THERE ARE MANY DESIGN STYLES,
WHICH ONE SUITS YOU BEST?
Now that you have a clear idea of your brand, it’s time to start translating that into design.
There are lots of different elements that have to come together,
from colors, shapes and graphics to typography.
Think of components individually rather than getting
overwhelmed with the whole design all at once, it will be much easier.
When thinking about your logo, the first thing you want to do is
choose the right aesthetic for your brand.
There is no one style that is right for everyone, only what’s best for your brand.
LOGOS
So, you want a logo, but what should it represent, which colour,
modern, retro, vintage...?
There are so many things to consider and, most important, to tell the team taking care of the design:
your brief is all on
which everything depends on!
Don’t panic!
This handy guide will give you an insight, read on to get some intel on logo making and asking!
FIND THE RIGHT TYPE OF LOGO
In addition to the overall style there are 7 main types of logos you can choose from when you are creating your logo. You can pick the one that suits your company name or overall aesthetic best or combine them to create something unique.
LETTERMARKS
(or Monogram Logos)
Lettermark logos can be great to streamline your company logo, especially if your name is very long or hard to remember.
Lots of businesses choose to go by their initials, monograms can be great for minimalist logos but remember that they are not very good at expressing what your business is about.
WORDMARKS
(or Logotypes)
Wordmarks are purely letter-based and only feature the name of a business. We're talking no images, icons, or even emblems; Wordmark logos are stripped down, sometimes even reduced to initials with 1-3 letters.
PICTORIAL MARKS
(or Logo Symbols)
Pictorial marks or logo symbols are what we think of when we hear the word “logo”. They are iconographic images that are easily recognizable and represent your brand with an image. You can choose something simplistic or more complex, but make sure to pick a symbol that creates a unique connection to your brand.
ABSTRACT LOGO MARKS
Instead of a recognizable symbol, abstract logo marks are geometric forms that don’t establish an immediate connection to an existing image but create something entirely new for your brand. An abstract logo mark will condense your business into a symbol that is truly unique to you. If you want your abstract logo to create a certain mood or feeling, and out the meanings of different geometric logo shapes.
MASCOTS
Mascot logos are a fun way of giving your brand a personality. They are often colorful, cartoonish characters that represent your business in a family-friendly and approachable way.
COMBINATION MARK
A combination mark does exactly what it says on the tin: it combines a symbol with a word mark to create an easily recognizable logo.
The brand name is either placed next to the symbol or is integrated in the graphic element. People will associate both elements with your brand, which allows you to use them both alone and together.
EMBLEM
Similar to combination marks, emblem logos are also often a combination of word and pictorial elements. They usually consist of text integrated in a symbol or icon, such as badges, seals or crests.
Red stands for excitement, passion and anger. It’s a great choice if your brand is loud, youthful and wants to stand out.
RED
Orange is much less used than red but it’s just as energetic. This is a vibrant, invigorating and playful colour.
ORANGE
If you want to look accessible and friendly, yellow is the right choice. It gives o a cheerful, affordable and youthful energy.
YELLOW
Green is extremely versatile and can work for any brand really well. It’s especially perfect for anyone who wants to establish a connection to nature.
GREEN
Blue is a very classic and common choice. It is calming and cool and symbolizes trustworthiness and maturity.
BLUE
Purple can be your ticket to looking luxurious. Depending on the shade, purple can be mysterious, eclectic or feminine.
PURPLE
If you’re going for girly, nothing works better than pink. But that’s not all! With shades like pastel rose, millennial pink or neon magenta, pink can give your logo a grown up and cool but still youthful and feminine look.
PINK
Brown may sound like a strange color choice at first, but it works perfectly for rugged and masculine vintage logos. It can give your brand a handmade, unique and aged look.
BROWN
If you are looking for a sleek, modern and luxurious look, black will be a great choice. A minimalist black and white logo is the way to go if you want to keep it simple.
BLACK
You want your logo to look clean, modern and minimalistic?
Use lots of white in your logo. As a neutral color it works in combination with all other colors, but adds a clean, youthful and economical touch.
WHITE
Gray is the ultimate color if you want to achieve a mature, classic and serious look. Darker shades look more mysterious, while lighter shades are more accessible.
GRAY
PAY ATTENTION TO COLOUR
Combining Colours
Of course you don’t need to stick with a monochrome logo using just one colour, but you can combine various colors to tell a complete brand colour story. Look at the colour wheel below:
COMPLEMENTARY COLOURS lie directly across from each other on the colour wheel. They bring out the best in both colors and create a very dynamic look.
ANALOGOUS COLOURS fall close to each other on the wheel.
If you want your logo colorus to be harmonious, these will work well together.
TRIADIC COLOURS draw from three equal sections on the colour wheel. Pick these for a stimulating and bold e ect.
Pick the right Typography
Serif fonts can make your logo look classic and high-end.
Serifs are the little “feet” at the end of letter, which make them look a little more old fashioned. They are very versatile and look great with any kind of design, but work especially well with vintage, elegant or classic designs.
Serif Fonts
Sans-serif fonts are perfect for a modern and clean look. They don’t have the little feet that serif fonts have which makes them look very sleek and simply. This works great for modern brands.
Sans Serif Fonts
Script fonts are reminiscent of handwriting. From elegant calligraphic fonts to relaxed and down-to-earth scripts, there is a huge variety out there. Use them to make your logo look more individualistic.
Script Fonts
Display fonts are decorative fonts that are highly stylized and really catch the eye. Your typography can become really powerful when you combine different logo fonts with each other
DISPLAY FONTS
CLASSIC
Trendy logos can be fun and vibrant, but they can quickly become outdated.
A classic style may be a better choice and can help you reach a broader audience and last in time.
This kind of visual keeps it simple and doesn’t venture out into irrational color palettes, graphics or fonts.
A classic style tells people that you are reliable and down to earth.
RETRO VINTAGE
There is a reason why vintage and retro design have been in fashion for quite some time now.They instantly remind you of the past and evoke romantic feelings of nostalgia.A vintage logo tells customers that history is important to you and that whatever you sell, your logo is just right.Worn and hand-illustrated logos in an earthy color palette t this requirement beautifully.
MODERN & MINIMALIST
Brands often choose a clean and minimalist style to communicate how fresh and modern they are.
This style uses a lot of whitespace, minimal details and simple lines often resulting in sleek, pared back logos.
A minimalist and modern style shows your customers that your brand is up-to-date, cool and knows what counts.
FUN and ECCENTRIC
This is a popular choice for brands with a young (or young at he- art) target customer. Fun and quirky style tends to be colorful and cute and often uses symbols or illustrations to create a positive and friendly vibe.
Go for a fanciful mascot or a sweet illustration to let your brand’s fun character really stand out.
HANDMADE and Handcrafted
Handcrafted style transports a clear message:
This brand is individualistic and stands for handmade quality.
The style works well in combination with other aesthetics, like vintage, to really drive the message home.
But it can be combined with minimal and fun styles as well for a simple and sophisticated or a bright and youthful look.