Vector graphics are something that looks exactly like bitmap images but is absolutely different. Vector graphics are not reliant on resolution. In this post, I will talk about why it can be important for your next corporate identity design.

• Creating them is easy: The most interesting thing about vector graphics is that they are easy to create but they provide a look that is similar to complex designs. Use Corel Draw, Adobe Illustrator and Macromedia Freehand. Unleash your creativity and provide your clients with a design like never before.
• Small files: Vector image files are small in size. They are not dependent on color depth and due to their small size, they can be shared and viewed easily. This is one of the reasons why, vector graphics are a good choice for your logo design.
• Re-editing is easy: There's no telling that the design you create will be perfect in the first try. You may need to re-edit it to fit the needs of your client. The components are so flexible that when you edit, there's no need to re-do the whole design. You can edit the areas which needed to be edited.
• Scalable drawing: You can scale vector graphics to whatever size you feel fit, without compromising with the quality. This is a real flexible aspect which makes it a great choice for company brand logo design.
• Look attractive in print and are more aesthetically appealing: Vector graphics look gorgeous in print and because of their clarity and precision, they provide an aesthetically pleasant appearance to the logo you are creating. This is why, when you print them, vector logos look good, irrespective of the size.
• Zero image distortion: You can forget about distorting images when you work with vector graphics. It lets you enlarge images the way you want to and use them in different sizes. There is no pixelation or blur when you enlarge them.
• Suits detailed illustrations, animation and presentations perfectly: Vector graphics use lines and they provide a clarity of look. If you want to create detailed illustrations, presentations or animations, they are a good choice because they allow you to easily convey what you want to convey. In short, they make things more understandable to the audience.
   

Conclusion

Vector graphics can be saved in various formats other than the default EPS such as PDF, AI and PSD. As you've just found out, they are great for using in corporate identity design. However, if you are creating font based logo design, you can get something creative from the web to juice it up.
 

A logo is the face of a company and changing an old, famous logo design is always a challenging task. However, before you set off on giving your old logo the desired face-lift, you must understand why redesigning is important, despite being risky.

Generally, companies will change their business logo design to fulfill three qualities - boost a company’s brand value by reestablishing their brand identity, reconnect with the audience, and convey the new brand message to its target consumers.

How You Can Turn Your Old Logo Design into a New Design

People are familiar with your old logo design. So, don’t change the design drastically as it may confuse your loyal customers. Keep the main framework and modify the color or shape to give your logo a new look. For instance, Windows changed the color in their new logo, but maintained the same framework. However, if your current design does not match with your revised brand identity, consider changing the logo completely.

You can choose 1-2 elements from your previous logo and add new elements for a successful redesign. However, you must identify the elements that are best related with your corporate identity design and use only those in your new logo. For instance, Apple changed their logo several times. In the 1980’s, they came up with a multicolored logo that changed in the 1990’s to black, and more recently, to white. However, in all these redesigns, they have never replaced the famous half eaten apple symbol.

Make sure the new design is simple, yet appealing. Your logo must help your consumers understand your brand value and create a positive buzz in the market. Also, your new logo must be original. Check the logos of companies in your niche and make sure to not duplicate your competitor’s design.

There is a difference between simple design and unattractive design. If your current logo looks garish, tone down the flashy elements for the new design, but don’t lose the aesthetic appeal. For instance, in the past 30 years, Nike has removed their brand name from their logo and changed the angle of their famous swoosh, however, have maintained uniqueness to retain loyal customers.

If you want to change the font style in your new logo, make sure that the new font matches your brand image. For instance, if you sell dolls like “Barbie”, you can’t use a “AT&T” business style font in your business logo design.

Remember to never follow a design trend. If you design a logo following a current trend, a few years later, your logo may become old and outdated.

Most people associated with the creative industry will admit being torn between personal and client projects occasionally. While personal projects are essential for fulfilling one's creative urges and promoting oneself, taking up client projects is important for financial reasons. So, how can you maintain the perfect balance between the two? Here are few simple guidelines.

