An important part of logo deesign and design in general is exposing yourself to great designs. No matter what area of design you are interested in, be it logo design, posters, or interior design you need great references like books to draw inspiration and ideas from. Inspiration and ideas does not mean to copy though. It means you become connected to trends, styles and techniques. Looking at great design will ex pose you to what is possible and open the gate to your creativity. Just like the people we interract with in our daily lives influence us, the designs that we interract with also influence our design. When you look at logos for inspiration and ideas you cant just look. What does this mean? It means you have to see what is there, you need to critically look at the logo in depth. An important skill for artists is learning to see, not just looking. An artist will see the detail, the nuances, the hidden message. The next time you look at a logo, really see it. What is the quality of the line, is it angular or flowing. How is the type spaced, is it close together or spread apart. What colors have been used, are they appealing. These are just a few of the considerations that go into logo design.

A great logo is timeless, not trendy. A logo designed using traditional, proven techniques will be just as compelling 20 years after it was designed. Don't confuse a logo with branding, the Nike swoosh is not a great logo, it is a case of great branding.

Examples of logos created by Hackworth Design

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Color Basics
Logo Design Tools

Copyright © 2004 James Hackworth and Hackworth Design
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