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12 Essential Rules to Follow When Designing a Logo

12 Essential Rules to Follow When Designing a Logo
The logo is the face of any brand — the very first impression — so its design is extremely important. When executed correctly, a logo is a powerful asset to your client’s brand. However, creating an effective visual representation of a brand requires much more than just graphic design. Like any line of work that involves a set of specific skills, logo design requires plenty of practice and experience for it to be successful; knowledge is definitely power for any graphic designer. For this reason, we have outlined 12 essential rules to follow in order to design an effective logo. 1. Preliminary sketches are an important first step in designing an effective logo. These can be as simple as paper and pen drawings or drafts made using a vector program, such as Illustrator. The bottom line is that you compromise the final result if you rush, or skip, this step. Start with 20 to 30 sketches or ideas and then branch out to create variations of the original ideas. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

28 graphic designers to follow on Behance Behance hit 10 million members in 2017. The online portfolio community is a great place to find new work, potential collaborators, and creative inspiration from top graphic designers and agencies. But, with so many portfolios to browse through, it can be difficult to know where to start. So to make things easy for you, we've done the hard work and picked 30 of the top graphic design portfolios that are definitely worth a look... 01. For exciting graphic design work (plus a masterclass in how to present your Behance portfolio) look no further than TwoPoints.Net. The studio’s Behance portfolio is a tightly curated affair. 02. Chad Michael launched his studio of the same name in 2014 after working as lead designer at a range of New York-based agencies, including Landor, Pearlfisher and Stranger & Stranger. 03. Amsterdam-based graphic designer Marta Cerdà boasts a stunning Behance portfolio. 04. 05. 06. 07. 08. 09. 10. Next page: More inspiring graphic designers to follow on Behance

Golden ratio Line segments in the golden ratio In mathematics, two quantities are in the golden ratio if their ratio is the same as the ratio of their sum to the larger of the two quantities. The figure on the right illustrates the geometric relationship. The golden ratio is also called the golden section (Latin: sectio aurea) or golden mean.[1][2][3] Other names include extreme and mean ratio,[4] medial section, divine proportion, divine section (Latin: sectio divina), golden proportion, golden cut,[5] and golden number.[6][7][8] Some twentieth-century artists and architects, including Le Corbusier and Dalí, have proportioned their works to approximate the golden ratio—especially in the form of the golden rectangle, in which the ratio of the longer side to the shorter is the golden ratio—believing this proportion to be aesthetically pleasing (see Applications and observations below). Calculation Two quantities a and b are said to be in the golden ratio φ if Therefore, Multiplying by φ gives and History

Design is One: Lella & Massimo Vignelli | The Film Rule of thirds This photograph of a sunset taken in the Thousand Islands region demonstrates the principles of the rule of thirds The rule of thirds is a principle of the Golden ratio with broad application as a "rule of thumb" or guideline which applies to the process of composing visual images such as designs, films, paintings, and photographs.[1] The guideline proposes according to the principle of the Golden section search that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections.[2] Proponents of the technique claim that aligning a subject with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject.[citation needed] The photograph to the right demonstrates the application of the rule of thirds. Use[edit] a typical usage of the rule of thirds History[edit]

Saul Bass Poster Archive » Film Posters The Man with the Golden Arm 1955, dir. Otto Preminger Storm Center 1956, dir. Love in the Afternoon 1957, dir. Saint Joan 1957, dir. Bonjour Tristesse 1958, dir. Vertigo 1958, dir. Anatomy of a Murder 1959, dir. Exodus 1960, dir. The Magnificent Seven 1960, dir. Advise & Consent 1962, dir. The Cardinal 1963, dir. Nine Hours to Rama 1963, dir. In Harm’s Way 1965, dir. Bunny Lake is Missing Seconds 1966, dir. Grand Prix The Two of Us 1967, dir. The Fixer 1968, dir. Such Good Friends 1971, dir. The Shining 1980, dir. Schindler’s List 1993, dir. Schindler’s List Biothinking -- Truly Sustainable Design Logos, Flags, and Escutcheons by Paul Rand “It reminds me of the Georgia chain gang,” quipped the IBM executive, when he first eyed the striped logo. When the Westinghouse insignia (1960) was first seen, it was greeted similarly with such gibes as “this looks like a pawnbroker’s sign.” There is no accounting for people’s perceptions. There are as many reasons for designing a new logo, or updating an old one, as there are opinions. Opposed to the idea of arbitrarily changing a logo, there’s the “let’s leave it alone” school-sometimes wise, more often superstitious, occasionally nostalgic or, at times, even trepidatious. If, in the business of communications, “image is king,” the essence of this image, the logo, is a jewel in its crown. Here’s what a logo is and does: A logo is a flag, a signature, an escutcheon. A logo doesn’t sell (directly), it identifies. A logo is rarely a description of a business. A logo derives its meaning from the quality of the thing it symbolizes, not the other way around. It says “We care.”