Invest One Day Every Week for Handling Personal Projects

Investing one day for completing personal brand logo design projects will allow you to concentrate and provide your mind with a break from commercial tasks. You would do what you love on this day and this will automatically relax your mind. We are confident that when you take up the corporate identity design project of the client on the next day, you will feel relaxed and positive.

Utilize the Benefits of Outsourcing

If you feel overwhelmed by the pressure of juggling client and personal projects, consider outsourcing some of the projects. Get in touch with any logo design company to hire a responsible designer who will complete assigned projects within the stated deadline.

Pay Attention to your Finances

Completing client projects is essential because unless you get money, you will not be able to pay your bills. Therefore, avoid getting involved with your personal projects to the extent that you start ignoring client projects. Consider the fact that such a strategy can have a negative impact on your financial career.

To stay on the safe side, calculate the number of client projects you need to take up everyday for fulfilling your financial goals. If you are planning to invest few solid days for personal projects, save beforehand. This way, you can fulfill your financial goals, even while handling personal projects.

Adding Some Variety in Your Personal Projects can Be a Great Idea

It is true that personal projects allow you to fulfill your creative urges. You can further explore your creative urges by incorporating variety in your personal projects. For example, you can invest few hours a day for blogging and spend the rest for developing freebies. If you want, you can also spend few hours for pursuing your hobbies or interests.

Many designers have the misconception that one should take up personal projects only during his free time. Following such a strategy, however, can burn you out and fail to take forward your creative career. For paying your bills and boosting your creative career, maintaining the delicate balance between client and paid projects is critical.

Visual weight refers to the concept that every design element possesses a particular weight. This concept allows designers to develop symmetry, balance,and visual hierarchy in designs. When implemented intelligently, visual weight helps designers to guide visitors' eyes towards intended elements.

In this post, we will discuss the concept of visual weight and the factors that influence it.

What Does Visual Weight Refer To?

Visual weight emphasizes on the idea that particular elements in any logo or corporate identity design possess varying heaviness, as compared to other elements. In certain cases, visual weight is easy to understand. For example, large-scale items appear heavier than small-scale objects because they occupy greater space.

However, it is not always easy to identify which elements are heavier than others. Let us assume that few people are asked to compare blue with black, against a white background. While some people would find the black as visually heavier, others will consider blue as the heavier color.

Factors that Affect Visual Weight

Color

It is true that colors have respective visual weight. Certain colors appear heavier than others. Also, saturated and darker colors attract more attention than unsaturated and lighter colors. In general, it is believed that red is the heaviest color, with yellow being the lightest.

Recently, some psychologists have also pointed out hue as another factor affecting visual weight of a color. For example, if you compare red and blue (both of them possessing similar lightness and saturation), you would find red heavier than blue. This has encouraged some psychologists to declare that hue has a powerful impact on the visual weight of a color.

If you want to provide users with an aesthetically appealing experience, avoid using only heavier colors in your brand logo design. Rather, stick to a single heavier color and balance it by opting for a lighter color.

Contrast

Contrast can make a design appear heavier, as compared to others. This is because contrast highlights particular aspects of a design, thus assigning more weight to them.

If one of your designs appear heavier because of its high contrast against the background, achieve visual hierarchy by taking help of other factors, such as color and size.

Size

Size is another important factor that influences visual weight of a design. As compared to a smaller design, a bigger design would obviously appear heavier because it would take up greater space.

This means that if you are planning to incorporate a larger design in your website, balance out the weight by using a smaller design.

Achieving visual balance in designs may not be an exactly easy task because it highly depends on instinct of the designer. Still, you can consider these tips for acquiring a basic idea about visual weight. In case you require professional help, getting in touch with a logo design company would be the perfect idea.

Most people will agree with the fact that the focal point of any logo design firm is 'the client' As a logo designer, client is the main source of your income and plays a critical role in the growth and survival of your business.

Unfortunately, working with some clients may turn out to be a traumatic experience. While few clients try to dominate the designer, others do not stay in touch regularly. This delays the project, with the client refusing to take responsibility for the delay later.

