Logo Design Love : A Guide to Creating Iconic Brand Identities

by Airey, David

• ISBN13: 9780321660763
• ISBN10: 0321660765
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-12-20
• Publisher: New Riders

Summary

There are a lot of books out there that show collections of logos. But David Aireyrs"s "Logo Design Love" is something different: itrs"s a guide for designers (and clients) who want to understand what this mysterious business is all about. Written in reader-friendly, concise language, with a minimum of designer jargon, Airey gives a surprisingly clear explanation of the process, using a wide assortment of real-life examples to support his points. Anyone involved in creating visual identities, or wanting to learn how to go about it, will find this book invaluable. - Tom Geismar, Chermayeff & Geismar InLogo Design Love, Irish graphic designer David Airey brings the best parts of his wildly popular blog of the same name to the printed page. Just as in the blog, David fills each page of this simple, modern-looking book with gorgeous logos and real world anecdotes that illustrate best practices for designing brand identity systems that last. David not only shares his experiences working with clients, including sketches and final results of his successful designs, but uses the work of many well-known designers to explain why well-crafted brand identity systems are important, how to create iconic logos, and how to best work with clients to achieve success as a designer. Contributors include Gerard Huerta, who designed the logos forTimemagazine and Waldenbooks; Lindon Leader, who created the current FedEx brand identity system as well as the CIGNA logo; and many more. Readers will learn: Why one logo is more effective than another How to create their own iconic designs What sets some designers above the rest Best practices for working with clients 25 practical design tips for creating logos that last

Author Biography

A self-employed graphic designer from Northern Ireland, David Airey writes two of the most popular graphic design blogs on the Internet: www.davidairey.com and www.logodesignlove.com. David's blogs have attracted hundreds of thousands of loyal fans who read and are inspired by his writing every day.

Table of Contents

Introduction
The importance of brand identity
No escape!	p. 2
It's the stories we tell	p. 8
None genuine without this signature	p. 9
A logoless company is a faceless man	p. 10
Seen by millions	p. 11
Only if the Queen agrees	p. 12
Symbols transcend boundaries	p. 13
Identity design as part of our language	p. 18
Rethinking the importance of brand identity	p. 21
Elements of iconic design	p. 22
Keep it simple	p. 22
Make it relevant	p. 25
Incorporate tradition	p. 28
Aim for distinction	p. 30
Commit to memory	p. 33
Think small	p. 34
Focus on one thing	p. 36
The seven ingredients in your signature dish	p. 38
Remember that rules are made to be broken	p. 39
The process of design
Laying the groundwork	p. 42
Shaking out the jitters	p. 42
It's all in the design brief	p. 43
Gathering preliminary information	p. 44
Asking the tougher questions	p. 45
Give your client time and space	p. 48
But maintain the focus	p. 48
Homework time	p. 48
Assembling the design brief	p. 49
A mission and some objectives hold the key	p. 50
Field research to the rescue	p. 53
Bringing the details of client discussions to life	p. 56
Culling the adjectives supplied by the client	p. 59
Skirting the hazards of a redesign	p. 62
What are the reasons for rebranding?	p. 63
Don't squeeze too hard	p. 63
When emotions run high	p. 67
Answers often lie in focus groups	p. 68
From "unresponsive" to "caring"	p. 69
Maybe just some tweaking?	p. 72
Remember your manners	p. 75
Pricing design	p. 76
The design pricing formula	p. 76
Hourly rates or a set fee?	p. 81
Handling print costs	p. 82
Receipt of a down payment	p. 84
The money exchange	p. 85
Spec work	p. 87
Everyone makes mistakes	p. 89
From pencil to PDF	p. 90
Mind-mapping	p. 90
The fundamental necessity of the sketchpad	p. 96
The Tenth Commandment	p. 98
Pinning the map	p. 102
Internationally recognized	p. 104
No set time	p. 107
Dress for success	p. 109
Black and white before color	p. 111
Where Photoshop comes into play	p. 114
The pen is mightier than the mouse	p. 116
The art of the conversation	p. 118
Deal with the decision-maker	p. 119
Conspire to help	p. 124
Avoid intermediation	p. 126
Take control	p. 128
Keep the committee involved	p. 132
Don't forget to under-promise and then over-deliver	p. 134
Swallow that pride	p. 136
Keep the fires burning
Staying motivated	p. 144
Never stop learning	p. 145
Be four years ahead	p. 147
Create for you	p. 148
Step away from the computer	p. 149
Balance your life	p. 150
Journey back in time	p. 150
Show relentless desire	p. 151
But don't overwork yourself	p. 151
We all get stuck, no matter who we are	p. 152
Start on the right foot, and stay on the right foot	p. 153
Find common ground	p. 153
Deadline looming	p. 154
Think laterally	p. 155
Improve how you communicate	p. 156
Manage your expectations	p. 156
Always design	p. 157
Follow your bliss	p. 157
Not everyone is as fortunate	p. 159
Your questions answered	p. 160
Similar looking logos	p. 160
Rights of use	p. 161
Online portfolio creation	p. 162
Seal the deal	p. 167
Overseas clients	p. 168
How many concepts?	p. 169
Friends and family	p. 170
Design revisions	p. 171
Project time frames	p. 172
Researching the competition	p. 173
Internships	p. 173
Worst client project	p. 174
Tools of the trade	p. 175
Handling the workload	p. 176
Who owns what?	p. 177
25 practical logo design tips	p. 178
Questions, questions, questions	p. 178
Understand print costs	p. 179
Expect the unexpected	p. 179
A logo doesn't need to say what a company does	p. 180
Not every logo needs a mark	p. 180
One thing to remember	p. 181
Don't neglect the sketchpad	p. 182
Leave trends to the fashion industry	p. 183
Step away from Photoshop	p. 183
Work in black and white	p. 184
Keep it relevant	p. 184
Remember legibility	p. 185
Be consistent	p. 185
Match the type to the mark	p. 186
Offer a single-color version	p. 186
Pay attention to contrast	p. 187
Aid recognition	p. 187
Test at a variety of sizes	p. 187
Reverse it	p. 188
Turn it upside down	p. 188
Consider trademarking your design	p. 189
Don't neglect the substrate	p. 190
Don't be afraid of mistakes	p. 190
A logo is not a brand	p. 190
Remember, it's a two-way process	p. 191
Design resources Help from elsewhere	p. 192
Graphic design blogs	p. 192
Iconic designers	p. 193
Recommended books	p. 194
Index Looking for something?	p. 198
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.