I am The Logo Handler, not a logo designer, as stated in Logos 101: Business Owner Guidelines for Logo Design. Although I have created a few logos in the past, this is not my strong suit. I am entrusted with printing and marketing clients' logos. I can't make you a beautiful logo, but I can tell you right away if the logo will cause you problems. The majority of my professional life has been spent working with corporate logos. Some logos are good, while others are bad. Despite their aesthetic appeal, they present numerous printing challenges.
When starting out, one of the biggest mistakes people make
is not giving their designer much to work with. They locate a designer, provide
them with the business name, and instruct them to create a logo. Most of the
time, no further instructions are given. There might be some preferred colors
or a few suggestions for a possible symbol, but that's all. The owner of the
company makes the assumption that the designer is familiar with the
requirements and limitations of logo design in Dubai UAE. About half of the logos I've seen
so far have only a focus on aesthetics. While having a logo that looks good is
important, there are many other things to think about that will be important in
the future.
CHOOSING A
DESIGNER:
Despite the fact that it may be tempting to use a friend or family member who dabbles in graphic design—who are typically free or very cheap—the logo almost always ends up costing you later. You are more likely to have problems with design egos and run into delays. Additionally, they may lack the technical expertise (bitmaps versus vector, bleeds, etc.). This is less of a problem with logo design, but it can be a big problem with other projects. However, you should not discredit these individuals. A lot of great work has been produced by people who design as a hobby or as aspiring designers.
Regardless of where you find your logo designer, check their portfolio and make sure they meet these two requirements:
1. Find a designer who will make a vector logo for you. Get
another designer if they are unable to. Don't hire them if they don't
understand what a vector graphic is!
2. Make certain that you will receive the following
documents:
- The original vector file from the software program used to
design the logo.
- A logo (vector) as a PDF.
- A logo image (vector).
- Three high-resolution jpg of the logo, one each of 2
inches, 12 inches, and 24 inches.
Even though the first three files probably don't have a
program that can open them, make sure you have them on a disc in your office
and on your computer. These files are needed by designers and printers in the
future. For more information on the distinction between bitmap and vector
images, see Images 101.
Guidelines
for Logo Design:
In addition to having
a logo that looks good and makes sense for your business, these guidelines
should be followed by your designer. Color, size, and shape are all things to
keep in mind when designing for them, so you should do the same:
Colors:
A logo's colors play an important role. You should try to
keep colors separate, avoid shading, and use as few colors as possible. You
shouldn't have any problems printing digital graphics in full color. Graphics
are printed by digital printers just like they are by color laser or inkjet
printers. Digital printing is generally expensive and not always available for
items other than paper.
It's possible to save money by using fewer colors. Each
color will increase the cost of apparel, promotional product, and signage
printing applications. Set-up and run costs typically apply to promotional
products per color. Each color of screen printing will also cost more. Create a
logo that can be used in a single color or with one or two colors.
Issues may arise if color registration is too tight. Tight
registration occurs when your colors touch. A good example is text with an
outline around it. This is not always possible with promotional items that are
silk screened or pad printed. If you're photocopying something in black and
white, tight registration can also be a problem. When photocopied, two
completely distinct colors can appear to be the same color and become a large
black blob. In these situations, you should either avoid tight registration or
have a version of the logo that does not have tight registration.
It is not always possible to print color fading or shading.
The majority of non-digital printing applications produce solid color prints.
You will need a modified version of your logo if you have a solid color that
fades or shades into a darker color or another color.
Colors made to order can be pricey. Standard ink colors
found in printers include black, red, navy, royal, dark green, and yellow,
among others. To mix a particular color for you, the majority of printers will
charge a fee. Additionally, most promotional items with logos are available in
standard colors. If you wanted a teal pen for your business and your logo was
teal blue, your options would be very limited.
Size:
Text or lines that are too thin or small can
"disappear" when printed or photocopied, making them ineffective. If
the smaller parts of a lower case "e" or "a" are too small,
they can also fill in. When selecting your logo, ensure that it can be reduced to
a width of one inch or less. The smallest size your logo will likely be printed
at is one inch.
Shape:
Shape is much more than just a horizontal or vertical
design. White space is something that shape needs to take into account. Design
elements that are too far removed from the main design should be avoided. If
you want to print your logo in a small space but have a lot of unusable white
space, you may not have enough room for the contact information you want to
include. See the picture below. Consider how the logo will appear when paired
with your website or address. Request that your address block be placed next to
the logo, just like it would be on a business card or letterhead.
A crucial
note regarding the various versions: none of these guidelines
should cause you to feel constrained. For instance, a logo that resembles
contemporary graffiti would probably violate all of the aforementioned
guidelines, but if that's what you want, you should have it. Simply request
modified versions from your designer that can be printed in a single color or
with fewer spaces. I've seen businesses with booklets of ten pages and dozens
of logo variations that can be used for a variety of purposes. Get ready.
When choosing a color, size, and shape for your logo,
considers these factors. Additionally, you should have distinct versions for
various applications. Check to see that the appropriate files are saved for
printing. Keep in mind that the most well-known and easily recognizable logos
are simple and limited in color. Make adjustments to it until you get the
perfect logo. Take ownership of it and make sure your logo is visible!