If you want to enjoy a stress-free working experience, avoiding such wrong clients can be a great idea. To simplify things, we discuss few types of clients that a designer should avoid. Of course, it may not be always possible to understand personality of the client beforehand. Still, in certain situations, you can consider these points to avoid a potentially drastic situation.

1) Clients who Believe They Know Everything

Some clients think that they possess in-depth knowledge about designs and force designers to implement their ideas. They are usually egoistic and think that they possess the best knowledge. Even if the designer tries to convince them that a particular idea may not earn appreciation, they will stick to their opinion.

Working with clients usually results in wastage of time and energy.

2) Clients who Do Not Bother about Anything

These clients are diametrically opposite to the above-mentioned client type. They remain detached from the project and do not care about activities of the designer. They possess a vague idea about the project and feel confused, when asked for suggestions.

Also, they do not stay in regular touch with the designer. This may lead to confusion and delays. Therefore, avoiding such clients can be a great idea.

3) Clients who Force Designers to Rush Through a Project

Sometimes, you may come across clients who expect you to complete a project within an impossible deadline. They consider designers as pizza delivery persons who should come up with designs within few minutes.

Such clients usually do not expect quality work and underestimate amount of time required to complete a design project. Avoid collaborating with such clients because they can tarnish your reputation.

4) Clients who are Obsessed with Bargains and Discounts

Some clients ask for discounts and bargains, irrespective of the situation, terms and conditions. Even if you quote a fixed price, they would still try to negotiate. They fail to understand the fact that designing a logo is hard work and also undermine value of a creative design. Working with these clients is definitely not worth it!

5) Clients who Want 'Perfect' Designs

Sometimes, you may come across clients who are looking for perfect designs. If you work for them, chances are high that you would face difficulty in fulfilling their requirements because no specific definition of a 'perfect' design exists. Therefore, rejecting projects of such clients can be a great idea.

We discussed few client types that may prevent you from enjoying the experience of creating innovative brand logo design or corporate identity design. For best results, stick to clients who appreciate your efforts and trust your instincts.

Many people assume that timeless logo design and classic logo is same. However, this is a wrong concept. The main reason why people feel confused is because both fall into the category of innovative designs that are worthy of discussions and future references.

Also, both of these types share several common features. This in turn, confuses people. Today, in this post, we would define timeless and classic logos. Thereafter, we will discuss strategies that will help you to create a timeless or classic design.

Timeless Logo

Timeless logo refers to a creation that avoids relying on current trends. Rather, it transcends the limitation of time and manages to attract attention of people belonging to different generations-old and new. The logo of MTV can be a good example of timeless business logo design.

The original MTV logo opted for bright colors, such as yellow and red, which imparted it a loud image. The design earned appreciation because it wanted to represent spirit of the younger generation-loud, rebellious, and brash. The bright color scheme helped the logo to fulfill its purposes perfectly.

Current logo of MTV relies entirely on black and white for conveying its message. It also utilizes negative space intelligently for highlighting the alphabets 'M', 'T', and 'V. Additionally, the new logo removed the tagline 'Music Television' that was present in the original logo.

Classic Logo

Classic logo refers to the one that has successfully implemented an important principle of logo design-adaptability. This means that a classic logo does not demand any changes, irrespective of the current trend. Classic logo has the ability to adapt to any environment and this feature differentiates it from timeless logo design.

Unlike a classic design, a timeless design may require changes occasionally (as explained in the above example).

ABC logo can be the best example of a classic logo. It is simple, powerful, scalable and do not require any modifications.

Creating a Timeless or Classic Logo

• Do not opt for current trends. Rather come up with a design that people would appreciate even after a long time
• Creativity plays the most critical role in the logo design industry. Therefore, try to be innovative
• Ensure that the logo conveys values and messages of the company perfectly
• Emphasize on simplicity. Avoiding creating a logo that involves complicated shapes and designs
• Avoid using colors as a medium to convey your message. Ensure that your logo appears attractive, both in color as well as black and white version

Hope our post helped you to understand the difference between timeless and classic logo. You can also consider these tips to creating interesting corporate identity design. Enjoy!

