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So you've put a lot of hours into building up your business. You have thought about your clients and customers, what areas you're going to employ for global and local marketing techniques, your mission statement, and you may think you’re all ready to start this journey. Only one thing is missing: a custom and professional logo that will accompany your brand identity in all things.
When getting a logo made, you must make sure that it sticks! This is how: it should tell your customers who you are and what you can offer. It needs to be memorable, it needs to stand out, and it needs to send a clear message.
That's a lot of pressure on something that can be quite simple and small, but don't freak out. We're about to show you how you can use different logo design elements to create a kickass brand identity, and we're going to also include suggestions as to what to do with all the 99 of them.
Each example of graphic design, whether a simple logo or a full-page advertising spread in a magazine, includes several different elements.
Leaving aside "elements" as the basic tenets on which a design is built, any given design such as a logo will include some design principles as well.
What do they all boil down to?
Shape.
"Everything is ultimately a shape," says the website Creative Market, "so you must always think in terms of how the various elements of your design are creating shapes, and how those shapes are interacting."
Design elements include everything from the basic shapes you choose for your logo, all the way to the color scheme and font choice.
In this article, we're going to focus on the wide variety of shapes to add to your logo design. Let us work our way through it and help you make an attractive and memorable brand identity.
Everyone can think of logos that stand out. We have great examples of famous logos that are generally liked and praised. Things that are iconic and recognized across the nation, or even worldwide. Later on you'll see many examples.
What do these instantly-recognizable logos do for the company?
Creating an unforgettable logo that stands out is incredibly important for branding purposes. Thebalance.com, a marketing website defines "brand identity" as "all the components related to a product, service, company or person."
So your choice of logo is ideally going to tell your customers a lot about you. As your reputation grows, that's what will come to mind when your clients see your logo.
Your logo and your reputation are inextricably linked. It's as simple as that. So, with that heavy responsibility weighing on your shoulders - let us get to business.
There are tons of how-to articles and tutorials out there to grasp the basics of designing a business logo, so whether you are a professional designer, beginner or a client keen about design, you should be well equipped when it comes to the actual process of designing your logo.
That said, most design tutorials advice starting with a brainstorming session, going through some possible ideas and doodling your own.
Looking at iconic logos and figuring out what appeals to you and why is an integral part of this, don't be content just to piggy-back on a successful logo design. "Combining elements and adding your creative ideas to your design will make the logo design completely your own," says the book 999 Logo Design Elements.
So don't be afraid to color outside the lines, so to speak.
Are you ready for this? Get your paper and pencil, and start looking for logo inspiration.
Animals are a perennial favorite when it comes to logo design.
There's an added element of instant appeal to the customer, and the choice of animal can say a lot about the company. When choosing an animal for a logo , you'll probably want to look for animals that are easily rendered into simple images.
That being said, you might be surprised at how many variations there are on basic animal shapes.
The great thing about sticking with a simple rendition is the effective use of negative space in logos, which can come in handy with a logo that is going to be frequently replicated in a variety of sizes.
Fox: There's a definite trend towards using foxes in a lot of product designs, as well, and they're very high-profile right now. Fox logos are unique as this animal appears in the folklores of many cultures. Most of the time, as a cunning animal, but in logos, a designer can play with the traditional image of a fox and turn it into a tame and loving creature.
Cat: Ever popular with all corners of the internet, cat logos lend themselves to a wide variety of business ideas. They give a note of familiarity and intelligence, and can be rendered very simply. This example is classy, minimalist, and a great use of negative space.
Source: istock.com/lindybug
Lions, tigers, pumas, panthers: Looking for something that speaks of strength or loyalty? A lion could be the right choice.
Bears: With a variety of connotations from power (think bared teeth) to cuddly (Smokey the Bear comes to mind) bears can be highly adaptable as logo elements. The World Wildlife Fund logo is a great example of an animal logo that uses negative space.
Birds: A very classic choice with a wide variety of options to design with. Generally, birds symbolize freedom but they can also suggest peace, hope, and even intelligence. You can’t deny cute penguin logos do make a statement for many businesses.
Sheep, cows, chickens, llamas, alpacas: Farm animals in general are instantly recognizable and relatable for most potential clients, and if you're looking for a cute rendition of an animal for your logo, look no further than this category.
