Anatomy of Logo Design 10 Steps Process 2015 Final PDF

~ YOUR CREATIVE JUNKIE PRESENTS ~
The
ANATOMY
OF
AUTHENTIC LOGO DESIGN
~ A 10 STEP PROCESS ~
THE ANATOMY OF AUTHENTIC LOGO DESIGN
We all want to be creative rockstars.

NO ONE EVER SAID DESIGNING A LOGO WAS GOING TO BE A
Piece of Cake
If they did, they were lying through their teeth. Or they simply things you need to be aware of to do your best work, to create
lack understanding of what goes into quality logo design. I’ve work that matters. It’s true we all want to be creative rockstars
designed 100’s of logos over my 20+ years in the Design industry. of Logo Design. But it takes time, persistence, and process. This
I’ve learned the hard way there are certain information will help you on your journey to rockstardom.
WHAT IS
Authentic?
Authentic logos visually translate the It’s true many things have to align in the Because we can always improve on our
company’s offerings in 3 seconds. universe to really knock it out of the park. craft, and creating something of value and
They emotionally speak to their intended That’s where correct planning and process authenticity for our clients is our #1 goal. Let’s
audience and move them into action. come into play. get started.
~ This is a Guide to all graphic designers out there, both newbies and veterans alike ~
Authentic logos visually translate the company’s offerings in 3 seconds

1 THE BUSINESS STUFF
THE BUSINESS STUFF

The agreement
The phone rings. A prospect is calling you about a need
for a new logo. Someone needs your expertise, cool.
HEAD NOD
BLAH Don’t yammer on about how amazing you are, you’ll
CLIENT DESIGNER
BLAH
BLAH fuck it up. Always ask about them, their needs are first.
Request Creative Discovery The Phone Rings How Can YOU reduce their pain?
Ask them to complete your Creative Discovery
questionnaire so you can fully understand their needs.
If they are not open to this, then get off the phone,
they’re not a good fit for you.
The Creative Discovery information you receive is the
Creative Discovery Get a Signed Contract Designer Recieves 50% Deposit basis for the Creative Brief - your marching orders for
(Client Completes) (Client & Consultant) (from Client) the Design phase.
First, write a proposal. Get it signed and get your 50%

BRIEF: TAGLINE: ‘Smart Toys for your Dog’. create an approachable and friendly deposit before starting ANY creative work. Now you can
dog illustration with Harry Potter glasses using a retro modern motif. start on the pre-creative work.
Copyright © Your Creative Junkie, dba Vincent Burkhead Studio, Inc. 1994 - Today. All Rights Reserved. Not for reproduction or transmission. May be shared with copyright and credit left intact.
2 TIME TO GET CREATIVE

THE CREATIVE STUFF
start with research
Find Creative Inspiration for your Visual Approach
through research: Current Competition, Stock Photo
sites, Design Blogs, Logo Lounge, Word Associations,
Current Behance, Books, Pinterest, etc.
Competition Anywhere and Everywhere.
Design Stock Photo
Blogs Sites
Here are some websites to get the juices flowing:
Logo RESEARCH Logo Focused Inspiration:

Books logoed.co.uk, logolounge.com, logopond.com
Lounge Visual Approach
logooftheday.com, logogala.com, logomoose.com
logofromdreams.com, logofaves.com, logosauce.com,
logospire.com.
Behance Pinterest
Word General Creative Inspiration:
Associations
designspiration.net, designiskinky.net, behance.net,
typeverything.com, visualgraphc.com
formfiftyfive.com, abduzeedo.com.
Some Logo Humor: Make my Logo Bigger Creme.
3 COPIOUS SKETCHES
grab your sketchbook

The Creative Brief will fuel the direction of your
sketches to solve the creative problem. Which
approach do you take? Choose your poison.
The 5 basic types of Logos:

1. Font Based Logos
2. Icon or Symbol Based Logos
3. Banner or Emblem Style Logos
4. Hand Drawn Letterform Logos (WordMarks)
5. Integrated Logos
Your decision on approach depends on your need, your

audience, and how you plan to use your logo. Since a
logo is the visual representation of the promise you are
making with the customer, you’ll need the personality
of the logo to reflect the right emotional tone. Knowing
your audience is the most important factor when
deciding what type of logo you want to pursue. If you
are creating a logo for a company or a client, this
logo is not for you, nor your client, this logo is for the
audience of the client. Very important to know what
that audience will find appealing and compelling.
I AM THE CHOSEN ONE..
4 SKETCHES TO VECTOR
Launch adobe illustrator

Once the client has selected a single conceptual sketch
(one sketch, not 5) for further development, you can
start transforming this sketch into vector artwork.
Paste the sketch into Adode Illustrator, make it 50%

transparent, and trace it into shapes you can fill.
If you are confident in your color palette, work in

color, if the basic color decisions are in question,
work in grey scale and black and white until the basic
shapes of the logo are approved. THEN dive into color.
This is because color is so subjective. A client can
inadvertantly nix a great concept because they hate
your color decisions... so if you’re not sure, start in
black and white first.
Create the main visual element of the logo in vector

first before you start deciding on your font choices.
5 GRAPHIC EXPLORATION
Have fun with it!

canine genius color palette
First make sure the client is on board with the
vectorized sketch you have created. As mentioned in
Canine Genius Step 4, if you have not added color yet, do so in this
step as you choose your fonts.
Ok, the hard part is behind me. whew! That Chihuahua

was a pain in the ass to create.
canine genius Now you can take your vector main visual of the Logo,
Canine Genius Canine Genius canine you can start exploring fonts that work well with
the goals of the brand. In this case, we are going for
genius a retro-futurist look, so I chose some retro fonts to
explore.
Time Saver: A great way to examine multiple fonts is to

use http://wordmark.it, it saves me time on every logo
C��e G��s project. Try it, you’ll see.
Once you selected some fonts, explore different

graphical shapes and proportions that fit with the
Canine Genius creative brief and your research. Have fun with it!
And don’t edit down the ideas you create until you are
finished exploring.
6 PRESENTING LOGOS
Presenting is Selling
Once you have explored different variations of the logo
using your excellent font choices and your vectorized
Present
sketch, sit on it overnight and come back to see your
work with fresh eyes. This has proven to be helpful in
weeding out the bullshit trite logos in the group.
ONLY YOUR You’re ready to edit them down to a short list. BE
3 BEST LOGOS BRUTALLY HONEST about what works and what doesn’t.
Note: Please do not present more than 3 versions of
the logo concept to your client. You’ll save a ton of time
TO THE CLIENT.
editing your work down to your very best work. Trust
Trust Me me on this.
on this Now you need to sell the best logo to your client.
one. Review the Brief and remember your research. Explain
to them WHY you’ve done what you’ve done, and how
their audience will eat it up.
7 FINAL LOGOTYPE
Final Logotype
Clearly a certain number of client revisions will
precede the final Logo.
#1 Rookie Mistake is to allow the client to make TOO

MANY Freakin’ REVISIONS. Make sure you have a limit of
3 revisions in your initial agreement.
REALLY important shit.
Sell the best logo to your client.

I promise a final logo will finally be selected, if you have
any design chops at all.
SMART TOYS FOR YOUR DOG
TAA DAAAA!
8 SEND FINAL INVOICE
FINAL BUSINESS STUFF
SEND FINAL INVOICE TO YOUR CLIENT

GET PAID FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
~ DON’T FORGET TO THANK THEM, BE GRACIOUS & PROFESSIONAL ~
9 FINAL DELIVERABLE
FINAL CREATIVE STUFF
DELIVER THE FINAL LOGO IN MULTIPLE FORMS AND SIZES

