Featured Image Source: Pixabay/James_Jester
New logo designers may be under the notion that the more complicated and colorful a logo design is, the more it will be appreciated. This is one of the first mistakes that can be made. When these designs are used to participate in logo design contests and none of these initial designs are accepted by clients, some are left confused and disappointed.
Amateur logo designers tend to make a few logo design mistakes at first, which can become disastrous for them in the long run. Two other mistakes some designers make is avoiding to learn the basics of design and/or they don’t have a creative design process to follow. In today’s post I’ve decided to educate fellow designers about the 13 critical mistakes that can kill any logo design. Read on to make sure that you are not guilty of these mistakes.
1. Lack of Process & Planning

2. Neglecting the Essence of Logo
A logo represents the essence of a company, what it stands for and what message it wants to convey to its audience. Be sure to think from a potential customer’s perspective. What would a certain image mean to you? What will your first impression of the logo design be? Focus not only on the design, but on the meaning.
3. Following Trends Blindly

4. Creating Complicated Designs
Filling your logo design with too many colors and shapes is a big mistake. Simplicity is the best way to go. If you think that creating a complicated design will win you a logo design contest, at times, you are wrong. Simple logos tend to be the most memorable. Want an example? Think of the logos of McDonald’s or Nike.
5. Being a Copy Cat

6. Using Clichéd Images
Using airplane images for a travel logo design, hammers for construction logos or books for education logos is seen as redundant and clichéd. Try to be innovative. Use special characters, unique metaphors or abstract symbols to create an identity. You don’t want your client’s design to become lost in the crowd.
7. Adding Special Effects

If your design is strong it will look great in black and white, as well as in full color. Lose the colors and see where your logo stands.
8. Using Clipart & Stock Images
Successful logo designers never use clipart or stock. Clipart images are visually poor and will give the design an unprofessional look. Avoid clipart, stock vector images or anything similar and create your own, custom images. The client will fully appreciate your design’s individuality.
9. Typography Issues

10. Hurrying to Create a Logo
Most logos fail when designers do not spend quality time to create and ignore the importance of having a design process. A design that is made in a short amount of time tends to be unsuccessful. Your speed doesn’t determine your efficiency. Logo designing is an art that requires understanding and research, which requires time.
11. Lack of Communication with Clients

12. Sending Raster Files
Raster files tend to become pixilated when scaled or sized for various printing needs. Always send your client the vector format file of your design. This will allow your client to print the logo on a small business card, a large billboard, t-shirts or any other item without affecting the quality.
13. Not Cleaning Up the Logo

Avoid making these logo design mistakes and learn from others. Learning these lessons will be crucial if you want to establish a long term, professional career.
Thanks Jerald! We like to share helpful information with you guys. Do tell us the most important thing you have learned during your design career. We’d love to know.
I like information like this in order to improve, aware, and to become responsible designer for any website specially for the clients who need my skills.
Thanks for the info, these are some really good advice for us new in this business
How do you send the client a vector logo? When I save my logo in AI as EPS, it is still in a thousand pieces. Is it possible to “Flatten” logo like in Photoshop before sending as vector?