Horses: Horses give a feeling of a business that is fast and reliable at what they do. Horse logos usually show the swiftness and strength of this animal. It can represent power, desire, and movement.
Hedgehogs, pangolins, zebras, otters, and other slightly oddball animals: A great way to express your uniqueness as a company is to choose a mascot logo that isn't commonly found.
Fish, whales, sharks, dolphins, octopi and other sea creatures: Fish logos like whales, sharks, dolphins, octopi, and even the occasional narwhale may show up with any business related to the ocean. For example, seafood restaurant logos can use all living things of the ocean.
Butterflies, dragonflies, and other insects: The inclusion of winged creatures in general tends to add a little whimsy to a design, so if that's what you're looking for, this is a good place to start. Butterflies look nice on spa logos, for instance.
Unicorns, mermaids, dragons, and other mythical creatures: A classic example of this are the ever-increasing variations on the Starbucks logo, which utilizes a siren.
Source: brandsoftheworld.com
Deer: Stags are more typically found in design layouts, and lend a nobility to a logo. A good example is the John Deere logo.
Source: brandsoftheworld.com
Speaking of antlers..
These two things may not seem to go together all that well at first look. So what are they doing under the same subheading?
Well, they have two things in common: you can put them on anything for an immediate extra spark of interest to the design (literally crowning it), and they both make whatever they're on look extra fabulous.
Crowns: There are a lot of ways you can go with this. An ornate, more detailed crown can give a very rich, high-class feel to a logo. If you want to let your clients know that you're the tops at what you do, this would be a great element to include. Hallmark, of course, is a classic example of a well-known logo that utilizes a crown. It's simple and very recognizable.
As a common trend today is hand-drawn elements, however, an even more simple variation may be something to think about.
Antlers: Antlers can also be rendered as simply or as complex as you like, or as fits your brand image. There's a rusticism to them that is very appealing, and they have a nice framing effect to a business name or slogan as well. They're popularly combined with florals.
Both crowns and antlers can work into a design even if they don't seem to fit at first sight.
So when you're scribbling your design ideas on your piece of paper, try doing a little hand-drawn set of antlers or a crown on top, and see where it might take you.
Wordmark: A wordmark logo is one that involves a typographic presentation of the company name. Of course, there can be a lot of design involved within that typography. Especially when it comes to negative space, which is automatically going to be built into the word.
This is a great one that combines a unique font type and negative space to create a wordmark. Here's another with a clever twist.
Source: istock.com/iamguru
Lettermark: A lettermark logo , similar to a wordmark, is one that uses typography to simultaneously make its mark on the consciousness of the intended audience as an image, and also includes a few letters, such as the initials of a company name. IBM is an example.
Fonts: With such a wide range of font choices to choose from, there may be some interesting renditions of letters that are perfect for your logo.
Source: istock.com/Jobalou
Triangles, hexagons, octagons, squares, circles, hearts, stars, and other shapes: These geometric shapes may seem like they're too basic to add much to the design, but they're a great starting point. They can give you a field to build in or they can be incorporated into the background. With the use of basic shape psychology, designers can make outstanding logos.
Shape combinations: By combining basic shapes, you can make stylized, simplified versions of other things, like animals and foods.
Geometric animals: A trend right now, and a cool, origami-inspired look that will give your logo a boho feel.
Geometric texture fill: Also on trend, a texture-filled basic geometric shape can be a statement all on its own.
These can be especially arresting and appealing to the eye if they are hand-drawn elements.
Again, simple can be better when it comes to this kind of logo.
Florals aren't just a matter of flowers, either. We're talking about plants and foliage in general. Variations on leaves are popular as stand-alone elements, and things like dandelions have a lot of lasting appeal. That said, don't forget about the flowers.
Flowers and plants come in handy, especially when designing landscape logos or an agriculture logo designs.
Roses: A very classy choice for a logo element, roses usually give a vintage feel to a design.
Daisies: If you're looking for something sweet and simple, this is a classic direction.
Dandelions: Simple to draw, easy to make your own, and very appealing as a design element.
Leaves: Another possibility with enormous variety. Take a hint from nature and use a real leaf as a model, or draw your own. A few simple lines and you'll have a quick basis for the element.
Succulents and cacti: Unique, aesthetic, and easily rendered.
