5 principles of Effective Logo Design

Simple
Memorable
Timeless
Versatile
Appropriate



What makes a good logo? A good logo is distinctive, appropriate, practical, graphic, simple in form and conveys an intended message.

1. Simple
A simple logo design allows for easy recognition and allows the logo to be versatile & memorable. KISS Principle:"Keep it Simple, Stupid!"


2. Memorable
An effective logo design should be memorable and this is achieved by having a simple, yet, appropriate logo.


3. Timeless
An effective logo should be timeless – that is, it will stand the test of time. Will the logo still be effective in 10, 20, 50 years?


4. Versatile
An effective logo should be able to work across a variety of mediums and applications. For this reason a logo should be designed in vector format, to ensure that it can be scaled to any size. The logo should be able to work both in horizontal and vertical formats.

Ask yourself; is a logo still effective if:

* Printed in one colour?
* Printed on the something the size of a postage stamp?
* Printed on something as large as a billboard?
* Printed in reverse (ie. light logo on dark background)

One way around creating a versatile logo is to begin designing in black and white only. This allows one to focus on the concept and shape, rather than the subjective nature of colour. One must also remember printing costs – the more colors used, the more expensive it will be for the business over the long term.



source from: http://justcreativedesign.com/2009/07/27/what-makes-a-good-logo/