logo design process | freelance graphic designer

8/10/2019 Logo Design Process | Freelance Graphic Designer

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5/6/14 11:12 PMLogo Design Process | Freelance Graphic Designer

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Logo Design Process | Freelance Graphic Designer


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My Logo Design Process

The first step involved in any logo design process is to work out a brief based on

questions I would ask you if we were to have a face-to-face interview. Basics, like

What do you do? for example. I will direct you to my quote request form if you

have not submitted one already, which outlines all the questions and breaks theproject down into manageable sections.

Some answers require a little depth to convey the message, How would you de-

scribe your services and/or products? for example can be answered with a one-

word response, such as Private Equity Firm. However, this does not adequately de-

scribe what you do in enough detail for someone to really understand the company.

A better answer would be a couple of paragraphs outlining in laymans terms how

you would sum up the company, possibly the mission statement, a little background

and generally information relevant to what you would include in an About us

page on your website. The more I know about what it is you do, the better I can com-

municate through your logo design concepts.

Once Ive received the submission I will respond with a quote / invoice for

consideration. When the 50% deposit is made we are good to start.

Irrespective of the nature of the client and the intricacy of the project, the process re-


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mains the same. What changes is the depth of consideration given to each phase of

time and the resources it is allocated.

Initial Sketches

I always start in a sketchpad, for any project, not just the logo design process outlin-

ing the project details and highlighting key points. The first priority is to understand

the company / organization / product, so the brief is an essential aspect of getting

the basics laid down. Even at this point, I may have a few concepts sketched out, but

without much depth they are likely to be the first thing that comes to mind in oth-er words cliche. Its good to get these cliches out early so progression can be made

away from them. If for example Im researching a logo for a lawyer, at some point I

will have most likely drawn a set of scales. It may not necessarily be a cliche, but its

certainly overused and now I can move on.

Alongside the doodles I will be brainstorming and collating a mood board. This can

help to simplify a complex structure, or push depth into a specific line of thought.

Research and Development

Further research consists of looking at competitors to see how they succeed, and

where they fall down. This expands upon an understanding of the market itself,where their competitors may do much better than the client Im designing for, allow-

ing me to offer suggestions on improvements. I will also try to see if any of the con-

cepts I am looking into have been created before, mainly by scouring google images

and various logo sites using key words.

Conceptualisation and Presentation


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Moving from sketchpad to computer can be done by a scanner, or by re-creating by

hand in Adobe Illustrator. I will try to get as many concepts created as possible to

make the filtration of good / bad more accurate. Thirty ideas may be filtered down to

five good ones, which in turn could be filtered to two or three potentially great ones.It is my job as the designer to make considered choices on what is presented; too

many and the client could feel inundated, too few and there may be complaints of not

enough choice. In my experience, presenting three or four is a good balance of quality

and quantity. I will also give my own thoughts upon which I feel to be strongest to

the client.

My usual timeframe of 3-4 weeks for a logo project is based upon prompt responses

from the client, not just from initial concepts, but from every aspect of development.

The feedback upon the initial ideas from the client is central to moving into the next

stage. Usually something from the initial versions stands out as something to move

forward with, if not I will ask more questions and find out what needs to be focused

upon for further concepts.

Development of the Logo Design

Development varies greatly between projects, but overall, it is easier to develop the

aesthetic side as supposed to the conceptual. Aspects such as an alternate colour

scheme or typeface can change the look, but the significance or meaning behind a

logo is much harder to modify.

After a couple of revisions, tweaks and amendments, we will reach something the

client is happy with putting their name to. If there is no further collateral to be de-

signed then I can prepare the final files to be sent to the client once any remaining

payment has been completed.

Final Logo Files


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Everything is created within Adobe Illustrator, in vector form and can be exported to

any format required. My standard files are: .AI (for future editing if desired), .EPS /

.PDF (for printing), .JPEG (for viewing) and .PNG (with a transparent background for

web use). The Vector file formats allow for the maximum range of output becauseyou can scale the size loss of quality or sharpness. This means that the same logo file

that looks great on a business card will also look great on a billboard.

Conclusion

That sums up my logo design process - if you have any questions, suggestions or

criticism feel free to get in touch.

If you are interested in hiring me for logo design, feel free to request a quote for

work.

logo design process | freelance graphic designer

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