Re-designing a logo/website for a client

[Watson90]

Good morning people, I hope you’re all well

I think I may have lined up a client who is a breastfeeding consultant based in London, UK.

The lady has a website already and also a logo etc but she has come to me in order to basically give her brand an overhaul. I.e. new logo, new website.

The previous guy who did this for her basically did half of a job and doesn’t want to participate any more with the project. Her current website is using the Etiquette Theme on WP, but I’ll be starting from scratch with a bare bones theme and building the website from the ground up with a bespoke design.

However I have _never_ done any logo work for a client. It’s something new to me but it’s also something that I think would be very worthwhile to do without hiring an external graphic designer. (Plus I’m still unsure on her budget).

What things should I take into consideration when carrying something like this out. Has anyone got any advice regarding this kind of thing?

Thanks in advance

[David_Leitch]

I think I could link to a dozen articles with same key point: simplicity is paramount. The logo needs to be able to be used in every type of medium, so the simpler it is, the easier it is for it to be used in different contexts. For this reason, it should:

Be legible/recognisable in black & white/greyscale.

Be just as recognisable when it’s 3x3cm on a business card as it is when it’s 10 feet across on a billboard (hey, you never know where the business may go ;) ).

Be limited to just 2/3 colours. The more colours used, the more cluttered it will generally look.

The general trend at the moment seems to be towards very flat looking designs, for instance the recent [Windows](http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2012/02/17/redesigning-the-windows-logo.aspx “http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2012/02/17/redesigning-the-windows-logo.aspx”) and [Skype](http://beta.skype.com/en/ “http://beta.skype.com/en/”) designs.

Keep colour theory in mind (i.e. navy is a calming colour that suggests stability, which is why banks and airlines use it).

So, hope that gives you a starting point/things to keep in mind. Good luck :D

[Watson90]

Thanks for the detailed advice guys.

@David_Leitch – yeah I understand that the logo should look good in print as well as web or business card size. Does that mean I would have to make the image vector say in Photoshop? To allow for easy scaling. Would that also mean that I would have to design it big and then scale it down?

@andy_unleash – thanks for your advice. As soon as I find out the clients budget i can then decide what way is best to go, obviously doing it myself would be a great learning curve and give me an insight in something new, but obviously I want what’s best for the client in this situation not what is best for me.

[jimmykup]

Making the logo in vector format is absolutely essential. Illustrator is the go-to application for this.

[chrisburton]

You can make a vector in Photoshop?!

Ha. I agree with Jimmy (just above). Identity work is quite tedious. Ask the client where it will be used. This is important to factor in a quote.

What exactly would you like advice on?

[Watson90]

@chrisburton – it’s going to be used on Business Cards and also the logo on the website. Not too big, though.

The lady sent me a PDF full of ideas of other logos including her own. It involves some nice handwritten font. And I’m thinking about going with a Georgia font as it’s quite contemporary, plus it’s a great font!

@jimmykup – I have never made a vector image before and I only have Photoshop. To make it vector does it mean I have to make it a high DPI? Or has it got something to do with Smart Objects?

[chrisburton]

Georgia is great but I’m sure you could find something more “custom looking”. I would advise not using it for a logo.

You need Illustrator or Fireworks for vector artwork.

[Watson90]

Hmm, I suppose you have a point Chris.

I’m still waiting to hear of she does want a logo redesign or not but I’m sure she does by what she has said already.

Here is the current website

http://lydiasawyer.com

[Andy Howells]

@watson90 – Doing it as a vector will allow it to be blown up or downsized super easy for all different formats, print, web, 50 foot banner. A fixed size raster doesn’t offer that kind of ease of change and would have to be redone each time to newer resolutions.

[Andy Howells]

@watson90 – Re typefaces, if she has the budget (or you do) definitely check out Typekit, loads and loads of potential fonts, have some awesome Serif ones there that might be appropriate.

[Watson90]

I will have to look into creating vector images @andy_unleash as I’ve never done that before. Wouldn’t that have an impact on file size even when it is scaled down say for the website?

I am awaiting confirmation on her budget, I will make my decision based on the outcome.

Cheers :)

[chrisburton]

Depends on the graphic but they’re usually smaller in file size.

I could give you a few better selections for typefaces than Typekit for around $50.

Plus, how are you going to use Typekit webfonts for print?

[Watson90]

I’ll keep it in mind Chris, thanks :)

[chrisburton]

And that may have came across a little weird. I meant that I could find you a selection of typefaces that only cost around $50. Hope that clears things up.

[Watson90]

Ahh right I see, haha. I’ll keep you all updated about what happens, she should get back to me very soon…

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