As autumn settles in October it brings an aura of gloom and mystery, which adds to the spirit of Halloween. Many find a way to celebrate. Adults and kids both shop excitedly for costumes and prepare to carve pumpkins while horror movies are showcased on TV throughout the week. Online, many webmasters update their sites with seasonal themes, Social media accounts update their backgrounds and search engines put up special Halloween logos to mark the holiday.

At LogoTalk, we too are welcoming the spirit of Halloween and are ready for some trick or treats! This year, we thought of bringing you something a little difference. Today we are highlighting some popular Halloween characters through logo design. From black cats to ghosts, we will tell you what significance these images hold as we showcase today’s logo design collection.

None of these logos are directly related to Halloween; however we find the indirect connection rather interesting. Don’t you think?  See for yourself…

The Scary Black Cat

The black cat is a popular symbol of witchcraft and paranormal activities. In early European eras, witches were thought to turn into cats after they were executed. The sneaky nature of cats, their ability to see spirits and their connection with the dark world, keeps the black cat as one of the most intriguing figures of this time of year.

Tough, independent and mysterious – the black cat represents all these traits and makes for an interesting logo design.

The Mysterious Black Birds, Owls & Bats

Birds like ravens and owls have been associated with witches, evil, bad luck and bad omens for centuries. The raven is known to be a mysterious bird and one that harbors souls of the dead. The owl is known for its terrifying hoots in the dark, bringing a bad omen. The bat is seen as a creature of the night and is used as a classic symbol for Dracula and other vampires.

Strong and fearless, the image of a bird generally represents freedom, while the owl and bat represent intellect and mystery.

The Cackling Witch

Historically Halloween had nothing to do with witches as it was meant to be an “All Souls Day.”  However, after the hundreds of executions of witches in the European era, they were thought to have haunted the Earth, bringing evil.

Witches are used as a symbol of magic and mystery in logo designs.

The White Ghost and Spirits

One of the most popular symbols of Halloween is the white ghost. It is a popular belief that spirits are white in color which is why many children dress up in white clothes (typically a sheet) to represent ghosts.

The images of ghosts most commonly represent mystery and fear in logo design.

Hope you enjoyed our Halloween logo design collection. Until next time, we wish you all a very happy Halloween! Have a fun and safe holiday 

Within American politics, there are several parties where citizens can become a part of, usually dependent on their viewpoints. It is said that the two most well-known political parties in American are the Democrats and Republicans. Surprising to some, the two parties are represented by the symbols of a donkey and an elephant (respectively).

Initially these animal symbols were used on campaign banners, but over the years they have become two of the most outstanding logos in American politics. Let’s take a look at the brief history behind these two political logos. We’ll also review how these two animal symbols came to represent the two of the biggest political parties of US.

The Democratic Donkey

The Democrats were first to use the donkey as their representative symbol. The donkey represents the Democrats’ beginning 1828.  The running President of 1828 was President Andrew Jackson and he was labeled as a “jackass” due to his populist views and stubborn nature. His main slogan was, “Let the people rule.” Although the cartoon was depicted to mock him, it was later adopted by Jackson himself to represent his Democratic party in 1837.

The Republican Elephant

Some believe that being a Republican influenced Thomas Nast on choosing a bull elephant to represent his party. However, the Republican elephant was not as intentional as Jackson’s donkey. It was formed through a series of events involving New York’s two popular magazines, The Herald and The Harper’s Weekly. The Herald once ran a story of zoo animals being let loose and roaming in New York’s Central Park looking for prey. Cartoonist Thomas Nast drew a cartoon of a donkey wearing lion’s skin, chasing away all the animals (given below). This cartoon was a metaphor for President Ulysses S. Grant whom was running for third term presidency and there was a significant amount of conflict in the Democratic Party. This was one reason that the cartoon included a panicked elephant bearing the label, “Republican Vote.”  Ever since then, the elephant became the Republican Party’s its main symbol.

Discussion and Meaning of these Symbols

The Democratic donkey represents hard work, diligence, humbleness and a dedication to the USA. The Republicans however, strongly disagree and consider the donkey a symbol of stubbornness.

On the other hand, the Republican elephant represents intelligence, dignity and is considered as the symbol of strength (as it is seen as the only animal that stood up to a lion). In contrast to this, the Democrats see the elephant as comparable to a circus animal.

Both of these symbols found firm foundation in the growing American pop culture and were copyrighted to represent the two political parties. The political logos have the prominent standardized colors and stars of the American flag. Generally, the Republican elephant logo upholds 3 stars while the Democratic donkey logo design has 4. However, the donkey can also been seen with a variation of 3 stars.

