Logo Design and Branding

What to Expect from Your Logo Designer

by: Angelina OConnor

I recently had my website designed, and my new logo created for my company. I would like to use it, but my printer can’t use the file he gave me! I just got business cards printed from it, but they didn’t look good. I don’t know what to do.

A frustrated business owner recently came to me with this problem. I told him to calm down, I can redraw the logo in a program where he can use it, and it will always look professional. He was relieved, but didn’t like the idea of having to pay for the logo - AGAIN. It has been my personal experience that it is easy to get the wrong type of art when you purchase a logo design. IThis was not the first business owner that came to me with this exact problem. Beware - the Internet Designer!! They design for the web. This is not a bad thing, they have some really cool programs and will build you an awesome website. But when it comes to your logo, you may want to create a brochure, or business cards, or a banner for a show. You will either have to live with a pixilated and unprofessional logo, or pay someone else to fix it for you. (You know when you look at a printed piece and the edges should be clean lines but come out fuzzy, or jagged - that is pixilated)

~Don’t be afraid to ask questions~

What I aim to do is arm you with basic knowledge about graphic lingo, files types and what you should ask for from your designer.

(more…)

Tags: graphic designer, graphic, design, design logo design, cool logo designer, graphic fashion, logos

The Logo: a little history
by: Colleen Ryan

Kids organization top logos

Logotype, commonly know as a logo, is a design, a graphic representation/image/trademark symbolizing one’s organization. Designed for instant identification, a logo can appear on company letterhead, advertising material and signs as an emblem by way of which the organization can easily be recognized.

Originating in the 19th century, after a surge in industrial manufacturing that led to an increase in output, global distribution, and the commencement of competition, logos were created to differentiate between products within the same industry. Emblems or symbols were included on products, packages and labels so buyers could easily recognize the product they preferred. Logos revolutionized the advertising world.

There was a time when only affluent organizations could afford their own crest, emblem or logo. They were, in some cases, a very detailed drawing with many objects. Cost was not an issue and more was considered better. Then, flags were used due to their larger format. They were visible from the craft fields and from long distances.

Today, successful companies continue to say that “simpler is better”. Especially when the world is advancing so rapidly, you have less and less time to impress your customers. Logo designs, now, are very stylish yet remain conservative, which makes them eye-catching and easier for the brain to memorize.

Selecting the Logo Concept

The most crucial aspect of logo selection is the logo concept. You must first determine what your logo should say about your company. You may come up with an image related to a business like a house for real estate or a car for a car dealer, or your logo could be just an abstract image representing the company’s philosophy, for example, a pyramid or a blocky image for a stable, trustworthy company. A very dynamic image with orbits and swooshes, sparks, or particles might be suitable for a very young, modern, high tech company.

(more…)

Tags: timeline graphics, icon history, historical logos, symbol timeline, graphics, symbol, graphic history, timeline