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Logos are an essential part of any company or business. They give an identity to the brand, help create a name for themselves in the community and establish a connection with their customers.
With all that goes into creating a logo, it certainly takes some time and thought to get it right. So, how long does it take to create a logo?
Before we answer the question of how long it takes to get from a project proposal to your final logo design, you need to know what your logo design’s process will entail.
The Purpose of Your Logo
Before beginning the logo design process, there are a few things that an artist must consider. Most professional designers will start by asking questions about the client’s logo, such as:
- What is your company/business?
- What do you want to portray through your logo?
These questions help designers understand the logo’s purpose and what it needs to accomplish.
Logo design varies for companies, but the two primary purposes of logos are to get their brand name out there or remind customers of their product/service. Of course, some logos are more memorable than others, but it all depends on what you want your logo to represent.
What Should a Logo Represent?
The first step is to know what a logo should represent. This can be where the brainstorming begins. A professional designer will now ask questions such as:
- What is your company/product/service about?
- What image or message do you want people associated with that?
- Why does your company exist?
- What are your goals, mission statement, and values?
- Think about your business model- how do you make money? What are some things that make you unique or better than the competition?
Once the creative director has an idea of what your logo should represent, it becomes much easier to move forward with the logo design process.
At this point, a professional designer will start thinking about color schemes and fonts, themes that work well with the client’s brand, and if they should include any relevant symbols or imagery in the logo design.
What is The Key to Designing Logos?
Logo designs are fundamental to a company’s brand identity. You want something that can be remembered easily but also not too generic. Most of all, the intended purpose of your brand design is to stick out amongst your competitors!
It takes a lot of brainstorming, creativity, and patience to get a great logo.
Now that you and your designer are on the same page, it’s time to start designing! There are several things to keep in mind when creating a logo.
The key characteristics of a good logo include:
- Simplicity – Make sure the logo is simple in design and easy to read. The company/brand name should be easily recognizable. This includes making sure the logo is legible, there aren’t too many colors, and the font style works well.
- Timelessness – A logo should look timeless. That means the logo will be recognizable 20 years later, and the client’s business will not have to change its current logo because it’s “outdated.” Try not to get stuck on trendy logo concepts that won’t stand the test of time!
- Symbolism – A great logo should have symbolism that showcases the company and explains what they do. A strong brand identity means customers will think of you when they need your products. If your visual identity leaves an excellent first impression, they’re likely to remember you and come to you over your competitors.
- Originality – Find something unique. A good logo design isn’t too generic, and it sticks out from the crowd.
- Memorability – Make sure it’s memorable. An original logo should be something people can recognize and associate with the brand identity right away.
- Versatility – The artist working on your logo design project will consider how it looks in different sizes and if it will translate well onto any product or surface you may use it on. You will need your logo file saved in multiple formats.
A good tip: test your logo on a business card and see how it looks before you finalize the design!
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Creating a New Logo Design
With all of these things in mind, your artist will start sketching out some ideas. Most companies who work in graphic design, be it small businesses or larger companies, will have access to professional design resources such as Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape for the design process.
Designers must take their time with this step because there is a lot to keep in mind!
You want a final unique design, that fits your brand guidelines, and is easy to create.
What Colors Should a Logo Use
A professional artist will be sure to help the client choose colors wisely since they can have different meanings depending on the color itself. For example, blue is usually associated with trust, but red can mean danger or excitement. An experienced logo designer can help guide you in the right direction, as they may have a better understanding of the psychology behind colors in marketing.
What Fonts Should a Company Logo Project Use?
When choosing fonts for a logo, a designer will select something legible. They will avoid using fancier fonts because they don’t translate well at different sizes and can be challenging to read when used in smaller text. It’s safe to stick with simple, classic font types. Your artist will look at other elements of your graphic design and different fonts to see what your final presentation will feel like once the process is complete.
What Symbols Could Be Used in a Logo?
Frequently, symbols are added in with the text to give more meaning and purpose to a brand. However, in most cases, a designer will keep it simple with icons rather than complicated photos since they’re easy to resize without losing quality.
Your artist will help you choose something that will appeal to your target market and represent your brand.
What Text Should a Company Use in a Logo Design?
The way a name is presented in logos depends on what is unique about the brand. For example, some companies have a slogan or recognizable jingle that they incorporate into the design, while others use basic text. The style and size of your font are important to consider when choosing a logo font.
Each Designer Has a Different Process
Not every designer will go about the process the same way, but most will use a similar structure.
Your designers should keep in touch with you while working on your project. You should be involved in the whole process to design a logo for your business.
Once your artist comes up with a style guide, they will present it to you for approval before working on the project. When they have finished the work, they will send you a proof of the project. You will then be able to speak with your artist about the concept and the process.
After you see what they have come up with, you can ask them to make small variations if needed.
Once you are happy with the final logo, your artist should send you a final proof for approval. If you don’t like any of the proofs you’ve been shown, you need to speak with the artist and decide on the next steps.
Once you have settled your final proof, they should send you a link to download the files. At this point, you are free to use the logo however you want!
How Long Does It Take To Design a Logo?
Creating a fantastic logo takes a lot of hard work, creativity, and brainstorming. When you design a logo, you want something unique and memorable.
Designers need to take their time because there is a lot to keep in mind! This process can be anywhere from a few days to weeks on average. However, there is no way to predict the exact time your logo will take to design because there are many moving parts that come into play.
The first step is to think about the logo’s purpose and what it represents. Next, during the creative process, it’s necessary to think about colors and shapes that represent the client best. Once those steps are down, the design process begins with a project proposal! This is where you will need some patience and great communication with your graphic designer because there are many steps involved before the final logo presentation and a completed design.
A professional artist will listen to the client and keep them involved during the process. In addition, they have experience in logo design, so they typically have an idea of what the client is looking for when they come to them with a project.
The key is to trust your designer. If they say they can have a perfect logo ready for you in a few hours, it may be time to speak with other designers.