Researching Before You Design

Name: Researching Before You Design
Author: Joseph Tury

Understand the questions and concepts needed to start the logo creation process

Preview the first lesson free — get full access to all 7 lessons.

Course: On-Demand

In this lesson, you will learn about the questions to ask yourself before you begin the process of designing a logo. It's always best to have a strong outline to consider before jumping into sketching and illustrating. You may not have all the answers right away, but at least you will have a good understanding of what to consider. In the very least, consider these three questions. Who is the client? Who is the intended audience? And where will the logo be displayed? The first thing you should consider is who the client is. You may be designing the logo for your own brand, or you may be designing one for another business. So ask yourself, what business are you designing for? Examples may include an outdoors company, a cycling company, the fitness industry, a businessman in the financial field, someone in the food service industry, or perhaps a farmer. Each of these clients are unique to one another and the audience of one may not be the audience of the other. You may be able to come up with some similarities between these examples, but in the long run, they all have their own niche. If you were designing for an outdoor adventure company, for example, think about some of the terms you would associate with the brand like this. What kind of gear would they use? What do you think their attitude on living in a big city would be? Where are they located? And are they geared for the rugged outdoors or maybe more of a casual weekend hiker? Write down everything you can think of about your client. Next, who is the intended audience of the company or client you're designing for? Are you trying to get the attention of business people in a certain professional field? Are you designing for a more casual audience? What age range would the audience be for the product? Is it geared towards older people who tend to have more income or younger people with less disposable income? Are you designing for a certain gender or is it more gender neutral? Certain brands may require you to narrow the audience down more than others. As an example.

Intermediate Provider : Joseph Tury 7 Lessons · 28m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese

Course Description

You have graphic design knowledge, know how to use Adobe products, and have either been asked to create a logo or have decided to make one for yourself. However, you are not entirely sure where to begin. Should you jump into a software application or maybe start sketching on a piece of paper? And why do some logos just have text while others contain text and graphics? How do designers choose the colors to use for a logo and do the color choices really matter?

In these lessons, you will learn the process of research and development as you begin your logo design. You will learn to recognize (or create) a brand identity, what your color considerations might be, why you should avoid following trends, and what the difference is between a logo type and a logo mark. We’ll also begin the sketching stage of logo design, where you’ll take your first steps as a logo specialist.

What You'll Learn

Prepare and research before beginning to design a logo
Identify and explain brand identity for a logo project
Evaluate color concepts and understand the impact of color choices
Distinguish between a logotype and a logo mark
Research similar logo surfaces and recognize why to avoid following trends
Sketch and prototype your first logo design

Key Takeaways

Logo design begins with a process of research and development rather than jumping straight into software.
Recognizing or creating a brand identity is a foundational step in designing a logo.
Color choices carry impact and are an important consideration in logo design.
A logotype and a logo mark are different things, and the course explains that distinction.
The course covers the sketching and prototyping stage as the first steps of becoming a logo specialist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this course for?

It is for people who already have graphic design knowledge and know how to use Adobe products, and who have been asked to create a logo or have decided to make one but are unsure where to begin.

What will this course teach me about logos?

You will learn the research and development process for logo design, how to recognize or create a brand identity, your color considerations, why you should avoid following trends, and the difference between a logotype and a logo mark.

Does the course include hands-on design work?

Yes. It begins the sketching stage of logo design, where you take your first steps as a logo specialist, including sketching and prototyping a logo design.

What topics do the lessons cover?

Lessons cover questions to ask yourself, defining your brand, researching similar logo surfaces, color concepts and considerations, design trends, logomark vs. logotype, and sketching and prototyping a logo design.

What skills does this course help develop?

It supports skills in brand design, brand identity, brand style guides, branding, identity design, and logo design.