A Logo is
a design symbolizing ones organization. It is a design that is
used by an organization for its letterhead, advertising material,
and signs as an emblem by which the organization can easily be
recognized, also called logotype. Logotype is a graphic representation
or symbol of a company name, trademark, abbreviation, etc., often
uniquely designed for ready recognition.
You may also
think of a Logo as a simple visual mark to identify your company
product or service.
There are different types of signs and emblems easily recognized
and associated with purposes. For example, crests are used to
identify a country or family. There was a time when only big enough
organizations could afford to make their own crest. They were
in some cases very detailed drawing with many objects to enrich
the crest. Cost was not an issue and more was considered better.
Then flags were used due to their larger format. They were visible
from the craft fields from long distances. Road signs were designed
for informational purposes. They use such techniques as contrasting
colors, simplified and yet stylish formats to identify and attract
more attention and convey information.
Now days,
the most popular and successful companies continue to say that"simpler
is better", especially today when everything is moving so
fast you have less and less time to impress your customers. So
it has to be done in a very stylish manner yet remaining conservative
so that it`s easier for the eye to catch and the brain to memorize
your logo design.
These days
you also have to consider the reproduction cost. More detailed
and colorful logo designs are harder to reproduce and they of
course cost more. You also have to consider the size that your
logo is going to be used at. The perfect logo
design will look great on a sign board as well as on a business
card or on a pen for example.
We have talked
about the general use of a logo. Now we are going to get into
a more detaile look at the logo.
There are some general types of logos:
Iconic Logo - Some kind of graphical element related to the business
field or just an abstract image, for example: Nike, AOL, Micheline.
LogoType - Logo based only on the company name. A unique font,
or unique layout style can make a great logo, for example: Sony,
Coca- Cola , IBM.
Let's talk
about each kind separately.
Iconic Logos can be very different. The classic variation is to
make the symbol fit any of the basicgeometrical shapes. For example:
The best shapes to use are symmetrical geometrical shapes
They can be placed almost anywhere and still maintain the balance;
they are very easy to handle:
It is still good to make the logo fit any kind of geometrical
shape, it looks more fit and balanced:
And at last there is no obligation in what kind of shape to use
, you can use any free form shape you want, but you have to be
very careful with the placement, so the logo doesn't look like
it is falling apart or going to fall:
By selecting the shape, you should consider how conservative and
stable your company wants to appear.