Logo concept – brainstorm and design
Are you looking for logo concept ideas? Whether you’re a designer who needs some inspiration, or a business owner trying to brainstorm the perfect logo for your brand, we’ve got you covered!
Your logo is the way you present yourself to the public. It will be the first thing that your client, your competitors, and everyone in general, will see and associate with your brand or company. It’s a visual ambassador for a brand. And in today’s landscape, having a good logo is crucial for your company to stand out from the competition. So the design process is not something we should underestimate… It has to be careful and well thought out for your logo to work. There are lots of different ways to approach logo design, and the best way to start is by thinking about what kind of message you want your logo to communicate.
This is where “brainstorming” for the perfect logo design comes in. And choosing the logo concept (or concepts) can be vital to your business. Do you want to know how to brainstorm effectively? Read on, we got it all covered and you get a lot of logo design tips from us!
What is a logo design concept?
“The concept”, those two words we designers mention so much. But what does it mean?
A logo concept is an idea or a message that you want your logo to communicate. It’s the starting point for any logo design, and it’s what will guide your creative process and will help you to express what the final result of the designed logo may be. Your logo concept should be inspired by your brand values and what you want your business to be known for. It should be reflective of your company culture and the kind of message you want to send to your target audience.
It can be a selection of adjectives, names, that help to describe the logo, to know what it has to transmit. And even images that can help us to represent it visually: a set of colors, shapes, typographies and even styles.
What are the 5 rules of a good logo concept
There are a few key things to keep in mind when designing a logo;
1. Simple – Keep It Simple: A good logo design should be easy to understand and recognize. It should be memorable and eye-catching.
2. Memorable: Your logo should be reflective of your brand values and brand identity – to be memorable for your clients.
3. Ageless: A good logo design survives the passing of the years. It does not go out of fashion and won’t become outdated. It works the same as the first day.
4. Responsive: A good logo has to work in different sizes, formats and platforms.
5. Thoughtful: A good logo design has to be well thought out, knowing who the audience of the brand is, choosing the right colors, and setting yourself apart from the competition with a special own logo, full of character.
How to brainstorm for a good logo design?
1. Briefing
When starting a logo design project, it is important to have a clear understanding of the client’s goals and objectives. The logo concept should be based on this research, and the logo designer should be able to articulate the logo design process clearly.
So before starting on any logo design, it is essential to have a briefing with the client. This logo concept should cover the overall message the company wants to communicate, the product, the target audience, and what emotions they want the logo to evoke. The logo design process should also be discussed in detail, including any deadlines and budget constraints. Having this information upfront, it will allow the logo designer to create a logo that perfectly meets the company’s needs.
Professional designers should always talk about the project timeline and budget as well. Logo design can be a very involved process, and it’s important for professional designers to set expectations with their clients from the beginning.
Logo design involves research, concept development, refinement, and production, and each stage can take a significant amount of time. For that reason, it’s essential to discuss the project timeline and budget as early as possible. This way, the client knows what to expect in terms of cost and timing, and the designer can plan accordingly. By having this conversation up front, both parties can avoid any surprises or disappointments down the road.
2. Logo concept brainstorm
When the first phase is all covered and clear, then define the overall look and feel you want your logo design to convey. This will help narrow down the possibilities and make the brainstorming process more manageable.
Once you have a general direction in mind, start thinking about specific logo ideas that will go along with the overall look and feel of the logo concept. If you’re struggling to come up with ideas on your own, try looking at other logos for inspiration. This could be in the same field or something totally different. Look at other logo design concepts in your industry, and pay attention to the ones that stand out to you. What do you like about them? Which part makes them memorable? What is their logo concept?
At the same time don’t look only at logos, be open to anything.
Brainstorming is an important step in the logo design process, and it’s one that should not be overlooked or rushed. The best logo concepts often come about when you least expect them, so it’s important to allow yourself time to brainstorm and explore different ideas.
Once you’ve got a good selection of ideas, take a break and let your subconscious mind work on the problem for a while. The best ideas often come when you’re not actively thinking about them.
Finally, don’t be afraid toonsense concepts. Sometimes the craziest ideas turn out to be the most brilliant. With a little bit of effort, you’re sure to come up with a logo that perfectly represents your brand.
3. Sketch and design
When you have a few potential logo concepts that might be interesting, it’s time to start refining them and start the logo design. Work on creating mockups or sketches of your ideas.
The best way to do this is to simply sit down and brainstorm for logo designs with a pen and paper. Don’t worry about making your ideas perfect, just let your creativity flow and see what you come up with.
Some tips that we know can help you in the brainstorm process:
Don’t stop yourself. If you have an idea, no matter how crazy it may seem, write it down. This is not the time to censor. It’s time to get whatever comes into your head out. Brainstorm with a pen and paper, and don’t worry about making your ideas perfect.
Make a list. Adjectives, names, words, ideas… Whatever you think describes the brand, write it down.
Consider your target. What kind of message do you want to communicate with your logo? How do you want them to feel?
Vision board. Start by gathering inspiration from other logos or whatever you like, and put them all on a board, either digital or physical. They might include: logo type, typography, colors, styles, graphic elements…
Work as a team. Seek advice from other people, either from the team or friends who have some taste and/or experience in the industry. Each will give you unique insights that can help you achieve something special.
Keep it simple. Use words, images, easy to understand inspiration. And above all, keep the logo clear and simple. This way you will make it memorable.
Our 5 favorite websites to get inspired
Let’s face it: it’s impossible to be inspired all the time. No matter how creative you are, inspiration sometimes takes a while to come… It’s a challenge to design every day. When hours (or even days) go by without a good idea, the best thing to do is to stop thinking and simply look for inspiration in other projects. Luckily, with just one click we can search for others’ work on different platforms of creators and creatives.
After years of experience, we have found our 4 favorite sites that keep us up to date with new trends and help us come up with good ideas. Here is our list:
Conclusion
The process of creating a logo is something that must be taken care of from the first moment until the project is closed. Every detail counts and can make a difference. Familiarizing yourself with what we have analyzed in this blog will make your work even more professional, and you will get better and better, project after project.
To sum it up: bring out everything that’s in your mind! Brainstorm ideas and definitely don’t be afraid, think out of the box!
