Many organizations, from charities to governments to private businesses, represent themselves through symbols and logos. Symbols and logos use imagery, text or a combination of the two to convey an important message about the company. A well designed symbol evokes an emotion such as joy, contentment, exhilaration, hunger, thirst or even fear. It need not be complex to be effective or memorable. On the contrary, many designers feel that simpler is better.
Instructions
1. Research first. Find out what your competitors are doing. Your logo should be original and stand out from the crowd without using imagery that has negative connotations. For example, the swastika is a traditional symbol in India but creates an extremely negative impression in the United States and Europe.
2. Clarify the message you want to convey. What do you want the viewer to feel? For example, if you want the viewer to associate your company with flight and grace, use feathers or other images associated with these feelings.
3. Decide on the shape. Certain shapes are harder to reproduce than others. A square design may fit in more easily with packaging than a circular motif. An unusual shape such as a heptagon or octagon may be more memorable to the viewer than the common rectangle.
4. Decide on the colors. Purchase a color wheel, and be aware of how colors work with and against each other to create feelings. Cool colors such as blue evoke a sense of aloofness and reserve. Warmer colors such as brown evoke earthiness and approachability.
5. Keep it simple. The design does not have to convey everything anyone needs to know about your company or organization at one glance. Furthermore, elaborate details get lost from a distance, muting the impact of the message you are trying to send. A few letters against a contrasting background typically work well.
6. Use software to transfer your vision of your symbol or logo from your head to paper. Adobe illustrator is one such program that allows users to manipulate symbols and logos. You can use the finished product both online and in printed materials. Check with your local library to see if you can borrow a copy of the program.
