Having a logo helps your business stand apart and gives you an identity. It's a visual representation of everything your company stands for. Creating an original logo is becoming tougher and tougher nowadays as there are so many already out there, but it's still workable. This article will discuss certain programs that will help you design that perfect logo to fit your business needs and give you some basic guidelines to follow.
Note: If you already have a designer they will be able to easily help you out with this.
Applies to Version(s): 3.9.x Series
Complexity Level: Average
Estimated Time for Completion: 10 minutes
In this article, you will learn:
Free Logo Generator Websites
There are plenty of tools out there to help you design your logo, there are also some good articles to give you an idea of what you should keep in mind when creating your Logo.
These are some of the best free websites to create your logo:
Basic Guidelines for Design
Getting down the basic idea of what you're looking for is a must when designing your logo. Create some rough sketches or play around in a Paint Program and toy with different ideas.
Preliminary Work
A rough idea of what you want, as mentioned above, creating sketches or rough drafts will help you in finalizing the output. Take into account what your business is about and what you're trying to do with your business.
Creating a Balance
Your design shouldn't be all over the place. Find something that stands out but carries a balance on both sides and not one area is just focused on.
Size
You don't want your logo to be too large that it takes ample space on your website. It shouldn't be too small as well that the graphics are squished together and there is a log going on. A logo is what identifies your company, so it should work just about anywhere, letterheads, website, posters, magnets, etc.
Use of Color
This must be eye-catching, easy on the eyes, played with different colors, to help create your brand's identity. Think of your favorite sports team and how they have a few key colors, this goes along the same guidelines when designing your business logo. Using warm, welcoming colors give customers a comfortable feeling when visiting your site.
Tips:
- Use colors near to each other on the color wheel, for example, warm colors should offset other warm colors.
- Make sure the logo can still work as a black and white logo or grayscale.
- If you go outside the box, make sure it's for a good reason.
Design Style
You don't want to design a logo that looks like you're selling ceiling tiles when in reality you're selling shoes. You want something that fits your business and says, "This is us!" You want to make sure it reaches out and draws people in. You can play around with 3D designs as the 2D flat-looking logos are still there but not being explored as much as 3D designs now.
Tip: Make your logo recognizable. If you look at major brands, their logos are simple, straightforward, and recognized anywhere in the world. Keep in mind that you're trying to build brand recognition and something that can be easily recalled.
Typography
Selecting a font that isn't too wild or too boring plays a big part in logo making. This is one aspect that some people tend to struggle with because if they get too set on a font, they will find themselves backtracking and trying to reinvent the wheel. Start with basic fonts and see if that works, if not then try something a bit more extreme until you feel you found the one that works for you.
Tips:
- Avoid commonly used fonts, for example, Comic Sans.
- Make sure the customers can understand what your logo is saying is important, so making your logo legible is key.
- Avoid using multiple fonts.
Standing Out
If you want your logo to stand out, try to be different and don't go with the "trend." Try to explore the boundaries of being different. The key component is to have fun when designing your logo.
Simplicity
The simpler the design is, the more recognizable the logo can be. If you look at some of the biggest brands in the world, you will see just how simple their design is that can be easily recognized. This is what can help you stand out from the rest.
Effects
Don't get too excited with filters and effects when designing a logo. With all the programs readily available today, they all have amazing tools to do just that, but too much going on in your logo can be a drawback. Remember that "Simplicity is key." One of the main keys is combining all the things that have been discussed so far, and overlooking any of these key components can impair your final decision on what design you go with.
When creating your logo, take a step back and view your Logo from all angles and viewpoints and see if this is still something that catches the eye. In the eCommerce industry, your business' logo won't just be on your website but will also be seen somewhere else on the web.
Put Together a Design Factory
This doesn't mean you have to go clean your garage and turn it into a separate business just to create a logo. It is an expression telling you to just follow some of the basic foundations of design which are:
- Research
- Brainstorming ideas and thoughts
- Create sketches and doodles (some of the best ideas will come to you when you're in the car or at a coffee shop, so carry a pen/pencil with you)
- Develop
- Review
- Discuss
Use other designs and logos for inspiration only. When designing your logo, don't take a famous logo and turn it into yours. Never do this since it is considered a crime and is punishable by law, such as copyright infringement. You can use other companies as a jump-off point and see how they incorporate their logo with their business.
Where to Upload Your Logo
You can upload your logo to your Cart Designer.
1. In the control panel, go to Front-End > Manage themes > click Edit Theme.
2. Click Site top settings. Under the Site logo image, click the square icon to unassign your old image. Then, click the image button to choose an image from your local drive and then upload it.
3. Find the image that you uploaded in the File Manager and click on that image. Then click "Use".
4. Go back to the main menu, and go to Revisions. Click Re-publish.
Click Exit Designer and select "View Storefront" to see your new logo.
Note: If you're using a customer-created theme, you will want to look into this path: content/cache/skins/(Your Theme Name)/images/image-logo.png (logo.png was the name of the logo uploaded and is just used as an example).
Links to Related Articles
None at this time.
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