Source: istock.com/Lim Guik Khuan
Shields: Adding a feeling of class and nobility to your design, shields are a great basis for a design, and a lot can be added to them while keeping the basic shape as a background. Shields are a fitting element for education logos.
Source: freepik.com
Crests: An endlessly customizable option, crests lend themselves well to at least four different elements that can be combined to give your customer a good idea of what your company is about. For example in hotel logos or beer logos.
This might make it a little easier for you, if you're having trouble boiling your choices down to just one or two when it comes to your logo, but it's easy to get a little complicated since there's so much room.
Source: hookandirons.com
Abstract: There are no rules with abstract, so just remember to keep this simple. Think something like the Pepsi logo.
Source: 1000logos.net
Partial element: Think taking an element that you like and using just a portion of it, like the top half.
Colorblock: Maybe your color palette is what you like about your design. If that's the case, maybe colorblock is the choice for you.
Source: worldvectorlogo.com
Swooshes: A classic example of a swoosh is of course the Nike symbol. If you go looking for other examples, you'll find them, sometimes where you're not even expecting them. It's a very basic element that can still say a lot.
There's a lot of leeway when it comes to framing. You could have another element, like a small image, and frame that, or your brand name. Framing gives a nice finished feel to a logo, in particular often seen in photographer logos, and gives you another chance to express your creativity.
Source: istock.com/Ekaterina Romanova
Circular wreaths: Any type of line, leaves, vines, et al., that you choose, as long as it completely encapsulates your company name.
Partial wreaths: Much like above, except it may not entirely surround the element in the middle.
Florals or ivy: A lovely, attractive option for wreathing your logo.
Picture frame: The look of a Polaroid picture is very aesthetically appealing, as well as on trend.These are usually used in boutique logos or apparel logo designs.
Dotted, dots, straight, curved, looping: Basically, anything kind of line you can think of. These are also great framing elements, or for giving you a demarcation point between the image portion of your logo and the typography.
Arrows: A popular trend right now is arrows that are lines with triangular heads as seen in CPA logos or bookkeeping logos. They can be as simple or as complex as you like, and the irregular, handmade look is a great aesthetic.
Source: istock.com/Ekaterina Romanova
Sun, moon, stars, planets, and comets: Sure to give your design an epic feel.
Mountains: Rendered tiny and hand-drawn or as a background for your business name, snow-capped or desert-like dunes, mountains are an interesting possibility. They are often used in outdoor camp logos or resort logos.
Oceans and waves: Oceans may be a little hard to render into a logo on their own, but the motion of the waves can inspire you.
Source: istock.com/bonezboyz
Oaks, palms, maples, and other trees: These can look especially impressive when hand drawn or letter-pressed.
Does your business lend itself easily to a certain iconic image?
It might have a direct connection, depending on what your wares and services are. Or there might be something about an object that just feels right, or that means something to you personally. Either way, here are a few possibilities to consider.
Paper airplanes, light bulbs, feathers, sailboats: These choices may seem somewhat random - and they are - but they have a definite aesthetic appeal, can be used for a variety of businesses, and can also be rendered simply as travel logos our tour operator logos.
Ice cream, pizza, pineapples, and other food: Everyone relates to food-based choices, right? Pineapples especially are found in a lot of design these days, but again, there is a lot of room for variety. Food items can be used in restaurant logos or bakery logo designs.
Classic cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and other vehicles:These can give a logo a kitschy, vintage feel. These moving carriers are fit for automotive logo designs, bike logos, car wash logos or mover company logos.
Source: moziru.com
Hand-drawn element choices: If you comb through design markets or Pinterest boards, you'll see a lot of vector image packs that advertise themselves as hand drawn or handmade.
Just like homemade meals tend to be more appealing than what you can order at your local Denny's, hand drawn design has a special appeal to it that is impossible to ignore.
Though it depends to a large extent on whether or not it is appropriate for your business and the image you desire to project, choosing a hand drawn element could be a good option for you. It tends to give the logo a more personal touch, which is useful when it comes to drawing in customers, who want to feel that they are going to be treated as individuals by you or your company.
No matter which way you decide to go with your branding decisions, the journey to get there may tell you some surprising things about your business, what values you want it to reflect, and even about yourself.
With so many options, take your time and experiment. At the end of your logo journey, your very own kickass iconic brand awaits.
*This post was originally published on Logo Design Guru.
Written by Raquel Addams
