Unfortunately, many people underestimate the concept of designing a logo. When they watch an icon, they fail to admire the work that has gone behind it. But contrary to such perception, developing a good illustration is a tall ordeal because scarcely do people connect with a poorly created design. Anyone can create an illustration but icons aren't just an illustration; It's a graphical representation of a business or entity. They aren't just symbols as they are much more than that. What a business is all about, what it does is all illustrated through an icon.
So what makes a good illustration anyway?
Many people wonder what it takes to design an eye-catching logo. Is it the color, typography or is it some unique element that only designers are aware of? But in reality, all it takes to design a perfect logo is creativity.
Keep it simple
The major mistake that most people make is to overcomplicate their designs. No one wants to see designers showing off their designing skills by over elaborating things that nobody can understand. The best thing to do would be to keep it simple yet creative. Think of the most popular illustrations around and you will see that they are simple.
Think about the psychology behind colors
Every color represents a different emotion related to the brand. Some of the more prominently used colors are the emotion they evoke are:
• Yellow: Appetising, friendly and warm.
• Orange: Cost efficient, fun and innovative.
• Red: Aggression, passion and danger.
• Pink: Flirty, girly or feminine.
• Brown: Rustic or rural.
• White: Simple, clean and pure.
• Black: Class and sophistication.
• Violet: Dignity, luxury and wealth.
• Blue: Success, calmness and trust.
• Green: Environment-friendly, fresh and natural.
A brand should define a logo; not the other way round
One should remember that an illustration shouldn't define a brand but it should be the other way round. The icon should convey about the business and its kind.
Think about the future
Any business icon should also be relevant many years down the line. So any designer should keep in mind that such illustrations should be timeless.
There is immense competition in the graphic industry. Aspiring creative minds are constantly churning out innovative ideas so the margin for error is small. You have to update constantly and reinvent yourself to match industry standards. Getting stagnant isn't what designers are all about and not what artists should aspire to achieve.