How to Design a Logo Featuring Tips From David Carson

A logo is a visual identifier for a business or organization. A logo is usually an image, symbol, or grouping of words (or sometimes a combination of all three) that partly serve as the public face of a company. This image should be relevant to the business with a unique but straightforward design that is memorable, timeless, and visible in different sizing formats.

A logo isn’t just a picture—it is a specifically tailored image meant to convey a brand identity. When it comes to essential design elements, an effective, professional logo is:

1. 1. Distinctive. A logo should be distinct and not easily confused with another company’s logo. Your logo should tie specifically to your organization or business so that when people see it, they immediately know what it represents.
2. 2. Memorable. An effective logo is ubiquitous while still managing to make an impact. The logo should be simple and easy to remember. It should be an image that stays in your mind without taking up too much bandwidth. Images that are overly complex or contrived do not often resonate with audiences.
3. 3. Purposeful. A great logo should relate to your company’s brand. The logo should send a message to viewers, evoking particular feelings with color and composition. When designing a logo, incorporate elements from your brand identity to drive home your company’s message.
4. 4. Timeless. A logo can withstand the test of time and should not be rooted in fads or trends, which are fleeting and can date your brand. While logos may evolve and undergo a few tweaks over time, the essential message should remain the same.
5. 5. Versatile. The best logos are versatile and visible in different size formats, whether on a business card, a billboard, a t-shirt, or a keychain. The logo design should work in many different color combinations or backgrounds.

There are a few types of logos a business owner can choose from to represent their brand, including:

1. 1. Abstract. An abstract logo is a non-literal pictorial representation of a business. An abstract design exists to evoke a particular feeling or set a tone.
2. 2. Brand marks. A brand mark logo refers to a symbol or pictorial representation of a company. They sometimes represent real-world objects, like an apple or bird, and are easily identifiable.
3. 3. Combination. A combination logo is a blend of two or more elements, like a monogram embedded within an emblem or a mascot combined with a logotype (logo made from text). Combination logos require the right balance of elements, as a design that gets too busy may not have the desired effect.
4. 4. Emblems. An emblem logo is a symbol with text inside of it. Emblems convey a traditional feel, evoking the feeling of an official seal or crest.
5. 5. Mascots. Mascots use a character—like an anthropomorphized animal, mythological figure, or person—to represent a brand’s identity. A mascot essentially becomes a brand ambassador, often appearing in commercials or publications as the company’s spokesperson.
6. 6. Monograms. Also known as a letter mark, this type of logo is similar to a wordmark, except it only contains the business name’s initials (or abbreviation).
7. 7. Wordmarks. Also known as a logotype, these logos consist solely of text. They contain the full company name set in a particular typeface. Wordmarks are good choices for lesser-known organizations, small businesses, or new startups, as they take the guesswork out of the brand.

While a graphic designer can help you craft the ideal custom logo, it is also possible to create your own using drawing tools and paper or an online logo maker. For steps on how to design the perfect logo, see below:

1. 1. Strategize. The first step in the logo design process is figuring out what your brand represents and the message you want to convey to your target audience. The strategy phase can be a crucial step when it’s time to customize your own logo because it allows you to hone in on your message and avoid wasting time or money. If necessary, experiment with free logo templates to inspire your composition.
2. 2. Sketch it out. Legend holds that graphic design luminary Milton Glaser came up with his iconic “I ♥️ NY” logo in the back of a cab, and jotted it down right then and there. You never know when inspiration will strike, so keep a notebook on you at all times. If an idea works, you can always finesse it digitally later, but pen and paper are far quicker (and easier) than your computer for skeletoning a design idea. Plus, you won’t get the tunnel vision of staring into a screen.
3. 3. Choose your visuals. If your new logo contains letters or words, decide the style, boldness, and construction of the letters. These stylistic decisions go beyond choosing a fun font—the characters should be straightforward and easy to read while also maintaining a sense of uniqueness to the brand. In addition to the typography, you’ll need to select an image, especially if you’re using a brand mark, abstract logo, or combination logo.
4. 4. Pick the right color(s). Specific colors evoke particular emotions or relate to a particular theme, and the right color combinations can make all the difference. Research color psychology to decide the most appropriate colors to include in your logo and ensure they’re an accurate representation of your brand story.
5. 5. Create a mockup. Once you have all the elements of your design planned out, put them into visual form. You can hand draw or use computer software to mockup your logo. Create a few different versions of your idea and, if possible, test them out with people you know and trust.
6. 6. Evaluate. Once you’ve created your ideal logo, compare it to other iconic logos (or your competition). Does it send the right message? Does it evoke the right emotion? Is it clear what the logo represents? Is it unique? Ensure the final image is resizeable, clear, and not overly busy and satisfies all the essential qualities of an effective logo.

Logos should be striking so that people unfamiliar with the brand notice it, and they should be memorable enough to endure regardless of the time and place in which they’re displayed. The best ones demonstrate what both the brand and its audience represent, and what sets them apart from the competition. Designer David Carson offers his tips for crafting a great logo:

1. 1. Make it recognizable. A logo is how people will recognize your business, and might become the only image they associate with your brand. When someone sees your logo they should immediately think of your company and perhaps even identify with it positively because of what your business has done for them. “A logo is an image, just like a word is an image,” says designer David Carson. “A logo is something we want to recognize from a distance, that people want to put on their hats, T-shirts, certainly their website, and maybe their expensive car, too.”
2. 2. Make it simple. When David begins a new logo, he always does so in black and white; the design should be strong enough to work without color, so leave that until later in the process. The simplest designs (think: the Apple logo) are often the smartest in practical terms, since they can easily be adapted across static 2-D mediums, from an app icon to a billboard, as well as in motion, like in a quick TV spot
3. 3. Make it communicate. Recognizing a logo is subconscious; all it takes is a glimpse of the swoosh or the golden arches to identify Nike or McDonald’s. As such, remember that when we see something, we don’t “read” it. What gets our attention, at the most basic level, is color and shape. As David puts it: “Don’t mistake legibility for communication. Just because something’s legible doesn’t mean it communicates. More importantly, it doesn’t mean it communicates the right thing.”
4. 4. Make it something different. If all the brands in a particular sector seem to lean on a certain typographic style or color palette, avoid it; we don’t need more organic foods packaging in shades of green and brown. Avoid those types of clichés as well as lazy visual shorthands, like a Clipart-style light bulb graphic to represent ideas or a book to represent education. Follow David’s credo: “The more literal the logo gets, the less interesting it is.”

Get a MasterClass Annual Membership and let David Carson be your personal tutor. The prolific and decorated designer—who’s been lauded as the “art director of the era”—reveals his processes for going off the (design) grid, implementing typography in new and interesting ways, innovative uses of photography and collage, and so much more.