Nowadays, with the rapid progress of high technology, (almost) nothing is hard to do. Everything is easy, even more, things are done instantly. People get less care about the quality, it seems like it’s not important anymore. The word “good” is replaced with “instant”. That’s what people need.
With that kind of situation, art or design field is not an exception. We can find hundreds or even thousands of companies or individuals who offer logo design service which can be done in only days (which normally take months) on the internet. Not only fast, it is much cheaper as well!!
I was once visited the very well known online company website who offers freelancers to get the job done from the various field. As a freelance graphic designer, I was interested to join, I thought it would nice to get a job online from worldwide even I have to bid and win to get the project.
I was shocked when I was browsing around and find out that the highest budget that the clients offer is around $179 for logo design.
Sure! It would be easier and quicker for me to design a logo with the $179 budget! But, as a professional designer, I have the responsibility to design a logo based on understanding corporate mission, philosophy, beliefs, objective, goals, and anything related to the company or product that I can dig in and then translate it into a written concept.
No doubt that it can NOT be done only in several days! Not even a week!
Not to mention the designing process itself.
Without such in-depth understanding, the logo designer will not be able to translate any corporate values into a coherent, creative graphics. The logo will be soulless.
The CEOs or the company owners who really understand how important the logo is, will not approve the logo design until they are really, really, really satisfied.
A good logo design has to reflect all the important corporate value. Logo is definitely much more than just an illustration or graphics to put on business card or signboard in front of your office!
A good logo design has to be created from nothing to final high quality artworks, not just a combination of text and pre-designed icons related to the core business. Logo designers should not design an IT or network company logo using repeatedly circular or ellipse kind of shape, or visualize spa service using a water-drop, or golf related company using golf-ball. It has to be much MORE than that!
Logo designers have to provide a book of Graphic Standard Manual (GSM) which contains of how to apply logo on any media, such as business card, letterhead, envelope, packaging, merchandise, signboard, vehicles, etc. to complete their job.
That’s how much the logo should worth and that’s what logo designers get high-paid for!
Logo has to be done by ‘logo designers’, not ‘logo makers’.
Logo design should be considered as an investment, not a cost!
Author
© Anton Ardjanggi, April 2007
Monday, April 23, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
There is no such a bad Logo
Designing logo is not an easy and simple thing to do. It’s related to the goal that has to be achieved on the future. Logo designing is a long process with a lot of consideration, because logo is not only a symbol to put on your business card or the sign board in front of your office. Much more than that, logo is the essential part of branding image for the company.
Logo is very subjective. Some people would say that McDonald’s logo looks good, but some other people would say the opposite, or even hate it.
Sometimes that what makes even harder for logo designers to fulfill clients’ requirements, because there are more than one person who have the authority to make decision on final design and they all have different way of thinking.
Here are some tips that have to be considered either by the designer or the clients:
- Ageless style
Do not design a logo based on what is trend at this time. Logo has to be long lasting. We can not change the logo just because we are bored with it, or just because some companies have the same style.
- Distinctiveness
This is very important. Logo design has to be unique in order to be recognizable, memorable and identifiable.
- Simple
In order to easy to remember, logo design must be simple. Keep in your mind that simple logo doesn’t mean that it has simple meaning. Simple logo could come from a very deep thought. Don’t go wild and crazy unless it fits to the core business.
- Choose the right color
It is important to choose the color for logo design. If the company is a well-established one, it’s better to use deep blue, because it is believed that blue is represents trust. If the company is an IT company, you may use light blue (cyan) that represents high-tech. You might need color psychology book for your references.
As I mentioned above, logo design is a very subjective matter. When you’re done designing logo, some people might say that your logo doesn’t look good. Don’t worry about that, as long as it covers all clients’ need and it represents the company itself very well, it just a matter of time people can accept it.
That’s what good logo design is about.
There is no such a bad logo. It just a matter of like or dislike.
© Anton Ardjanggi, April 2007
Logo is very subjective. Some people would say that McDonald’s logo looks good, but some other people would say the opposite, or even hate it.
Sometimes that what makes even harder for logo designers to fulfill clients’ requirements, because there are more than one person who have the authority to make decision on final design and they all have different way of thinking.
