Logo Graphic Process

When faced with the task of creating a logo or graphic there is a temptation to pull out your pens and just draw something cool. If you are lucky it just might be truly cool, but most likely it will just be cliche and superficial. First ideas are dangerous, they prevent you from getting to those better ideas that require a little more work and process. Let me suggest a better process:

1. Subject Text List - make a list of words that describe the themes that you are trying to say. Graphic Design should always start with a clear idea of what you want to communicate.


2. Signifier Text List - continuing with text, list words that refer to or remind you of the subject that you listed. Include a friend, they may have ideas related to their experience that will give you more options


3. Image Thumbnails - by getting started with words we can easily switch to illustrating them. Let yourself have fun with these images and doodle some variations on the obvious. Also remember to draw filled in shapes rather than line-described images; it will be easier for the next step.


4. Scan for Opportunities - with a sheet full of drawings you can quickly do a visual scan and look for drawings that have qualities that would help them relate to other drawings. These graphical opportunities may be:
   • similar shape
   • complimentary edges
   • details that could co-exist
   • negative shapes that look like another drawing


5. Redraw as Combinations - using your layout or tracing paper can help you to make new drawings that are combinations of more than one of the thumbnails

This does not have to be a linear process. Go back and forth between text and image to help you find ideas that you missed the first time.