Introduction

My first memory of being fascinated by a logo was when I was 4 or 5 years old, around the time my dad first introduced me to my favorite football team. Even at that tender young age, I thought it was great that I could identity with my team of choice by seeing the club crest emblazoned on the jerseys of the players and on the stadium that they played in. I’d ask for the latest replica shirt for birthdays and Christmases, and I insisted that my whole bedroom be adorned with the official crest. The wallpaper, curtains, bed linens, lamp, rug—everything featured the logo.

I even spent time messing around with my own artwork by carefully tracing over a print of the logo I found in a magazine, until I felt confident enough in my own abilities to draw it freehand. These early behaviors practically carved out my career path. The beautiful thing about logos is that they can affect our lives without our even noticing. They have a lasting impact on designers and nondesigners alike. We live in a branded world, and that’s not about to change any time soon.

In the years I spent employed as a graphic designer, the task I relished most was designing a logo. To this day, I still find logo design to be the most challenging and rewarding project of any of the different design disciplines that I undertake. It’s a great feeling when you know that you’ve successfully answered a tough brief or made someone else’s vision become a reality. My passion for logo design and brand identity led me to leave my full-time position as a senior graphic designer and enter the competitive foray of freelance. As a freelancer, I’ve discovered that there are thousands upon thousands of talented designers out there, all striving to create the next great logo.

Recently, logo design has almost become its own discipline within the design field, creating a new emerging market. I’m fascinated with exploring whether this shift will have a positive or negative effect on designers. The fact that you’ve picked up this book means that you have an interest in logos. Maybe you share a story similar to my own. By reading this book, you’ll learn what you need to know in order to stay ahead of the game and keep your ideas fresh and original.

This book is divided into three parts. In the first part, you’ll learn about the theory associated with logos and gain a candid insight into the ever-changing world of logo design. In the second part, I offer loads of advice on how to create a logo for yourself. Finally, the third part is a showcase of successful logos designed by creatives from all over the world.

Smashing Logo Design should not be considered the definitive instruction manual to designing a logo—it’s impossible to carve in stone a set of steps that you should follow every time you design a logo. Every designer’s process is unique. But in this book, I share with you a routine that I’ve found to be successful. As a creative individual, you can expand on this process and explore methods that work best for you. When you’ve finished reading this book, not only will you be inspired, but you’ll have a greater understanding of the small image that we call the logo.

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