Here are some tips that have to be considered either by the designer or the clients:
- Ageless style
Do not design a logo based on what is trend at this time. Logo has to be long lasting. We can not change the logo just because we are bored with it, or just because some companies have the same style.
- Distinctiveness
This is very important. Logo design has to be unique in order to be recognizable, memorable and identifiable.
- Simple
In order to easy to remember, logo design must be simple. Keep in your mind that simple logo doesn’t mean that it has simple meaning. Simple logo could come from a very deep thought. Don’t go wild and crazy unless it fits to the core business.
- Choose the right color
It is important to choose the color for logo design. If the company is a well-established one, it’s better to use deep blue, because it is believed that blue is represents trust. If the company is an IT company, you may use light blue (cyan) that represents high-tech. You might need color psychology book for your references.
As I mentioned above, logo design is a very subjective matter. When you’re done designing logo, some people might say that your logo doesn’t look good. Don’t worry about that, as long as it covers all clients’ need and it represents the company itself very well, it just a matter of time people can accept it.
That’s what good logo design is about.
There is no such a bad logo. It just a matter of like or dislike.
© Anton Ardjanggi, April 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Logo Design – It’s not a cost, it’s an investment
Logo is a mark/symbol and letters combination which composed or designed and become a unique character to recognize a company or a business. Logo has to be able to describe the main business directly or indirectly, depends on what type of logo. Either way, logo has to be different and stand out from the crowd in order to win their faith and build firm brand acknowledgement. Therefore, logo must be designed based on anything that represents the company or the product. It could be company’s philosophy, service philosophy, vision and mission, business area and many other things that could be unlimited depends on the designers’ creativity.
To be recognizable, logo has to be unique, simple but yet has a strong character. It all can be done by choosing the right color, fonts and create such a meaningful icon. Therefore a good logo will cost a lot, because it is done through some research, based on a very deep thought and very long design process. A good logo can’t be done instantly.
Unfortunately, some companies do not consider how important the logo is. A bad logo which is not done through a very deep thought and done instantly using or modifying existing clip-arts will look cheap and could give bad impression for the company or the products. Logo has to be created, not re-created.
Designing a good logo will take a lot of time, thought and energy. This kind of logo will demand a high price, because it is a matter of high importance for any company to have a professional designed logo that separates the company from its competitors and projects its image.
This is what some companies do not think about. They go to ‘logo makers’ instead of ‘logo designers’ and pay a few bucks for instant logo.
Some companies consider designing logo is a cost, instead of an investment.
A good logo which visualized company's personality and professionalism will establish trust worthy and reliable to the company. That is when companies get what they paid for the logo. That is what they get for paying high for logo design as an investment.
Logo designers have to be able to change their clients’ mindset about designing logo. Logo designers have the responsibility to educate their clients in order to create a better understanding of how important the logo is. The other way around, it is logo designers’ responsibility as well to design “the best quality logo design that speaks for itself”.
That way, both sides will get advantages from logo designing process.
© Anton Ardjanggi, April 2007
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Company Logo Design - Tips for Success
Logo designs are typically a visual representation of a graphic or text or a combination of both that provides a unique identity to a company and its products. Logos help to create a visual recognizable identity for a company that effectively contributes to the company's branding.
With the wide artistic possibilities, logo designers often become too enthusiast in creating a company logo design that actually fails to meet the purpose. An extremely abstract art, or a very complex illustration is often not a good example of a logo though they might be considered as a good art if considered from the perspective of a general artwork and not a logo. A logo design should be well thought out, with factors like usage, application and the nature of the company being kept in mind. These few simple tips will give you a grip on the job and even when you get a professional logo design firm to do your logo, you will know what exactly to ask from them.
Primary Identity for your Business
A company logo design creates the primary identity of your business and it should be designed in a way to represent the attitude and nature of the business in the best possible way. A logo designs should not be "dated" and should always have a fresh and contemporary look. Also while deciding on the logo you should consider where and how you are going to use it. Depending on the various mediums on which you are going to put the logo, the color and nature of the logo should be chosen. Also, a logo design can have a long term cost impact, for example having a four color logo can cost very high when you need to print it on your business cards and corporate stationary. Logo design is one of your most important business decisions that are sure to have a great impact on your business for its lifetime.
