The following logo design tips are not in any methodical order as all 5 tips should be considered simultaneously from the start of a project to the end.
The 5 tips below are only a suggestion for an effective approach towards logo design projects. There is not really a right or wrong way to design logos but hopefully the following will help.

1. The Concept

It is very important when designing a logo that you spend time developing ideas so that you have a solid foundation for the concept. This development does not have to visually be anything overly fancy just some rough sketches within a sketch book often does the trick as the important thing at this stage is the idea/s for the logo. The final result will certainly benefit from a well thought out concept. By spending time developing ideas with a pencil and sketch pad you improve your chances of developing a great new logo to suit a particular purpose.

2. Research

Look at logo designs currently being used within the area that your logo is intended for by doing a quick search on the internet or referring to books about logo design if you have any. It is often most insightful to see how other designers have communicated something through a logo for your particular market. It is important not to copy another logo but seeing the work of other designers can be most inspirational and can really help to get the initial ideas flowing.

3. The Visual Message

What are you trying to communicate with the logo and is this message being delivered? An excellent test to see how well a logo works is to ask other designers and people you know what they see when they look at the logo. There are also many logo design sites that allow you to submit your designs so that you may receive constructive criticism but do be prepared for some occasionally harsh criticism as different people will appreciate different logos for a wide variety of reasons.

4. Simplicity

A Simple logo design will help to deliver the intended message with clarity. This is especially important if you have a subtle concept incorporated within the design as you do not want the visual message to be missed because there was too much for the viewer to take in. Simple logos will usually also reproduce better when they need to be printed at smaller sizes as logos containing lots of details will loose their clarity when scaled down to very small sizes.

5. Never Over Do It!

This is similar to being simplistic with your logo but this is a common mistake made by many when it comes to creating a new logo. If you try to incorporate too many ideas / themes into a logo it will probably become too busy and the visual message will be lost. Trying to incorporate more than one symbol / graphical element also does not usually look very professional. Try to keep in mind that a logo is not the same as a graphic as a logo needs to be more versatile especially when it comes to reproducing the design at different sizes.

About the Author

Logo Design Monster: UK based graphic design studio with a passion for logo design, web design, graphic design, illustration and more recently blogging.

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