exercism.io 100 amazing Adobe Illustrator tutorials | Illustrator Since its release, Adobe's Illustrator has grown to become the designer's right-hand man when it comes to creating premier vector graphics and elements. There's so much you can do with it that it can be difficult to know where to start. Happily, we're here to round up the best Adobe Illustrator tutorials, covering everything from illustration to logo design, adding depth to your typography and much more, to help you get the most from this amazing app. Jump directly to a section using this handy category guide, or just get started browsing the whole list! With so many to choose from, you're sure to find a project to inspire you, whether you're using an older version of Illustrator or are signed up to the Creative Cloud. Here goes! Adobe Illustrator for beginners: 11 top tips If you're just starting out with Illustrator, here's a fantastic guide to some of its tools. Setting up a new document Essentials of the Pen and Pencil tools Creating objects with the Shape tools Empty list

The biggest mistakes logo designers make | Logo design Whether you’re a logo design novice with just a handful of clients or a creative director, there are certain pitfalls every designer should avoid when creating logos. And with so many now socially sharing and scrutinising your work, designers must be extra vigilant to avoid falling into these traps. Here we've provided a run-down of the most common 10 to avoid... You'll find all our logo design articles here 01. Choosing to design your logo based on current trends is likely to leave your logo looking dated and out-of-touch as soon as the trend dies out, not to mention making you look slightly amateur. Rather than choose the popular flavour of the month, think about what's more likely to have longevity for your brand. 02. Overdoing colours will not only make your design busy and confusing but also make it difficult to translate into monotone, which you’re likely to need at some point. 03. Keep in mind that your logo will need to be transferrable across a range of different mediums. 04.

How to choose a colour scheme for your logo design | Branding The human mind is highly responsive to visual stimuli, and colour is one of the major defining factors in that response. On both a conscious and subconscious level, colours convey meaning – not only in the natural world but also within the artifice of our culture. Graphic designers need to harness the power of colour psychology to bring resonance to their designs – and in no field is this more important than that of logo design. The use of colour can bring multiple layers of meaning, from primitive responses based on millions of years of evolved instinct to the complex associations we make based on learned assumptions. What different colours mean Every colour, including black and white, has implications for logo design. In general terms, bright and bold colours are attention-grabbing but can appear brash. Red implies passion, energy, danger or aggression; warmth and heat. Purple speaks to us of royalty and luxury. Single or multiple colours? Think globally Words: Martin Christie

Social media artwork template **Update 11-15-2013.Updated the Social media PSD with the new Google+ Layout. I had to delete the overlay-image since it did not align with the (much) shorter header image that Google plus now uses. Because of the re-occuring problem of fitting a new logo in to the 'square format' that most social media websites use for the avatar-image, I have made this easy to use photoshop template for you to check out what your logo will look like on various social media websites. It's a photoshop CC document, and with the Image assets generator you can live-export all the needed files to upload your avatar and cover art for all your social media websites to create a consistent look. I ran in to the problem of wondering what my logo would look like online, since it will appear in so many different sizes on various social media platforms. To get an idea of what it would look like I had created the basics of this template, for my personal use. This template can come in really handy when you: Features.

Typography rules and terms that every designer must know Typography is, quite simply, the art and technique of arranging type. It's central to the work and skills of a designer and is about much more than making the words legible. Your choice of typeface and how you make it work with your layout, grid, colour scheme, design theme and so on will make the difference between a good, bad and great design. There are lots of typography tutorials around to help you master the discipline. Choosing a font There's an astonishing array of paid-for and free fonts to choose from online. A typeface, like any form of design, is created by craftsmen over a substantial period of time, using the talent and experience they've been honing for many years. Here are some of the most important typographic considerations the professional designers needs to take into account. 01. All typefaces are not created equally. The height of each character is known as its 'x-height' (quite simply because it's based on the letter 'x'). 02. 03. 04. 05.

The definitive guide to logo design: 55 pro tips | Logo design Great logo design requires a complex mixture of design skills, creative theory and skilful application. Any designer worth their salt can create a fit-for-purpose logo, but truly mastering all aspects of the craft takes time. Exclusive offer: Save 15% on Adobe Creative Cloud now Of course, logo design is just one small sub-set of branding, but the logo or brand mark remains the centrepiece of most branding schemes. We've spoken to branding professionals about the intricacies of good logo creation, and what qualifies as a great logo. Logo design research and strategy Before pen hits paper on any new logo design project, thorough research is essential. 01. Before you even start working up a logo design concept, ensure you research your target market thoroughly. Compare all the logos in their competitive set. But bear in mind that many of the world’s most recognisable logo designs stand out specifically because they eschew trends and think differently. 02. Why are we here? 03. 04. 05.

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