Simplicity is the Key
Do not go for a complicated design, always remember a logo is not a piece of art but it is a symbol for your corporate identity. Complicated designs are difficult to remember and are not easily recognized. Also, if you ever require a miniature version of your logo, say to put on some gift items like pen or coffee mug, it will loose the clarity and look like a colored blob.
Use Less Colors
Even if your logo design company does not charge you more for using more colors, always restrict your choice to a maximum of three colors. Using more colors can make the logo look good on the web but how would it look when you are sending a fax with the logo in black and white? Besides, the more colors you use for logo the more will be your printing cost.
Use Regular Fonts
Though some fancy fonts might look good on your company logo try to keep your font choice as close to the regular fonts that are commonly available. This makes commercial reproduction and reprint of your logo much easier even if you are using a different printer than the one who actually printed your logo when it was created.
Always Use Vector Graphics
The most important reason for a logo design to be done in vector format is that vector graphics can be resized without any loss of clarity or image quality. A company logo design is used for varied purpose like in business cards and corporate stationery, websites, signage etc and in each of these you would require a different size of the logo. To meet this requirement, it is essential that the logo be created as a vector graphics in some vector software application like Adobe Illustrator or Macromedia Freehand. Logos done in software like Adobe Photoshop would loose quality and stretched once the image is enlarged.
Trademark and Registration
Now that you have got the company logo designed it is always wise to get it registered and trademarked to ensure that the logo is protected from any sort of plagiarisms. Most logo design companies would transfer their complete copyright on the design to the buyer; however, it is advisable that you ask your logo designer to confirm on this point.
Author
Ray Smith is a marketing Expert with years of experience in different industries and specialized knowledge on branding and Internet marketing. Corporate Logo Design,
With the wide artistic possibilities, logo designers often become too enthusiast in creating a company logo design that actually fails to meet the purpose. An extremely abstract art, or a very complex illustration is often not a good example of a logo though they might be considered as a good art if considered from the perspective of a general artwork and not a logo. A logo design should be well thought out, with factors like usage, application and the nature of the company being kept in mind. These few simple tips will give you a grip on the job and even when you get a professional logo design firm to do your logo, you will know what exactly to ask from them.
Primary Identity for your Business
A company logo design creates the primary identity of your business and it should be designed in a way to represent the attitude and nature of the business in the best possible way. A logo designs should not be "dated" and should always have a fresh and contemporary look. Also while deciding on the logo you should consider where and how you are going to use it. Depending on the various mediums on which you are going to put the logo, the color and nature of the logo should be chosen. Also, a logo design can have a long term cost impact, for example having a four color logo can cost very high when you need to print it on your business cards and corporate stationary. Logo design is one of your most important business decisions that are sure to have a great impact on your business for its lifetime.
Simplicity is the Key
Do not go for a complicated design, always remember a logo is not a piece of art but it is a symbol for your corporate identity. Complicated designs are difficult to remember and are not easily recognized. Also, if you ever require a miniature version of your logo, say to put on some gift items like pen or coffee mug, it will loose the clarity and look like a colored blob.
Use Less Colors
Even if your logo design company does not charge you more for using more colors, always restrict your choice to a maximum of three colors. Using more colors can make the logo look good on the web but how would it look when you are sending a fax with the logo in black and white? Besides, the more colors you use for logo the more will be your printing cost.
Use Regular Fonts
Though some fancy fonts might look good on your company logo try to keep your font choice as close to the regular fonts that are commonly available. This makes commercial reproduction and reprint of your logo much easier even if you are using a different printer than the one who actually printed your logo when it was created.
Always Use Vector Graphics
The most important reason for a logo design to be done in vector format is that vector graphics can be resized without any loss of clarity or image quality. A company logo design is used for varied purpose like in business cards and corporate stationery, websites, signage etc and in each of these you would require a different size of the logo. To meet this requirement, it is essential that the logo be created as a vector graphics in some vector software application like Adobe Illustrator or Macromedia Freehand. Logos done in software like Adobe Photoshop would loose quality and stretched once the image is enlarged.
