From The Desk Of Pamela J. Bates: How A Logo Is Created Part II

Revisions: Part of The Process

 

Hi guys! On Tuesday I shared with you my process in designing an effective logo for my clients. I left off at the stage of the initial design presentation to my client.  

Perhaps I should have given you a little more background, so let me backtrack a moment.

Helios is a natural, artisan skincare company that creates its products in very small, customized batches.  Helios was chosen as the name for the business because it is the name of the Greek sun god, and the natural ingredients used in Helios' skincare line would be nothing without the sun to help them grow.  Helios, the sun god, was said have worn a crown of sun rays and rode a golden chariot to Mount Olympus bringing the dawn of each day. 

Here are the two initial logo design branding boards I showed you on Tuesday.................

and the cliffhanger I left you with............which design did the client decide to move forward with?

drum roll please............

the design on the left.

However, it needed tweaking. The H and sun ray lines in the middle just weren't quite what my client Jamie was looking for, but she felt it needed something. So, we moved into revisions, which are more often than not, part of the logo design process.

It requires more communication between client and designer. It requires more clear communication regarding the direction a client wants to move in and more listening on the designer end as well as advising. Then, then it requires more design work..........tweaking the design, making changes, taking away elements, adding elements and so forth.

Here's the revised logo I presented to my client.

BUT, still..................it wasn't quite right for her. That is why revisions are part of the process and you have to trust in the process to get to the final logo.  My client thought perhaps it shouldn't have anything in the middle, but after trying it that way, I felt that it did need to have some design element in the middle and communicated that to her as I worked on second round revisions.

I went back and read more about Helios and how, as night fell Helios would hide himself in a golden cup and his wife Selene, the goddess of the moon, departed for her own, nightly journey.

Ah, now I was onto something. I did more designing and eventually presented my client with this:

Success!

Working through the process with my client, we reached the final logo that had her saying, "You killed it! It's beautiful and I absolutely love the moon and the star in the centre. It's a beauty and I can't believe I have a logo!"

I'm sure at this point you get the idea, but it is worth repeating. Logo design is a give and take process between client and designer. It requires excellent communication and patience.  Even though clients are usually quite excited about having a logo designed for their business, you have to keep in mind that on the client end you are reviewing designs, while on the designer end there is a lot of research, brainstorming ideas, roughing out designs, streamlining designs, presenting, more communication between parties, revisions rounds, changes....well, you get the picture.Creating your new identity is not something you want to rush, it's too important.

I ask my clients to trust in the process. If each party communicates and listens throughout, eventually you reach the logo design that feels right 'in their gut'.

It's my hope that this post, combined with the first part, gives all of you business owners out there insight into this design process and how you might approach it with a designer so that you are both able to work together in a positive, fruitful way that results in a logo that is representative of your business and effectively speaks to your market.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

And of course, if you're are in need of a logo or a rebranding for your business, please visit my shop. I love what I do!


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In other news....................it's snowing again.  Getting quite heavy and we're expected to get upwards of another 12 inches.  I'm not surprised after last night's sunset.
 

It was so pretty, I had to pull over at the next door neighbors for another shot as I headed out to bookclub/champagne ladies.


What a crazy Winter...........it's throwing all it's got at us.  That snow pile in the first picture, will be getting much larger over night.

See you on the flip side.

Ciao for now,