Simplicity and Design

Simple

“Simplicity is not the goal. It is the by-product of a good idea and modest expectations.”

-Paul Rand

Simple logos aid recognition.  Because memory recall and recognition is exactly what you should be going for, simple is a good choice.  Complex logos can be hard to remember, and difficult to distinguish from a distance.  Recognizable and memorable logos ease the path to company branding, which is the ultimate purpose of the company logo.  Simple sticks.  Simple sells.

Mayday!  Mayday! Most professional logo designers have learned through years of experience, what makes a great logo.  While it is important to know what to do, it is also valuable to know which traps to stay away from.  In the very competitive world of design, you want to be sure that you stay at the top, or work your way up there.  By staying away from a few logo design faux pas, your work will progress and you will be successful.  This section will educate you on the logo design pitfalls and how to avoid them.  Although some of these things are tempting, and often trap amateur designers, following these “don’t you dare” tips will set you apart from the others.

Don’t over think it.

“We are dying from over thinking. We are slowly killing ourselves by thinking about everything. Think. Think. Think. You can never trust the human mind anyway. It’s a death trap.”- Anthony Hopkins

Many people want to splash their design with metaphorical meaning, or complicate the design using industry cliché’s.  You are trying to appeal to the masses that will see your logo.  If they are not in the industry, chances are, they won’t even understand it.  Keep it simple enough for the most common person to understand and remember.  If you choose to add a splash of industry undertone, be sure it is still intelligible to those who do not recognize it as such.  The Nike logo harbors a deeper meaning than just an easily remembered swoosh.  Nike was the name of a Greek goddess.  She was the goddess of victory.  The Nike logo is supposed to represent her wing in the famous Greek statue.  The Nike logo was designed in 1971, by Carolyn Davidson, for a mere $35.00USD.

Leave a Reply