When you are providing logo design solutions as a professional to corporate clients, it's natural that you would want to market yourself. To market yourself well in the design field, there's no comparison to a portfolio. You should not only include a variety of work examples of yours but also follow some steps so that you don't leave negative impression to any potential client.

• Refrain from using tag lines. Keep in mind that you are a designer, not a writer. You do not need to write tag lines to impress your clients. Your portfolio should speak for your design creativity.
   
• Just because a design is 'edgy', doesn't mean it should be included into your portfolio. The aesthetic appeal of modern designs may appeal to you, but care to include some sober logos. See to it that, in the rush to attract modern preferences, your portfolio does not overlook the preferences of older clients who prefer more traditional designs.
   
• Logos that do not say anything will not appeal to anyone. Try to grasp the message behind a logo. Do not forget that in today's business world, branding is what a company wants its logo to do. So, when it comes to corporate identity design, your logo should communicate a message. This will show that you can listen to and picture your clients' vision through your design.
   
• Monochromatic/ subdued color combinations can do more harm than good to your portfolio. Demonstrate your creativity through your design, not your love for subdued colors. Do a little bit of research and mix and match different colors. Let your potential clients guess what you are about to offer next.
   
• Do not change the samples in your portfolio. Ever. As you grow as a designer, your portfolio should grow too. Let your portfolio reflect your talent in various phases. Always add fresh samples.

Ask a logo designer colleague/friend of yours to review your portfolio. They can give you a good idea about how it is going to be. Ask them about the areas that need improvement. Also, offer to review their portfolios as well. This would help you create your image as a true professional, which would be very helpful if you want to start a logo design company someday.

Do not be disheartened if you get negative reviews. Every designer goes through positive and negative phases in their career. Every designer wants to shine in their field. Follow these tips and tell us about your experience!

All the best in creating your portfolio!

Referrals are critical for expanding any business. This is true for a logo design company as well. Referrals help you to build a positive image of your company and encourage potential clients to trust you.

Asking for referrals, however, can be a tricky process. If you request for referrals in a timid manner, people may not take you seriously. On the other hand, if you opt for an aggressive attitude, it may offend people.

The trick lies in using strategies that maintain the delicate balance between aggression and timidity. Learn more.

Enhance Quality of your Work

Good work simplifies the process of availing referrals. This means that if you produce interesting logo and corporate identity design regularly, people will not hesitate referring you to others.

On the other hand, if you produce unoriginal business logo design, chances are high that you would face difficulties for acquiring referrals. This is because most people avoid referring a person who fails to produce quality work.

Request for Referrals

It is impossible to acquire a referral, unless you specifically ask for it. Ironically, many designers fail to acquire referral, simply because they do not ask for it. If you are yet to develop the habit of requesting for referrals, start by considering it as part of the project.

This will help you to develop the habit of asking for referrals, every time you complete a project.

Work Free, Ask for Referrals Instead

If you have launched your own company recently, this can be a good strategy. Of course, working free will have a negative impact on your financial goals. Still, if you want to develop a positive image of your company in the industry, choosing this strategy can be a good idea.

To stay on the safe side, discuss about your expectations with the clients beforehand. Create a contract so that there is no confusion later.

Do Not Forget to Refer Others

Referring other designers/experts can help you to acquire more benefits in future. More specifically, by referring each other, you can build up a strong team of professionals who understand preferences of every member.

Let us assume that you are a logo designer and know a person who is an expert at blog customization. In case you come across a client who is looking for blogging experts, you can request him to get in touch with this person. Your acquaintance will be grateful towards you and may even pass on relevant projects to you in future.

In brief, referring each other creates a win-win situation for all the involved parties.

Of course, before referring a person, do not forget to check quality of his work. Avoid recommending people who are not serious about their jobs.

Opt for these strategies to acquire referrals and thus, expand your business.

As logo designers, we always search for sources that will allow us to express our creativity. These can include books, work of other designers, and even art movements. In this article, we will exclusively focus on few art movements that introduced changes in the logo design industry. You can study these art movements and draw inspiration from them.

