Questions to Ask When Creating Logo Design & Key Art
I’m obsessed with branding: how you “present your present” to the world.
I wanted to create this quick guide so that whether you work with us, other designers, or DIY, you’re creating iconic art to best represent yourself and your creative projects.
Logo Design
An Introduction to Your Brand’s ID
A great logo is not about what someone likes or dislikes; it's about what works.
Like a flag, it is a symbol that will take on meaning over time. Think of a logo as an icon that acts as an ID.
This is a Nike product.
That is a coffee from Starbucks.
That is a Chase bank.
Here’s an acronym with four key questions to ask yourself when evaluating logo designs.
ADS✨
A = Appropriate?
A logo does not have to be a literal representation of what a brand offers, but it does need to be appropriate.
D = Distinct?
Is it recognizable? Is it different from competitors?
S✨ = Simple, but special?
Can someone draw this on a napkin after seeing it? Is there a way to make something unique?
Key Art
An introduction to your cover or Poster art
Whenever I’m asked to package something for our clients, the first thing I want to do is make something that’s emotionally evocative of the piece.
I want to hear about what it is, who it’s for, how it’s unique and special. From there, we want to create something that does as much storytelling in as few elements as possible.
Here’s an example from collaborating Kathryn Allison on her debut EP, Something Real.
We started with some beautiful photos she’d taken and pairing that with different font options. Looking at these as thumbnails, notice some fonts and colors easier to read than others.
Taking that into account, here’s the final version:
We settled on an iconic photo of Kathryn on the front, and the standing photo on the back — as if she’s looking at her track listings.
Here are some additional examples from different authors we’ve collaborated with. Notice how you get a sense of what these experiences will be like from the key art?
