A Winning Logo Design Process
Momentum, unlimited iterations, and an enjoyable experience
What makes a great logo design process, anyway? Many designers have their own style and variation on the process. After understanding the client’s goals and problems to solve, conducting research on both the subject matter/history and previous design work/relevant styles, a big part of making a great logo is a thorough design process.
A design process that allows for experimentation, but quick iterations and not getting stuck on perfecting anything or sticking to an idea early on, is what I emphasize.
I’ve shown this video to many designers on my team at Now Creative Group over the years, but it’s easy to get lost/forget about it on YouTube — so I’m posting it here to share to even more designers, people who sell marketing/creative services, and business owners/anyone who has commissioned a logo.
In the video above, Aaron Draplin takes on a logo design challenge (from the team at Lynda.com), where he creates a dozen iterations of a logo for a fictional construction company. (Not the most interesting company, but simply watching the process is inspiring).
“Most logos aren’t designed in fifteen minutes, but most designers aren’t Aaron Draplin.”
It’s not about the timeline to finished product here, though. As described by Lynda.com, Aaron is a Portland fixture by way of the Midwest, the owner of Draplin Design Co., and an advocate of “blue collar” design: design that works.
I’ve watched him speak live (well, a webinar at an RGD event in Toronto) and am always entertained by his presentation style.
Aaron sketches, brings his ideas into Illustrator, and tests and tunes the different iterations. I also love that he shows the designs in-context right away, such as a on a t-shirt mockup. The logos he creates prove design can elevate any company or brand. As part of the video, he provides tips for freelancing, finding inspiration, and providing clients context for logos that won’t just live in PDFs — so watch the whole video when you have a chance!