Hard-Edge Painting

This art genre was introduced by famous American painter Frank Stella. It lays utmost importance on simple stripes and forms that contribute in the creation of bright pictures. It reinforced the belief that ideally, a designer should lay utmost emphasis on designs, rather than client specifications.

The disadvantage of using this art genre is that if you are creating business logo design, it may not help you to fulfill your purposes. This is because hard-edge painting ignores the rule that a design should highlight values of a company. Still, you can consider this art genre for adding interesting touch to your corporate identity design.

Tibetan Art

Boasting of a rich cultural tradition, Tibetan art can be a good source of inspiration for any designer. One of the most famous icons of Tibetan art is the hand gesture that highlights respect and happiness. Another icon is the lotus, which represents fulfillment and fertility.

If you are associated with a logo design company, check whether the client is fine with the idea of using Tibetan art as your source of inspiration. This is important because such a strategy can create the impression that the company is spiritually inclined. If your client hates the idea of creating such an image, use Tibetan art for your next project.

African Art

Traditional African myths and rituals had a powerful impact on African art. Furthermore, for creating designs and art works, African artists opted for a spiritual approach.

Therefore, it is hardly surprising to find that figures and masks play a dominant role in African art. Designers can take help of this approach to create eye-catching designs.

To include the essence of traditional African art in your designs, opt for heavy abstraction. This will allow you to create simple and yet, powerful shapes. Depending on your requirement, you can use abstraction and cheerful colors in the designs.

Alternatively, reduce the abstraction and opt for familiar shapes that will make people recall African art. Remember that even a simple thing, such as a child's profile can take an interesting meaning, if you add dominant patterns of African art in the logo.

Light Painting

Famous light painters can include Pablo Picasso and Gjon Mili- a renowned photographer. By manipulating light sources, Picasso developed beautiful images. As a passionate logo designer, you can use these creations as your sources of inspiration.

Many logo designers worry about the fact that creating inspired designs can make people label them as unoriginal. However, this is a wrong idea. You can always draw inspiration from existing ideas and change them to create intriguing designs. Therefore, look for inspiring sources and adopt the ideas, as required.

Many companies, especially new ones, prefer to split their corporate identity project between two firms. More specifically, they choose one firm for designing their website and another for creating print marketing materials. Unfortunately, this strategy may not yield an impressive result.

Since two different design firms work on a single project (though in different areas), chances are high that inconsistency between these two aspects will exist. This in turn, can confuse your target customers. Still, in certain situations, this may appear as the exclusive option.

Today, in this article, we will highlight situations, where you can think about dividing your corporate identity design project. Furthermore, we will offer tips that will help you to maintain consistency between works of two different firms.

Reasons for splitting a project:

1. Lack of time- This is the primary reason why many companies opt for services of two different companies. Let us assume that you need to launch a product within a specified time. Unfortunately, you fail to find a firm that can complete the project within the deadline. In such a situation, dividing the project between two firms will be a great idea. Both of them will receive limited workload and manage to complete the project within the specified time.

2. Lack of options- You find a firm that offers excellent web design services. Unfortunately, you do not find their print design samples interesting. The logical way to handle this situation is to find a firm that offers good print design services. If you find such a company, you may split the project.

3. Lack of money- You come across a company that excels in web and print design services. Unfortunately, their price is high. In such a situation, you may consider handing them over a particular aspect of their project, such as web design. For print design services, you can contact another company who offers affordable rates. This way, you can stick to your budget and yet, complete the project.

Tips that will help you to handle the post-split situation:

1. Be honest

If you have decided to split the project between two firms, explain the reasons to both of them. Honesty is important, because it may convince these two firms to communicate with each other and create a consistent brand identity. However, remember that two firms may not always be ready to interact with each other.

2. Assign separate deadlines

The main disadvantage of splitting a project is inconsistency in brand image of a company. You can minimize this disadvantage by assigning web design services to a company first. Once they are done with web designing, you can get in touch with another company for logo design services. This will ensure that the printing materials are consistent with your website designs.
Dividing a project can mess up brand identity of your company. However, if you do not have any option, you may consider it. In such a situation, opt for these tips to reduce the disadvantages.