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Deadly Sin of Logo Design #1: Can’t Work In Solid Black
Multi-color or 3D logos are not bad, it’s just not where you start. A well designed logo, one that works in solid black, can always be embellished. The reverse is often not true.
Deadly Sin of Logo Design #2: Lack of Mass
Lack of mass will make a logo harder to see, especially at small sizes or at a distance, while those with good mass are easier to see.
Deadly Sin of Logo Design #3: Obscure Contrast
It doesn’t matter what you’ve designed if it can not be seen. Contrast is a physical reality rooted in value.
Deadly Sin of Logo Design #4: Wayward Parts (Parts Out of Harmony)
Any part that does fit with the other parts is wayward. It may also create the wrong mood for the company.
Deadly Sin of Logo Design #5: Overlapped Elements
Overlapped elements was common more than a hundred years ago but those companies figured out that it reduced legibility. It still does.
Deadly Sin of Logo Design #6: Unrefined Shapes
The word “design” implies care in rendering. There is no place for
sloppy work in identity design.
Deadly Sin of Logo Design #7: Tiny Elements, Thin Lines
In both the print and the digital world, tiny elements or fine lines cause real problems in logos.
If you take away all of the Seven Deadly Sins of Logo Design, What’s Left?
People think that constraints limit creativity. The truth is that real creativity only flourishes with constraints.
Logo Design Visual Technique #1: Containment
Containment can be as shallow as putting a shape around a signature or it can be the saving grace of a good design.
Logo Design Visual Technique #2: Planar and Silhouette
Planar shapes represent shadows with solid shapes. Silhouettes show an overall contour with solid shapes. Both techniques can make good logos.
Logo Design Visual Technique #3: Fragmentation
Breaking solid shapes into discrete, separate shapes is a valuable tool for logo design.
Logo Design Visual Technique #4: Unique Coincidence
With every client there may be unique letter combinations together with their corporate activity, ideals or name that can allow a truly great identity.
Recent Posts
- FInal Word
- Working at Creativity
- Responsive Websites, Avatars and Favicons
- Learning from the Past
- Correction at a Cost
- Famous Fails
- Good Trends in 21st Century Identity Design
- Deadly Sin of Logo Design #7 Fixed: Omitting Thin Lines or Tiny Shapes
- Deadly Sin of Logo Design #6 Fixed: Making More Refined Shapes
- Deadly Sin of Logo Design #5 Fixed: Having No Overlapping Elements