{"id":20943,"date":"2020-10-29T12:56:22","date_gmt":"2020-10-29T12:56:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zilliondesigns.com\/blog\/?p=20943"},"modified":"2026-04-10T10:31:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T10:31:23","slug":"elements-design-vintage-logos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zilliondesigns.com\/blog\/elements-design-vintage-logos\/","title":{"rendered":"Elements Of Design In Vintage Logos For Old Time Sake!"},"content":{"rendered":"

We keep hearing the word \u201cvintage\u201d in graphic design but what does it mean? Vintage was actually a word derived from the process of winemaking. Now that\u2019s another story altogether but how this word became part of the design industry, is the real question to ponder over.<\/p>\n

Just like a vintage wine is valued for being high quality as it is kept for a long to let the flavors sink in, vintage design refers to a time of distinguishable value as well. Any logo design with a rather old and antique appearance, or that from another time, is considered to be vintage.<\/p>\n

Without further ado, as the Smashing Magazine editor, Cosima Mielke wrote, let us \u201cindulge in the aesthetic of past times.\u201d On top, we will also explore the visual elements of vintage design and how they\u2019re used to create professional logos<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Vintage Design Style<\/h2>\n

Every design style that landed on earth from the minds of some great artists and designers has some peculiar characteristics that help people identify and differentiate them.<\/p>\n

As far as vintage style goes, it has a few notable sub-categories and each of them was savored by designers at the time of their popularity.<\/p>\n

Today, the vintage design aesthetics<\/a> is known as a modern or contemporary style of designing brand identities. You call this Modern Vintage. It\u2019s like sipping wine in a not-so-bourgeoisie way.<\/p>\n

Types Of Vintage Logos<\/h2>\n

Why is it that when you see a vintage logo you know instantly it is different from the rest? No matter if it is in flat colors or line art, there is something atypical about vintage logo designs, as if they\u2019re not from this time. There\u2019s something mysterious about them that pulls us into the designs.<\/p>\n

Here are three broad ways to distinguish a logo from vintage aesthetics.<\/p>\n

Victorian<\/h3>\n

Such logo graphics look British if you know what I mean. The Victorian Era<\/a> came to existence during the reign of Queen Victoria in the United Kingdom. The following image might help you understand the style of that time.<\/p>\n

These types of logos are decorated with flora and fauna as ornaments. The colors are deep and the visual elements are elaborated with frilly lines, shape frames, ribbons, and illustrations of characters or objects from that period.<\/p>\n

\"Victorian
\nImage Source: ZillionDesigns.com\/mnorth<\/a><\/p>\n

Retro<\/h3>\n

Sometimes people use retro and vintage interchangeably but they\u2019re not the same thing. Retro designs<\/a> can be inspired by vintage but vintage designs are not retro.<\/p>\n

The retro era is recognized as falling in the 1960s and 1970s. This artistic style is part of the popular culture because it has a nostalgic feel to it that early millennials and baby boomers can relate to.<\/p>\n

By the looks, while vintage logos look beautifully chamfered, retro designs are cool and rad. Retro logos are jazzy, colorful, and totally fashion-infused.<\/p>\n

\"yellowmortar\"
\nImage Source: ZillionDesigns.com\/yellowmortar<\/a><\/p>\n

Modern Vintage<\/h3>\n

This is in a way a compound word in which two separate words come together to make a single new meaning. Modern and vintage are not the same but when put together, they produce unique sense of style.<\/p>\n

The idea is to take elements with historical significance, for example and pair it with objects that exude modernity.<\/p>\n

\"Breware
\nImage Source: ZillionDesigns.com\/mnorth<\/a><\/p>\n

Vintage Logo Collection<\/h2>\n

The Framing Technique<\/h3>\n

In most vintage logo designs, you will see double-lined frames of different shapes like oval, rhombus, triangles, circles, and other customized shapes. The frames used in vintage logo style involves two or three lines of varying widths and designs. The lines can be simple or have curves and frills.<\/p>\n

\"Hideaway
\nImage Source: ZillionDesigns.com\/NoyPiArtist<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Hero
\nImage Source: ZillionDesigns.com\/IrvinLubi<\/a><\/p>\n

Frame Designing Tip: <\/strong>In any design software, for example in Adobe Illustrator, you can use default shapes with strokes to make a frame for your logo. For a more complex frame, you can chamfer the corners or use the Pathfinder tool or Pen tool to customize. In addition, you can use the options from Effect menu for an extra edge. Depending on the software, whether it is Corel Draw, Freehand, or Inkscape you can use a bunch of tools to create vintage frames.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Curvy Filigree<\/h3>\n

Ornamental vectors are an important part of most vintage logos. Designers add intricate motifs or swirls to give and ancient appeal. The artistic lines are curled, twisted, and often plaited. These filigrees can be simple or elaborate depending on the needs of the client. Remember though that all designs with filigree are not vintage so you have to consider other elements too.<\/p>\n

\"Vintage
\nImage Source: ZillionDesigns.com\/shreeganesh<\/a><\/p>\n

Warp Ribbons<\/h3>\n

Ribbon is another decorative element found in vintage logo designs. It is either used in a straight manner or curved. To make it on Adobe Illustrator, for instance, you can use simple shapes and the warp tool. Usually the ribbons are the base for extra text other than the name of the brand, such as for the tagline or the date of establishment.<\/p>\n

Ribbon Designing Tip: <\/strong>There are a number of techniques to make ribbons on any design software. You can use the Twist tool from the Effects menu in Adobe Illustrator to make a wavy ribbon or you can use the Warp tool to make an arc. Decide how your ribbon will be and then choose the right tools to get started.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Serif Font<\/h3>\n

All the typefaces with extensions are categorized as serif fonts. These strokes attached to the fonts can be of different types: old-style, didone, and slab serif. In ancient times, when the written word came into existence, the trend to use serif fonts became popular in book printing, poster designing, brand marks, and invitations.<\/p>\n

In modern usage, serif fonts are often vertically elongated to give a tall and almost gentlemanly look, and they are also sometimes paired with sans serif fonts for a contemporary vibe.<\/p>\n

\n

Explore: Craft Beer Logos in Modern Vintage Style<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The serif fonts used in vintage lettermarks are also at times elaborate, as in they are embellished with fancy breaks, repetitive line patterns, and curled extending strokes. Such typefaces are often referred to as decorative vintage fonts.<\/p>\n

Typography Designing Tip: <\/strong>When text is involved in a logo, there are many ways to treat it. All depends on the overall layout and hierarchy of a combination mark. You need to choose a serif font and then decide the way it will look.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Sketchy Illustrations<\/h3>\n

Most illustration-based vintage logos don\u2019t have the polished lines you would see in procreate tutorials, instead the drawings are like sketches<\/a> with repetitive strokes in varying lengths and weights to give an illusion of highlights, lowlights, and shadows.<\/p>\n

\"Pure
\nImage Source: ZillionDesigns.com\/natty<\/a><\/p>\n

Sketch Designing Tip: <\/strong>In vector software, designers can easily draw objects using paint brushes, line tool, pen tool, and a few artistic plugins. This task becomes easier if you have a drawing tablet like Wacom or iPad. The mouse or track pad aren\u2019t the best choices but if you have some neat tricks up your sleeves then you\u2019re good to go.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Antique Colors<\/h3>\n

It may sound like a strange way to define colors but for vintage combination marks or badges, you need colors that match the entire look of the design. Thus, by \u201cantique\u201d colors, I mean that the hues should be aligned with an old-fashioned fa\u00e7ade of the logo.<\/p>\n

The kinds of color schemes that work include hues that are:<\/p>\n