school students about designing a logo? Email me if yes, and I’ll be sure to update you on how I plan to use your blog in lessons. A true professional work example would be great for the kids.
Hi Nigel and Matt, thanks for your comments. I think most desigers present more than one logo option.
Hi Vivien
That had a logo that they had done a long time ago, but one of their competitors had just updated their image and they felt it was time they did the same.
Hi Scott, just emailed you, I’m happy for you to use the post.
Hi Tara,
As I was scrolling down to read the post, the logo I liked right away out of the 4 you created in color was the one that the client chose. That’s definately the one that stands out nicely.
Enjoyed this post. The stationary looks good also
Thanks Brian
A very interesting look at the design process – thanks for sharing it with us!
Hi Tara -
I love how this identity system turned out! Great colors and balance.
My personal favorite was the logo on the bottom left – I just love the typography in this one.
Great work!
Good quick synopsis of the process for this logo and identity design. I think when making simple logos it makes sense to show more choices as the are really quick to put together. Though I find that when making complex logos the time involved makes it so that I need to show less examples. Unless, of course the client has the budget for more examples.
Simple vs. Complex doesn’t mean one is better than the other. One is just more illustrative and can take more time. Most designers that offer Illustrative or complex logo design would charge more for it. As it takes longer.
Thanks.
Tara, nice ‘rough’ sketches you have there. Mine are more like scribbles than anything, maybe even doodles. I hate it at uni, having to show your sketches because I think I am going to get marked down for having so bad sketches but in the end it works out… the final product outdoes the sketches
Thanks for providing your insight into logo design, I always like reading about other designers methods.
Erin, Sean, Jacob, thank you all for you comments.
Hi Tara,
It’s always great to see how other designers approach the design process. Do you always show your clients color options before you ever show them black and white options? I usually prefer that the client look at the logo for the shape and style before they see it in color. I feel the use of color could sway how they feel about one logo versus another.
Hey Tara,
I will usually submit at least 4 sketches to the client, but if more ideas come to mind I send them as well. In college we had to come up with twenty thumbnail sketched before we were even allowed to submit an actual comp!
At first I hated sketching, but now I find myself doing it all the time. In fact I keep a sketchbook at work, in my car and next to my bed.
Thanks for sharing Tara!!
Regards,
Bryan
Hi Karly, I usually present colour but black and white is a good idea, I have written about this in an old post somewhere.
Hi Bryan, good to hear from you. Hope things are going well.
Your logo designs are very impressive; such simple and elegant styles that are professional and bold. An interesting take on design processes.
Sometimes it is good to back to the old pen and paper, allows a more spontaneous flow of initial creativity. Nice one!
Tara, izzit every designer will do the sketch before they create the logo? This really a new thing for me since I not in the design line. I still learning now, but not this standard yet.
Thanks, please share more on how to do it, thanks.
Spontaneous flow only comes when you have some creativity with a pen to begin with, give me a mouse pad any day!
I was hesitant to post a second time as to not offend anyone, but I cannot even fathom turning on the computer without sketches. My last client went through 7 “very loose” sketches before deciding which idea to go with.
The problem, in my own opinion, is the amount of “toys and effects” to sidetrack you when developing an idea on the computer. I also love to watch a simple loose sketch manifest itself into a living, breathing work of art.
As a musician of 30 years, I still sit in my living room or wherever and record my ideas dry onto a tiny recorder before going to the computer. The same reasons apply, there are too many “distractions” that get in the way of truly writing a piece of music.
I will never forget a passage from the book we used in my college Art History class. French Impressionist Camille Pissarro quoted, “It is only by drawing often, drawing everything, drawing incessantly, that one fine day you discover to your surprise that you have rendered something in its true character.”
My professor told us that if we apply this to graphic design as well, there would be no stopping us. He was right.
Bryan
I like this example of your work. You have very good feeling of fonts, I really like the drawings, maybe because I am artist drawing a lot.
Well planned logo output comes out with beautiful design.Although client requirements varies.
With regard to the question about showing a client sketches or not….I think you can definately show them just for interest AFTER you have submitted the initial concepts to them.
I think clients may find it hard to fall in love with a sketch and may not be able to see the potential a sketch will have for the digital version.
However, I did recently have a client that I showed some sketches to over lunch, and the final logo derived from the first sketch I did….so I’m sort of in between about this.
What do you think Tara?
I think the design process shown is great. Good for teaching some new designers of brainstorming and seeing through the end of the project. Keep up the good work.
When i get a brief for any think especially a logo i always sketch my ideas down first cos that way you can get all your ideas down on paper. What i like is how you took them to the computer and did them in black and white, then chose the ones you liked and then added colour, i am going to do it like that from now on cos then that way at least you have got your logos then they just need colour.
Very nice! It’s always cool to see someone’s creative process. I love the final outcome and design, very good.
I usually submit between 4-6 designs to clients. It’s generally a good idea to have a variety of looks. By the way, your logos are great! My favorite is the one the client chose.
I also feel that it is important to get out all ideas on paper first and sketch them before any other steps are taken. Sketching out ideas helps to see which ideas can evolve or eliminated, leaving more room for focus and concentration.
I myself was doing logo work for two of my classes and found that sketching out my ideas really helped when it came down to the second step, transforming the idea into print. By this time, I already had developed an image in my mind of what the logo would look like and was able to create what I envisioned.
Also, preparation instead of just jumping right into the initial design helps your ideas evolve. All the prior steps involved in developing something truely enhance your initial idea.
Nice to see the stages of production from pen to print. I think sketching one of the best ways to express your ideas.
I love the letter head with the water mark excellent job!
Nice case study – with a great end result.
I really enjoyed reading this post. It was neat to see the creative process you went through to come up with the final product. Thanks for sharing!
A Great end result! nice documentation to go with it!
Tara – you chose four of the logos to send to your client, as you mentioned you preferred them, if you preferred say six of the eight would you show six? My problem is I feel that I come up with too many different logo options, which I believe fit the brief. I have been lucky so far and clients haven’t tried to mix and match the logo’s to end up with a frankenstein design, but I am sure it will happen at some point?
Hi Lucinda
To be honest I always end up with the same dilemma as you, how many logos to present. I try to trim it down as much as possible but don’t always succeed.
Thanks Tara – it’s nice to know I’m not the only one with that dilemma!
This is really interesting, I’ve have only ever designed a few logos properly. I have to make rushed ones everyday as a web designer. I would love to spend the time you do creating them and having that dilemma. I really liked alot of the logos you created but I reckon the one you chose was definitely the best.
Thanks for this great post, Tara. I’m always curious to see other designer’s creative process. You have some very interesting concepts there.
I try not to give my clients too many options. They start taking my concepts apart like LEGO and building their own. How do you deal with that if that ever happens?
Great post Tara, thanks for sharing your process. It’s always interesting to see the process in full, including sketches. Good looking final product!
Hi there everyone
Yeah that awesome and useful for guys like me who are just new to this business.
Thanks for the info and ideas but i need more tips and maybe help in creating logos so if you feel you want show me around then give me shout on my mail or website (new). Logo and text are two of my weakest areas.
Im thinking I could practice by designing logos for FREE for people and companies that i like and present it to them. If any of you want to add me and share some resources that be awesome.
Peace.
cool beans.