Creating A Logo

I've been reading a few articles about the creative process for logo design for this page. I am surprised by how many designers sketch their initial concepts. The following 3 steps to Creating Logos came from the book Logo, Font and Lettering Bible. Other design companies like Logolabs have a different design proces. However you choose to work though your design, it's important to let your client know before hand, so they know what to expect.

The 3 Initial Steps to Creating a Logo

Immersion

The first step in designing a logo for someone is the design brief. This entails understanding both the product and the company and whatever vision they may have for their logo. Many designers will start this process by having the client fill out a questionaire. You may want to ask the client what font and colors they prefer. You may want to see what their competitor's logos look like as well. Immersion involves a thourough understanding of the product being promoted. As the author of the book puts it:

"Start buying books and magazines on the subject, drink the cola, wear the shoes, study the website, interview company employees, arrange focus groups and so on."

Creative Copying

Creative Copying involves using reference material to get ideas. Personally, I spend hours looking through other logo design sites trying to find styles that appeal to me. Alls it takes is seeing one font, layout or color combination that clicks, and this may be exactly what is needed to initiate a design.

Thumbnail and Comp

Before I knew how to use Illustrator or Photoshop, I would often sketch my website's layout, so I could show my designers what I wanted. From what I have read a lot of pros will sketch out a rough or small 'thumbnail' image of their design before attempting to create it on a computer. A comp is a larger sketch that that the client will see. This will most likely be the next step in the design process.