Have you ever had to design a logo fast? Not
one of those timeless, soul-searching logos
for which you need a creative brief, but something
light -- maybe for a project or an organization
or just to brand an event. Key is, you need
it fast -- like, by lunch. Here's an idea.
Set your words, making sure your most important
word is in the center, and make it big. Place
guides, and align your words, top and bottom,
to those guides. Then enclose the words you've
just made in a shape. Fill that shape, and
if it's a medium value like we have here,
go ahead and color your main word a lighter
color, just to create contrast. Embellish
with some lines, and just like that, you have
it.
Here's a variation. Start by setting your
words the same as before, and make the same
adjustments as before. This time, however,
instead of enclosing all the words in a shape,
enclose only your primary word in a rectangle.
Fill it, and embellish it with an outline.
Now, draw a circle around the remaining words.
Send the circle to the back, fill it with
color, and embellish it with the same outline.
And just like that, you have a handsome logo
that can serve as an emblem for your book
club.
A final example. You may need to badge an
event. In this case, Hot Pink is having a
5K walk-run to raise cancer awareness. The
problem is that their focal point, 5K, is
very short, and so their shape ends up being
a mere rectangle. Go ahead and draw that rectangle,
and fill it. Then, work off the angles of
that K, and give it a little skew. And just
like that, you have a handsome badge, simply.
That's your design for today. These and hundreds
of other tips are available in print at the
Before & After Web site. This is John McWade
at Before & After magazine.
