Step 1: Know the company and target audience
The first step of my design process is to send out a client questionnaire. Before creating anything, designers have to know who and what they are creating for. Some companies are structured and strict, while others are more liberal and fluid. Also, when it comes to the target audience, different genders and age groups have different styles and tastes which lead to the next step.
Step 2: Figure out the Company’s ‘Personality’ or ‘Style’
The next step after going through the client questionnaire is creating an inspiration board. I have my client’s choose images that are related to the company.  These images will be used to create the inspiration board, and the inspiration board is basically the style of the company.
Now that I know the brand’s personality, I can start brainstorming logo ideas.
Step 3: Draw, and draw A LOT!
Brainstorming always starts with sketching. Sketching is very freeing and it is an outlet to express unlimited ideas. Sometimes if you start on the computer it’s limiting. I know that when I sit at the computer first, I get a brain fart. When you’re sketching you can sketch more logos quickly. Â
Step 4: Choose 3 sketches
I like to create a lot of logos, at least 20, and then narrow it down to the best 3. The best 3 are the ones that fit the brand criteria: the company’s image, the target audience and other factors from the client questionnaire.
Step 5: Compose the sketches in Illustrator
After choosing the best 3, I open up Illustrator and start designing the logos in vector form. Logos should always be in vector form because they need to be scalable. Logos should look legible at the largest size (think billboard) and the smallest size (think business cards or if you’re a fashion company clothing tags).
Step 6: Choose the best
After creating the 3 logos in Illustrator, I give them to the client so that they can choose their favorite. Depending on which service package they choose, I will make a certain amount of revisions. The Logo and Identity Package only comes with one revision, and the Branding and Web Design Package comes with two revisions.
After the revisions are complete, we have the final logo.
If you are interested in my services, be sure to check out my service page here.
-Paigon | Natasha Lane Design Co.