Trademark and Registration
Now that you have got the company logo designed it is always wise to get it registered and trademarked to ensure that the logo is protected from any sort of plagiarisms. Most logo design companies would transfer their complete copyright on the design to the buyer; however, it is advisable that you ask your logo designer to confirm on this point.
Author
Ray Smith is a marketing Expert with years of experience in different industries and specialized knowledge on branding and Internet marketing. Corporate Logo Design,
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Logo Design: Things To Remember
A powerful logo goes a long way in enhancing the visibility of a company. A logo can be termed as an iconic representation of a brand, designed in a way that creates an immediate recognition.
A good logo design not only enhances the visibility of the company but also, by virtue of its unique design, gradually becomes a brand identifier.
Logos essentially form an integral part of a company’s branding process and thus it should be designed in a way that would contribute to the company’s brand establishment procedure both in short term and long-term business perspective. Logo designing is a complex process and thus, a company should ideally have their logo designed by a firm that has considerable amount of experience in this domain. Inappropriate logo designs can create misleading impression about the company that can eventually harm an organization, so it is always advisable to seek logo design services from a professional firm.
Designing a good logo demands exceptional designing skills and exhaustive research work. A mix of these two along with other factors leads to the development of an effective logo design. Here are some basic guidelines that will enable a company to judge the true potential of their logo.
A logo should ideally be unique and easily identifiable. A quick glance at a logo should communicate the message to the viewers. However uniqueness in the context of a logo design does not mean an over the top complex design. Complex logo designs are difficult to apprehend and thus can be rendered ineffective.
A company logo has an extensive usage. Starting from the letterheads to large-scale banner advertisements, a logo finds a place in everything that belongs to the company. A good logo design should be flexible enough to maintain its integrity regardless of its reproduction in various sizes. A logo should be designed using vector graphics so that it can be resized for various purposes without compromising on the quality and clarity of the logo design.
An organization should be careful about trademark infringements. A distinct feature of a logo may overlap with a different logo representing a different brand name. Continuing with such a logo not only leads to unwanted legal tussles but also harms the reputation of the company. Professional logo design firms usually take care about such complexities and generally succeed in coming up with a distinct logo design.
These are some of the various factors that contribute into the making of an effective company logo design. Compliance with these factors will certainly help a company to come up with a logo that is unique and flexible. However a lot depends on the kind of logo designing firm selected to provide such services. Good logo design firms may charge a few extra bucks but such an investment will definitely yield rich dividends in the years to come.
Author
Alfred Anderson has rich experience in the field of online brand marketing. His interests includes Internet marketing and research on emerging online business trends. Custom Logo Design
A good logo design not only enhances the visibility of the company but also, by virtue of its unique design, gradually becomes a brand identifier.
Logos essentially form an integral part of a company’s branding process and thus it should be designed in a way that would contribute to the company’s brand establishment procedure both in short term and long-term business perspective. Logo designing is a complex process and thus, a company should ideally have their logo designed by a firm that has considerable amount of experience in this domain. Inappropriate logo designs can create misleading impression about the company that can eventually harm an organization, so it is always advisable to seek logo design services from a professional firm.
Designing a good logo demands exceptional designing skills and exhaustive research work. A mix of these two along with other factors leads to the development of an effective logo design. Here are some basic guidelines that will enable a company to judge the true potential of their logo.
A logo should ideally be unique and easily identifiable. A quick glance at a logo should communicate the message to the viewers. However uniqueness in the context of a logo design does not mean an over the top complex design. Complex logo designs are difficult to apprehend and thus can be rendered ineffective.
A company logo has an extensive usage. Starting from the letterheads to large-scale banner advertisements, a logo finds a place in everything that belongs to the company. A good logo design should be flexible enough to maintain its integrity regardless of its reproduction in various sizes. A logo should be designed using vector graphics so that it can be resized for various purposes without compromising on the quality and clarity of the logo design.
An organization should be careful about trademark infringements. A distinct feature of a logo may overlap with a different logo representing a different brand name. Continuing with such a logo not only leads to unwanted legal tussles but also harms the reputation of the company. Professional logo design firms usually take care about such complexities and generally succeed in coming up with a distinct logo design.