The Man Behind the Logo Designs

Thomas Nast was a political cartoonist, who usually drew satirical cartoons depicting the state of American politics. It was his idea to use the two animals for representing the Democratic and Republican parties. Thomas Nast was born in 1840 and had a great career being a caricaturist, an illustrator and a painter. Apart from the political symbols, he is also well acclaimed for the sketch of fat and jolly Santa Claus carrying gifts for little children (previously, Santa was depicted as skinny). Although the artist died in 1902, his sketches and drawings still live on.

There you go! Wasn’t that an interesting history? Let us know what you think of the Republican and Democratic logos.

Every new designer aspires to be the best. However, this doesn’t come easy. You not only have to work hard, but you also have to develop good artistic, marketing and communicative skills. You need to know where to market your skills and how to capture the client’s interest. There are hundreds of tips and tricks but I would like to share with you just seven great secrets to becoming a graphic design superstar. The best designers understand these secrets and this is why they are the BEST.

1. Communicate, Relate, Share

Become a member of a graphic design community and interact with other like-minded designers. Such communities, forums and social gatherings help you to meet new people, share ideas, knowledge and grow as a professional. This is the best way to get maximum exposure, creating professional relations and gaining abundant knowledge regarding the design field.

2. Expand, Improvise, Adapt

Being a good graphic designer means being flexible and adaptable. Do not limit yourself to just one field. Expand your skills and learn about various spheres of digital designing. This will help you in acquiring a strong client base, while honing your expertise. Improvise on your design style by learning to work on multiple graphic programs, including 2D and 3D modes. Make yourself an “in-demand” designer, catering to any sector.

3. Evolve, Learn, Update

You can never say, “I know it all.”  The best designers are constantly learning.  Every day you can learn new tricks and tips, explore new strategies and get brand new ideas.  Stay updated with the latest tutorials, design ideas and software.  But don’t forget to manage your time. The more updated you are and the more versatile you become, you will automatically be wanted by business owners.

4. Read, Read, Read

Read and get in depth knowledge about color psychology, design concepts, typography, trends and the latest software. Graphic designing is not wild imagination; it is a tamed art that can mold itself according to the needs of an industry.  This is what graphic design books, tutorial websites and professional blogs teach you about.

5. Experiment, Experience, Understand

Experiment with various design styles and color combinations.  Be innovative when creating designs. Think outside the box, avoid clichés and common trends. Playing with graphic software is a good exercise and a great way to learn various techniques. Doing so gives you practical knowledge which is worth more than the hundreds of books you may read. Also, don’t hesitate in asking your friends and colleagues for their opinion of on your work.  This will help you to understand your flaws and improve on them.

6. Seek, Inspire, Create

Graphic designing is a field that has somewhat of recycled inspiration. In broader terms, it means that you will have to avoid seeking inspiration in other people’s work in order to be original. The first idea you might get for a project will not always be unique. With thousands of designers out there it is possible that your idea has already been worked on. Seek inspiration from your surroundings, from nature, from people you know instead of just focusing on online designs. Remember though, that seeking inspiration does not mean copying designs.  Copying designs will take away your credibility as a professional designer.

7. Aim, Score, Win

Do not aim to be the best, aim to develop your skills and abilities. Keep learning and don’t hesitate to ask questions when you don’t understand anything. Become an active part of the design community. Share your knowledge as a designer with others and they in turn will not disappoint you when you have a question to ask.  Cater to customer needs and understand their business. This will help you win clients and in turn you will able to build an excellent portfolio and be known as a professional graphic designer.

What else do you think makes a graphic design superstar? What is it that best designers do differently? Share your thoughts with us.

Did you know that almost all professional logo designers have a proper process that they follow? Did you also know that not following a proper process can result in a number of problems?

Some of the problems that you might face if you do not have a proper design process could include losing credibility as a logo designer, missing out on important details (that might appear minor), facing a disgruntled client, being termed as an amateur and more.

To avoid these issues and to be a respected, professional logo designer you need to create a design process.  Need help?  Read on to find out what a creative logo design process is made of.

1. The Creative Brief

When participating in a project here’s how you should start:

• Read the creative brief properly.
• Understand the client’s industry, business and products/services.
• Ask the client questions if you want to know more his/her services or about the kind of logos that appeal to him/her.

2. Research Process

Conduct detailed research regarding the client’s company and industry:

• Study the various colors, fonts and design themes used for the client’s particular industry.
• Research about the client’s competitors to get the feel of the market.
• Learn what kind of colors, images or design themes the client wants you to use and what he/she is expecting from the logo design.
• By researching and asking questions you show the client that you are interested in the project and you take it seriously.