FOR THE ONGOING USE OF THE CLIENT.
~ INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: ~
> FORMATS: .EPS, .AI (WITH FONTS OUTLINED), .TIF, JPG, .PNG (W/TRANSPARENCY) , & .PDF.
> COLORS: FULL COLOR, BLACK & WHITE, AND IN BOTH RGB & CMYK.
10 RELATIONSHIPS 101
ALWAYS
CULTIVATE THE RELATIONSHIP! Remind them of your many creative skills, the many disciplines you cover. You are there for them.
Q: Do they Need a Stationery System? Q: Do they Need a New Website to show off their sweet new Logo? You get the idea.
this helps turn a random ‘one-off’ logo project into an ongoing client with repeat business and recurring revenue.
cultivate the relationship

THE END.
now get out there and kick some graphic design ass. That’s an order.
Thank you.
Learn something? Please share this graphic.
THERE’S MORE WHERE THIS CAME FROM..
FOR MORE GRAPHIC DESIGN ADVICE, FREE GRAPHICS, AND TO GENERALLY SUCK LESS AT DESIGN, SUBSCRIBE TO MY BLOG:
YOURCREATIVEJUNKIE.COM
SUCK LESS AT GRAPHIC DESIGN
MADE WITH BLOOD, SWEAT, TEARS AND IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
© VINCENT BURKHEAD STUDIO, INC, 1994 - TODAY, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

about the author

Greetings earthlings, my name is Vincent. I’m a certified creative junkie with 20+
years in the design world; an award winning designer and authentic brand builder
collaborating with start-ups and fortune 1000 companies, and everything in between.
The Creative Junkie blog is a way to share my experiences with other like-minded
right-brained creatives in the universe.
Visit Your Creative Junkie Blog
PUBLISHED BY: Your Creative Junkie

YourCreativeJunkie.com, dba Vincent Burkhead Studio, Inc.
Address: 4676 Adams Avenue, San Diego California 92115
Copyright © 1994 - Today YourCreativeJunkie.com dba Vincent Burkhead Studio, Inc. All rights reserved.
May be shared with copyright and credit left intact.

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~ YOUR CREATIVE JUNKIE PRESENTS ~

We all want to be creative rockstars.

NO ONE EVER SAID DESIGNING A LOGO WAS GOING TO BE A

Authentic logos visually translate the company’s offerings in 3 seconds

1 THE BUSINESS STUFF

THE BUSINESS STUFF

First, write a proposal. Get it signed and get your 50%

2 TIME TO GET CREATIVE

Logo RESEARCH Logo Focused Inspiration:

Some Logo Humor: Make my Logo Bigger Creme.

grab your sketchbook

The 5 basic types of Logos:

Your decision on approach depends on your need, your

I AM THE CHOSEN ONE..

Launch adobe illustrator

Paste the sketch into Adode Illustrator, make it 50%

If you are confident in your color palette, work in

Create the main visual element of the logo in vector

Have fun with it!

Ok, the hard part is behind me. whew! That Chihuahua

Time Saver: A great way to examine multiple fonts is to

Once you selected some fonts, explore different

#1 Rookie Mistake is to allow the client to make TOO

Sell the best logo to your client.

SMART TOYS FOR YOUR DOG

8 SEND FINAL INVOICE

FINAL BUSINESS STUFF

SEND FINAL INVOICE TO YOUR CLIENT

~ DON’T FORGET TO THANK THEM, BE GRACIOUS & PROFESSIONAL ~

FINAL CREATIVE STUFF

DELIVER THE FINAL LOGO IN MULTIPLE FORMS AND SIZES

cultivate the relationship

THERE’S MORE WHERE THIS CAME FROM..

SUCK LESS AT GRAPHIC DESIGN

MADE WITH BLOOD, SWEAT, TEARS AND IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

© VINCENT BURKHEAD STUDIO, INC, 1994 - TODAY, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

about the author

Visit Your Creative Junkie Blog

PUBLISHED BY: Your Creative Junkie

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