In logo design, as in so many areas of life and the professional world, there are guidelines that help us to create success.  Below is a brief summary of four key principles of great logo design.  Keep these rules in mind as you craft your vision for the logo you seek to develop.

Describable

A great logo is describable.  Your overall goal is recognition.  And if someone can’t describe the logo, then they certainly can’t remember it.  And if they can’t remember it, well, you know the rest.  A describable logo ensures your brand is not forgotten.

To make a logo describable, the more simple, the better.  Complexity makes a logo easy to forget.

Color-Blind

A great logo works well without color.  The most memorable elements of a logo are its shape and form.  Color is a secondary element.  Inevitably, your logo will pass through a fax machine, or be photocopied, so creating a logo that works well without color ensures your brand is well represented no matter the medium.

When at all possible, coloring should be left to the end of the design process, because if the logo doesn’t work in black alone, no amount of color will rescue it.

Appropriate

A great logo must be appropriate to the business it identifies in order to make a lasting impression.  The better the logo represents the values and mission of the business, the more memorable the logo.

An appropriate logo is created through careful research and industry comparisons.

Scaleable

A great logo needs to be scaleable.  Given the amount of time, energy, and even finances that are poured into a logo, it is important to make sure that the design works at any size. Whether adorning a 10-foot wide banner, or a small business card, the logo needs to be visible and recognizable at any scale.

The scaleability of a logo is found in its simplicity of design.  Sometimes less truly is more.