These are some of the various factors that contribute into the making of an effective company logo design. Compliance with these factors will certainly help a company to come up with a logo that is unique and flexible. However a lot depends on the kind of logo designing firm selected to provide such services. Good logo design firms may charge a few extra bucks but such an investment will definitely yield rich dividends in the years to come.
Author
Alfred Anderson has rich experience in the field of online brand marketing. His interests includes Internet marketing and research on emerging online business trends. Custom Logo Design
Thursday, April 5, 2007
why custom Logo design matters - are you satisfied
Why custom logo design matters. With so many companies competing for the same clients, it’s becoming increasingly important to make sure that ALL aspects of your business are in tip-top shape, including your company logo.
You want a company logo that shouts professionalism and sincerity. Something that says your business is special. You’re not just credible, you’re the company to go to for your clients’ needs. You can’t establish that message with a generic logo. You need a custom logo that reflects the unique aspects of your businesses. After all, people do judge a book by its cover, and people do judge a business by its outer appearance.
Custom logo design vs. generic design.
Any logo is generally better than no logo but in a world where busy customers make quick decisions, the better logo is going to make the better first impression, and could be the deciding factor for a client.
You want your logo to be attractive to your customers. For instance, if you’re a construction company specializing in Victorian houses, you want to show that romantic artistic flair with your logo. If you are a construction company with leanings toward modern, high-rise structures, you want that to be reflected. Any artist can draw a house for a construction company, and any clipart book will probably have standard icons, but your logo will be generic and non-specific.
You want your logo to reflect quality, professionalism, and the unique traits that make your company special. Make sure your logo tells your customers what you want them to see. It can make your business look bigger than it is.
Logoworks can help you Logoworks helps you stand out from the crowd by giving you all the tools you need to get the perfect custom logo for you. Every one of our logo projects uses at least 2 designers; you’ll benefit from the creativity of having 2-5 designers working independently to give you variety.
You’ll also benefit from a process that caters to your schedule not ours, and our affordable rates. Learn about the Logoworks process and see our prices.
Logoworks is the leading custom logo design company Is it any wonder that on their 25th anniversary, Inc. magazine highlighted us in the top 15% of their Inc. 500? This is a rare honor in an annual event where they acknowledge the leading new private companies in the nation. We’re the only logo design company highlighted, and we lead the pack with the ranking of 66 out of 500 in the nation.
Author
Mark Herre writes articles for Logo Design and Website Design companies such as Logoworks.com. Visit Logoworks.com for all your Logo Design and Website design needs. Create the perfect logo in minutes using our online Logo Creator.
You want a company logo that shouts professionalism and sincerity. Something that says your business is special. You’re not just credible, you’re the company to go to for your clients’ needs. You can’t establish that message with a generic logo. You need a custom logo that reflects the unique aspects of your businesses. After all, people do judge a book by its cover, and people do judge a business by its outer appearance.
Custom logo design vs. generic design.
Any logo is generally better than no logo but in a world where busy customers make quick decisions, the better logo is going to make the better first impression, and could be the deciding factor for a client.
You want your logo to be attractive to your customers. For instance, if you’re a construction company specializing in Victorian houses, you want to show that romantic artistic flair with your logo. If you are a construction company with leanings toward modern, high-rise structures, you want that to be reflected. Any artist can draw a house for a construction company, and any clipart book will probably have standard icons, but your logo will be generic and non-specific.
You want your logo to reflect quality, professionalism, and the unique traits that make your company special. Make sure your logo tells your customers what you want them to see. It can make your business look bigger than it is.
Logoworks can help you Logoworks helps you stand out from the crowd by giving you all the tools you need to get the perfect custom logo for you. Every one of our logo projects uses at least 2 designers; you’ll benefit from the creativity of having 2-5 designers working independently to give you variety.
You’ll also benefit from a process that caters to your schedule not ours, and our affordable rates. Learn about the Logoworks process and see our prices.
Logoworks is the leading custom logo design company Is it any wonder that on their 25th anniversary, Inc. magazine highlighted us in the top 15% of their Inc. 500? This is a rare honor in an annual event where they acknowledge the leading new private companies in the nation. We’re the only logo design company highlighted, and we lead the pack with the ranking of 66 out of 500 in the nation.
