Designing a Logo Hands–On Workshop – Nigel French

A great logo is often basic, composed only of essential parts, but simple is not always easy. Designer Nigel French distills over a decade of professional design and teaching experience in Designing a Logo Hands-On Workshop. He discusses the principles and techniques of what makes a logo work, and explains type-only designs, type treatments, and logo symbols in depth. He also explores how to work with clients on defining job parameters and selecting a final design, as well as how to prepare the logo for print and web publication. Nigel demonstrates each of these techniques in the course of designing a new logo for a real client, so viewers can either follow along or apply the techniques to their own work. Exercise files accompany the course.

Topics include:

• Choosing the right typeface
• Exploring transparency, warped type, and other treatments
• Working with line, shape, and imagery in a logo symbol
• Considering current trends in logo design
• Fine-tuning a design after client selection
• Drawing up usage guidelines

Contents:

Introduction

• Welcome
• Exercise files

1. Defining the Parameters of the Job

• Meeting the client
• What information to include
• Choosing your tools

2. Type-Only Logos

• Choosing the right typeface for the message
• Exploring type variables
• Changing one thing
• Tracing hand-drawn type

3. Type Treatments

• Exploring type treatments
• Using transparency
• Outlining type
• Creating type around a circle
• Using company initials to create a monogram
• Warping type

4. Designing a Logo Symbol

• Designing a logo symbol
• Working with lines
• Designing with rectangles
• Designing with circles and ellipses
• Designing with polygons and stars
• Working with abstract imagery
• Working with representational imagery
• Working with clip art
• Using negative space effectively
• Considering trends

5. Selecting and Preparing the Finished Logo

• Presenting ideas to the client
• Fine-tuning the selected design
• Preparing print files
• Preparing web files
• Drawing up usage guidelines

Conclusion

• Goodbye

Author:

Nigel French has more than 15 years of experience as a graphic designer and educator. He is the former director of the graphic design program at the University of California at Berkeley’s Extension program, and he has taught various aspects of graphic design at other colleges. An Adobe Certified trainer and Certified Instructor, Nigel is the author of InDesign Type: Professional Typography with Adobe InDesign, and Photoshop Unmasked: The Art and Science of Selections, Layers, and Paths. Nigel lives in Brighton, UK, but he left his heart in San Francisco.