Logo Design

Logo Design

A logo is a system of marks, not a single drawing. This skill produces multiple production-grade variants exploring different architectural approaches, each with rationale, application specs, and a clear position on what it signals and rejects.

The output is decision material, not a finished logo. The brand owner selects from the variants and the skill produces production refinement on the chosen direction.

When to use

• The brand has a name and tonal direction; the deliverable is logo work specifically
• Generating 6 to 12 variants for client review and selection
• Refining a wordmark to production: kerning, optical adjustments, weight selection
• Exploring symbol options to pair with an existing wordmark
• Designing a monogram from a longer name for use in constrained contexts
• Adapting an existing logo across application contexts (small-size, signage, motion, embroidery)
• The brand owner has reviewed a first round and wants iteration on a specific direction

When NOT to use

• Use brand-identity instead when the deliverable is the complete identity system (logo plus color plus type plus voice plus applications). This skill is the logo-specific layer; brand-identity is the system layer.
• Use brand-discovery for brand positioning, audience, and voice work. A logo without strategy is a drawing.
• Use creative-direction for project-wide aesthetic direction. Creative direction calibrates many decisions; logo design produces specific marks.
• One-off illustration, icon, or pictogram work
• Designing brand patterns, textures, or supporting graphics
• Pure typographic exploration unrelated to a brand name

Required inputs

• Brand name. Exact spelling. Capitalization and punctuation preferences if any. Whether the name has a category descriptor that travels with it (e.g., "Atlas Coffee" vs just "Atlas").
• Industry or category. Legal firm, consumer goods, B2B SaaS, hospitality, etc. Category implies defaults that can be honored or broken.
• Audience. Who sees the logo, where, in what state of mind. The audience-side perception drives selection more than the founder-side aesthetic.
• Tonal direction. Where on the formal-to-casual axis. Where on the restrained-to-expressive axis. Where on the heritage-to-modern axis.
• Application contexts. Common set: web header, mobile app icon (28px), favicon (16 to 32px), business card, letterhead, email signature, social profile picture, signage (large format), embroidery patch (1.5 inch), single-color print, video motion lockup, merch (apparel, hats, totes).
• Reference logos liked, with a sentence each on what specifically resonates. The reference clarifies which architecture and register fit better than abstract description does.
• Reference logos disliked, with a sentence on what to avoid. Negative space sharpens positive selection.
• Hard constraints. Must include element X. Must avoid color Y due to industry conventions. Must reproduce in single color. Must work as a 16px favicon. Must survive embroidery.
• Optional: existing brand assets if the project is a refresh, not greenfield. Existing wordmark if the work is symbol-only. Existing color palette if it must remain locked.