Behind the Scenes! A Project From Start To Finish
Have you ever wondered how I make a logo? In this post I’ll be going over my personal process for designing a logo from finding inspiration all the way to creating the final product.
MEETING WITH THE CLIENT & GATHERING INSPIRATION:
The first step in the design process is always meeting with the client to talk about their vision for the project! In this case, I was designing a logo for a fabric company called “Holland Lane.” The owner of the business had spent part of her life living in the Netherlands and wanted a dutch inspired brand (that felt unique of course!) The client and I are both huge fans of Delft so I spent a good deal of time researching the history of Delft patterns and colors. I also spent some time reading up on the architecture of the Netherlands, specifically the row houses in Amsterdam.
SKETCHING:
The next step is sketching! When I do my sketches, I work very fast and dirty. The whole purpose is to get some rough ideas down on paper to give myself a good idea of some potential compositions and layouts.
Once I’ve picked out some sketches that I’m happy with, I create a more finalized and clean version of the sketches for the client to look at. In this case, we had agreed that I would send 5 sketch options (the number of sketches you will provide is one of the most important things to put in your contract by the way!) The sketches still are not perfect at all, but they give the client a good solid idea of what the overall composition and design will look like. I always present the first round of “sketches” to the client in a single color. That way they can focus on the overall layout and design without getting distracted by colors. (PS: Option 5 had an “e” when I sent it to the client, but somewhere along the line it got erased haha.)
ROUND 1 OF THE DESIGN:
After the client has picked the sketch option they like best, and has sent me some feedback, I get busy working on a finalized design for them to check out. In this case, I took the two versions of the design that the client liked best and worked on some variations of the design. A good design will work in a wide range of formats and at lots of sizes. In this case, both designs were fun, but I felt that version 1 would be the most versatile and practical. At the end of the day, I always let the client pick, but I’m always sure to include my professional opinion and to give them the pros and cons of each option. It’s at this point that I also start introducing some more color into the designs. In this case, the client liked mustard, and I also included a bright blue that was directly inspired from Delft blue.
ROUND 2 OF THE DESIGN:
After looking at the round 1 revisions, the client sent some more feedback and I put together the final designs! We added some new colors and got rid of some others. Here are a few pages from the final style guide that I sent the client at the end. I always send a style guide that includes all the logo variations, how to use the logo in different formats, and also colors and font profiles that will go along with the brand. Once the client has approved the final designs I package everything and send it over to them!
PHOTOGRAPHING AND DOCUMENTING THE PROJECT
I had a teacher who once said “If you don’t take a picture, it didn't happen.” Once you’ve finished a project that you’re proud of, it’s important to document it and add it to your portfolio! Make sure to present your work head on in a way that clearly displays your design. Photograph your work in natural light and don’t be afraid to play around with props, they can be a great way to show scale and set the scene! Now add the project to your website, post about it on social media and maybe make a couple pins featuring your finished project!
Want to learn more about Hand Lettering and Composition? Check out my online classes! LEARN HAND LETTERING. LEARN COMPOSITION AND DESIGN.