- One of the most problematic issues with icons
as a logo is the bandwagon syndrome.
Since businesses tend to emulate other businesses
that succeed, we've seen a repetition
of strategy and mission.
Hence, everyone else jumps on the bandwagon.
The result is thousands of icons as logos.
And they can be hard to remember
due to a visual overload of similar logos.
But as we discussed earlier, icons are universal.
They don't depend on a common language or alphabet
and they can have deep meaning.
The world is filled with thousands of meaningless icons
that seem to be simply geometric explorations.
I've found that the audience responds better
to an icon that is a representation of a symbol
connected to the brand message.
The Girl Scouts logo by Saul Bass talks about
a community of women with an emphasis on the natural world.
When I start designing an icon, I start with words.
I take the defining attributes that my client and I
have determined for the brand and write them down.
Now, I brainstorm concepts that might serve
as a symbol of each word.
What symbolizes history?
Is it a quill pen or a Greek column?
Is a key a good symbol for friendly?
I go down my list and assign symbols to each word.
And I'm fine with clichés.
They work because people understand them.
How you represent it determines its success.
Now, I explore different ways
to express these symbols visually.
You might sketch these on paper
or begin working in Illustrator.
Either works, with whatever is most comfortable for you.
Feel free to let your mind try all possibilities.
Nobody is watching and judging your explorations.
Set up several pages and fill them.
Try to get at least 30 concepts on each page.
They don't need to be radically different.
One idea might play out several ways.
Again, don't worry about refining these too much yet.
They may be fantastic or awful.
You don't want to waste time making the most perfect curve
on one that you might not use.
Once I've exhausted all of my symbols,
I choose my favorites and refine them.
To start, I work in black and white.
I don't want to be swayed by color yet.
Are there common forms I can use?
The icon will have more harmony with echoing forms.
How simple can I make the mark
before it isn't understandable?
Can I use a grid or the golden section as a guide?
Once I start refining,
I refer back to the defining attributes
and start exploring color.
If confident is one,
my icon probably shouldn't be in pastel colors
or anything that seems frivolous.
I just keep moving along.
If an icon turns out to be a real dog,
leave it and move on to the next variation.
You can always go back and see something you missed earlier.
By the end of this process,
you should have explored many possibilities
and narrowed them down to three or four possible symbols.
The form is in a style that reflects the brand
and I have a rough sense of color.
Icons are hard.
That's why designers should be paid well.
Finding a symbol that the audience recognizes
and responds to paired with the craft
and skill needed to make it flawless takes time.
Don't rush things.
If I'm stuck, I take a walk around the block
and sometimes a new symbol pops into my head.
The biggest hurdle we often face is self-editing
before even trying an idea.
When something from left field comes to you, try it.