3. Start Sketching

This is an important step to developing the design concept, something that many designers overlook:

• Start off by designing your ideas and thoughts on paper. This helps to execute ideas properly.  It also allows you to boost the creative process while you the pay attention to minor details.
• Check out other industry related logo designs for inspiration, but do not copy. Do not use copied logos, clip art, stock photos or derivative concepts.
• Sketching allows you to form an idea and come up with original logo design concepts.

4. Digitalizing the Design

Once you are done with sketching and forming your ideas, you are now ready to take those ideas to the computer:

• Start creating the logo design using graphics software. Adobe Illustrator is the most popular choice among logo designers.
• Experiment with various ideas, shapes, angles and colors.
• Create multiple variations of the logo design keeping in mind the central theme and purpose.

5. Presentation

Decide how you will present the logo design:

• Choose colors that do not clash or look too flashy and make sure you use Pantone colors.
• Decide on the right font for the logo. Depending on the feel of the business, choose a font wisely.
• Use colors that work for your clients industry and region. Every industry uses a specific number of colors. While some colors are considered professional in certain industries others can be taken as childish.
• Consider the color combination the client has given you and learn why it is important for the client that you use those colors.
• Create a logo design that is scalable and will not lose its touch when resized or printed in one color.
• Present 2 – 3 best design concepts to your client so he/she will have ample choice.

6. Receive Feedback

Once the client sends in feedback, take notice and understand:

• Try to look at things from the client’s perspective and take note of the feedback given.
• Touch base with the client, provide necessary changes and submit 1 or 2 additional samples (in different colors or font variations) after the initial feedback.
• Learn from the feedback given to other logo designers by the client. This will give you a better understanding of what the client wants to see in his logo design.
• Keep submitting changes and edits till the client is fully satisfied.

7. Submit Final Files

If you have been selected as the winner… Congratulations!

As a winner there is just one more step to take before you can go and start celebrating:

• Finalize the winning logo design files and submit them in proper format.
• In case of any confusion you can read details about logo design file formats or consult Customer Support.
• Once the final files have been submitted the project holder will send in the prize money.

Some logo designers might grunt over this entire process, claiming it to be time consuming.  But if you want to develop a serious career out of designing, its time you haul yourself into a well organized logo design process. Is there anything you would like to add to the process? Do give us your feedback. We’d love to hear from you!

Have you ever wondered who is behind the FedEx logo design? What about Apple or the famous Google logo? Being in the logo design industry, it’s important for designers to know a bit of history too. So today’s post will be kind of a history lesson.

Here’s a look at the top five iconic logo designers who have given the world not just logos but brand identities.

1. Google Logo Design by Ruth Kedar

Google’s logo is not just a logo; it’s a representation of their impact across the Internet. It was designed by Ruth Kedar, a student of architecture from Israel. Later she received a Masters Degree in design from Stanford University.

Though Ruth designed the Google logo design in later life, her earlier association had been with Adobe Systems. She is also known for designing the award winning Analog Deck and Duolog Deck, a promotional deck of playing cards. Being a recipient of a number of design awards, her art work is an inspiration for designers worldwide.

2. Nike Logo Design by Carolyn Davidson

Another woman to has designed one of the most popular logos in the world is Caroyln Davidson. Nike, the company known more by its swish mark image rather than by its name, is the leading sports accessories manufacturer.

Carolyn designed the brand’s image in 1971, while she was still a student at Portland State University. She worked with the company until 1983 and retired from her professional life in 2000.

3. FedEx Logo Design by Lindon Leader

Lindon Leader of Landor Associates designed the famous FedEx brand image, which is considered as one of the top 8 best logos made during the past 4 decades. Designed in 1994, it has won numerous awards for its simple and yet effective image.

The hidden message embedded in the FedEx logo is one of the factors making it a model piece of art for logo designers.  If you observe carefully, you’ll see a small arrow between the E and X! This indicates the fast and efficient delivery system for which the company is known for in the industry.

4. Apple Logo Design by Rob Janoff

Apple needs no introduction. Created in 1976 by Silicon Valley art director Rob Janoff, the logo design became popular immediately. Ever since then it has been the official representative of Apple. Rob has also worked with IBM and Intel, but of course his most honorable work is this tempting apple!

The idea behind the image is man and temptation. The bite on it is inspired from the Biblical story of Adam and Eve eating the forbidden apple. No doubt about it, Apple products sure are tempting!

5.  IBM Logo Design by Paul Rand

Paul Rand is not only known for his famous IBM logo, but also for many other graphic works that he has done. He is considered the world’s best graphic designers.

After passing away in 1996, he has left behind an inspiring legacy for all graphic designers. He is also known for ABC’s brand image and for Swiss Style graphic design.

There are numerous other designers who can be listed as legendary designers and we will surely cover more of them in our future posts.  But for today … that’s all folks!