1. Write the brief in three words
Before any drawing, decide how the business should feel. Pick three concrete adjectives (“warm, quick, local” or “precise, calm, premium”) and a sentence about who the customer is. Every later decision gets checked against these words.
2. Look at the competition
Find the logos of five businesses a customer might pick instead of you. Note their colours, typefaces and symbols. Your job is to fit the category just enough to be understood, and differ enough to be remembered. If everyone uses blue and a tooth, a dentist in deep green with a smile-shaped mark gets noticed.
3. Choose a logo type
Wordmark, lettermark, pictorial, abstract, mascot, combination or emblem. For a new small business, a combination mark (symbol plus name) is usually safest. Compare them with your brand in types of logos.
4. Pick one typeface
The name is the most-read part of the logo. Choose one typeface whose character matches your three words, and resist adding a second “for variety”. Try your name in 20 options with the logo font generator.
5. Choose one or two colours
Pick a primary colour that fits the brief and stands apart from your competitors, and a dark text colour. Keep extra colours for the wider brand palette. Logo colour psychology explains what research does and doesn't support.
6. Test it small
This is the step most DIY logos skip. A logo spends most of its life small: a 16-pixel browser tab, a 40-pixel social avatar, a 2 cm mark on a card. Drag the slider to watch your own logo lose detail as the pixel grid gets coarser.
7. Test it without colour
Your logo will be photocopied, embroidered in one thread, laser-etched and printed on receipts. It must work in a single ink, and parts that differ only in hue (not lightness) will merge in greyscale.
These tests are small versions of how designers really think about a mark: seeing why it breaks is what makes the rule stick. If you like learning that way, ahaboo has narrated, interactive explainers on how everyday things work, from why the seasons happen to how compound interest grows.
Finish: files and a brand kit
When the logo passes both tests, export it in every version you'll need: full colour, reversed, one colour and symbol only, as SVG and PNG. Then write down how to use it. The brand kit collects your colours and fonts, and the brand guidelines template turns them into a one-page guide you can hand to a printer or freelancer.
Start designing your logo
Common logo mistakes
- Too much detail. Gradients, fine lines and small text disappear at small sizes.
- Too many fonts. One typeface, two at most (for a tagline).
- Chasing trends. What looks fresh this year can look dated in three. Simple forms age best.
- Low contrast. Pale yellow or light grey on white fails outdoors and on phones.
- Only one file. A single JPG isn't a logo system. You need vector files and reversed versions.
Questions people ask
How do I design a logo myself?
Define what the business stands for in three words, study competitors, choose a logo type, pick one typeface and one or two colours, sketch or generate several options, then test the best ones small, in one colour and on dark backgrounds before you finalise.
How long does it take to design a logo?
With a generator and editor, a usable logo takes under an hour. Designers typically spend days to weeks, most of it on research and refinement, not drawing.
What are the five principles of logo design?
Designers usually list simple, memorable, timeless, versatile and appropriate. In practice: it must survive being tiny, be recognisable at a glance, avoid trends that date quickly, work in one colour and on any background, and suit the audience.
What file formats should my logo be in?
SVG (or EPS/PDF) vector files for print and signage, and PNG with a transparent background for web, documents and social media. You need full-colour, reversed, black and white versions.
Should I hire a designer or use a logo maker?
A logo maker is ideal when you need something good quickly to launch and test. When the business is established, has budget and needs a trademarkable, truly unique identity, a professional designer is worth it.