Author
Mark Herre writes articles for Logo Design and Website Design companies such as Logoworks.com. Visit Logoworks.com for all your Logo Design and Website design needs. Create the perfect logo in minutes using our online Logo Creator.
Monday, April 2, 2007
how to design unique Logo
There are 7 types of logo:
1. Typographic Logo which consist of word only
e.g.: Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba
2. Geometric Typography Logo which consist of word (brand) and combined with geometrical shape such as square, circle, elipse.
e.g.: Dupont
3. Initial Letter Logo which consist of one or more letters as an initial.
e.g.: Hewlett-Packard
4. Pictorial Just like typographic logo (see no.1), but pictorial logo has stronger character since the typography was designed specially to create or design logo.
e.g.: Hard Rock Café, Coca Cola
5. Associative Logo or symbol which has a direct associate with the product or main business core.
e.g.: Shell, 20th Century Fox
6. Allusive Logo Logo that has indirect associate with the product or main business core.
e.g.: Mercedes Benz, Alitalia
7. Abstract Logo that has an abstract symbol. This kind of logo is usually hard to understand, because the design comes from a very long process. In fact, it’s losing the basic form. Since the logo becomes an allusive/abstract symbol, everybody would have different perceptions about this kind of logo.
Personally, I love an allusive and abstract logo, because logo must be unique, simple and have a strong character. The basic idea could be anything as long as related to the company. It could be the product, main business core, the philosophy, the background, geographic, vision or mission, etc.
1. Typographic Logo which consist of word only
e.g.: Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba
2. Geometric Typography Logo which consist of word (brand) and combined with geometrical shape such as square, circle, elipse.
e.g.: Dupont
3. Initial Letter Logo which consist of one or more letters as an initial.
e.g.: Hewlett-Packard
4. Pictorial Just like typographic logo (see no.1), but pictorial logo has stronger character since the typography was designed specially to create or design logo.
e.g.: Hard Rock Café, Coca Cola
5. Associative Logo or symbol which has a direct associate with the product or main business core.
e.g.: Shell, 20th Century Fox
6. Allusive Logo Logo that has indirect associate with the product or main business core.
e.g.: Mercedes Benz, Alitalia
7. Abstract Logo that has an abstract symbol. This kind of logo is usually hard to understand, because the design comes from a very long process. In fact, it’s losing the basic form. Since the logo becomes an allusive/abstract symbol, everybody would have different perceptions about this kind of logo.
Personally, I love an allusive and abstract logo, because logo must be unique, simple and have a strong character. The basic idea could be anything as long as related to the company. It could be the product, main business core, the philosophy, the background, geographic, vision or mission, etc.
If you’re designing logo for fitness and spa center, leave the muscle and fitness equipment kind of image away. Start to think deeper about the purpose of being healthy and fit instead. What people get when they do exercise and spa (regularly)? The answer is “Their bodies will be healthy and so do their souls”. That’s the main purpose of doing fitness and spa, get healthy body and soul equally. It means that you can illustrate this with something equal or balance. The most common symbol to illustrate the balance is a “Ying-Yang” symbol. But you can not use this symbol as it is (that wouldn’t be unique, would it?!). Try to modify and make it related to the fitness/spa field. That would be another challenge for you as a designer…
Logo above is one of my designs. The symbol in yellow is a ‘ying-yang’ symbol. I modified a little bit by making it more oval, then I added three dots, 1 dot on top and 2 on both sides that represents three major business area which are fitness, aerobics and spa.
Take a look at the logo a bit longer, then what do you see? You will see a person doing dumbbell … or… is he/she doing aerobics? Well, you decide it.
I’m sure that the exploration of each business area to be exposed on logo is unlimited.
Take a look at the logo a bit longer, then what do you see? You will see a person doing dumbbell … or… is he/she doing aerobics? Well, you decide it.
I’m sure that the exploration of each business area to be exposed on logo is unlimited.
Author
© Anton Ardjanggi, February 2007
© Anton Ardjanggi, February 2007
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