Logo Design Love: A Guide to Creating Iconic Brand Identities

by David Airey

There are a lot of books out there that show collections of logos. But David Airey’s “Logo Design Love” is something different: it’s a guide for designers (and clients) who want to understand what this mysterious business is all about. Written in reader-friendly, concise language, with a minimum of designer jargon, Airey gives a surprisingly clear explanation of the process, using a wide assortment of real-life examples to support his points. Anyone involved in creating visual identities, or wanting to learn how to go about it, will find this book invaluable. - Tom Geismar, Chermayeff & Geismar

In Logo Design Love, Irish graphic designer David Airey brings the best parts of his wildly popular blog of the same name to the printed page. Just as in the blog, David fills each page of this simple, modern-looking book with gorgeous logos and real world anecdotes that illustrate best practices for designing brand identity systems that last.
 
David not only shares his experiences working with clients, including sketches and final results of his successful designs, but uses the work of many well-known designers to explain why well-crafted brand identity systems are important, how to create iconic logos, and how to best work with clients to achieve success as a designer. Contributors include Gerard Huerta, who designed the logos for Time magazine and Waldenbooks; Lindon Leader, who created the current FedEx brand identity system as well as the CIGNA logo; and many more.
 
Readers will learn:

• Why one logo is more effective than another
• How to create their own iconic designs
• What sets some designers above the rest
• Best practices for working with clients
• 25 practical design tips for creating logos that last

Genres: Design, Nonfiction, Business, Art, Art Design, Reference, Website Design

216 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2009

About the author

Designer of enduring logos and visual identities, David Airey runs an independent branding studio in Northern Ireland, working with clients worldwide to improve their businesses through distinctive, meaningful, and emotive design.

Reviews

[Ahmad H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

بداية من المحادثات الأولية مع الزبون وصولا إلى عرض العمل النهائي، يستعرض الكتاب جميع المراحل التي تمر بها عملية صناعة علامة تجارية ، مناقشا أغلب الحالات والسيناريوهات التي قد تعترضك.

بشكل مختصر وبسيط يشرح الكتاب العناصر الأساسية في صناعة العلامة التجارية ، وكيف يمكن للعلامة التجارية أن تصمد لسنوات طويلة دون الحاجة إلى تغيرها - بشكل جذري - ، ويناقش كذلك أهمية وخطورة - على حد سواء - إعادة صناعة الهوية التجارية - خاصة للمؤسسات المتوسطة والكبرى.

يستهدف الكتاب الشريحة المبتدئة ، آخذا في الاعتبار عدم المعرفة المسبقة بهذا المجال، لذا فهو مفيد كذلك لرواد الأعمال ممن يرغبون في صناعة - أو إعادة صناعة - علامتهم التجارية.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to have in your collection if you are a designer or illustrator. David gives great advice on designing logos for clients, as well as good pointers that I had not thought of before. It's a quick read but perfect to have as a reference. I highly recommend!

[Ahmed Elkholy · Rating 4 out of 5]

الشعار!

زمان وانا صغير كان عندي قناعة تامه اني فنان من نوع ما مش عارف هوه ايه.

جربت ارسم واشغبط كتير.

جربت اكتب شعر يقرف الكلب.

جربت اكتب مسرحية اخلاقية ع غرار شرطة الاخلاق بقيادة الفنان محمد صبحي.

كنت دائما برشح نفسي مندوب فني ف الفصل وكنت انجح والم ربع جنيه تمن تزويق الفصل.

وكان اكتر حاجة بتلفت نظري ف الجرايد - لاني كنت قارئ جرايد نهم من صغري - هوه لوجوهات الشركات الكبيرة الى بتكون مرصوصة ف إعلانات الجريدة.

كانت افكارها والوانها بتأخد عقلي فعلا وطبعا مكنتش اعرف الناس الى بتعمل الحاجات دي بتدرس ايه او بمعني اصح مبلورتش الشغف ده وحولته لدراسة ولشئ ملموس.

وبعدين يعني جرت ف النهر مياه كثيرة لحد ما اهتميت بالبيزنيس وبالتسويق وبالبراندنج.

وف رحلة البحث والتعلم والقراءة وقعت ف الكتاب ده.

لو انت صاحب براند ناشئ او حتي براند قديم.

لو مهتم بالبيزنيس والتسويق وصناعة البراند.

لو انت مصمم مبتدئ او حتي محترف.

الكتاب ده معمول عشانك.

دائما نسمع ان التصميم الفلاني او الريبراندنج العلاني متباع بكام مليون دولار.

فنستغرب ليه يعني دول شويه رسم وحبة فوتوشوب وأليستريتور - عمري ما عرفت انطق اسمه - وخلاص يعني.

هنا ف كتاب حب تصميم الشعارات هيعلمك إزاي تكون مصمم محترف وإزاي تتعامل مع العميل و ازاى لو انت عميل تختار تصميم مناسب.

وايه اهم صفات التصميم الناجح إلي يعيش مده طويله.

وهيديك امثلة مبهره لتصاميم من وراء العقل حرفيا.

متعود انى بكتب مراجعات تفصيلية عن الكتب، لكن الكتاب ده من المتعه إلي فيه مقدرتش اقطع القراءة واكتب وراه.

ف المهم اقروا كتاب ف حب تصميم الشعارات.

#بس_بنقول

[Radu Mureșan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As fi putut sa o citesc intr-o zi, dar mai bine am impartit cititul pentru a avea mai multe zile, deoarece nu prea vroiam sa se termine =((

[Juvoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant logo design demonstrations and excellent outline using fundamental techniques and processes to craft great works of art. Simplicity as often the most difficult thing to accomplish learning from the masters can help you get there!

[J. Pedro · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are into branding and logos then you probably know David Airey. His knowledge in the graphic design field has generated two well known and popular blogs. In the book Logo Design Love, David covers brand indentity and logo design in an exciting and comprehensive way.

The Book

The book is divided into 3 main groups: Brand Identity, Process of Design and Tips, Advices and Resources. The text is easy to read and is beautifully illustrated. Throughout the pages we see examples and showcases of logos designed by the author and other designers. All aligned and related to the content.

The highlights

If you are familiar with the work of David Airey and his style of writing you will feel at home reading this book. Differently from other authors, who usually just say what you should be doing, David goes through the book content by sharing his own experiences, the good and the bad ones and everything in between. Personally, this is the highlight of the book.

Observations

On the other side, if you have read most of David’s posts and texts, you might find that some of the content is being repeated. Which is understandable – the book is aimed to a beginning / intermediate audience and there are some parts that you just cannot leave behind.

Conclusion

I definitely recommend Logo Design Love, no matter what level you consider yourself being. Knowing the creative process of another designer is always a good thing as it makes you think about your own.

[Visit my website and read the book review.]

[Yassine Tetbirt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!
When I downloaded this book, yesterday with a series of Graphic Design books, I wasn't expecting a lot. At least not the much that would make me think that this it is going to change my way of 1- seeing logos and 2- My process of making a logo.
If you're a Logos Designer, it's a must read book for you, if you're a Graphic designer it's a must read book for you. Even if you're not a designer at all, you are still going to love the parts in which the writer speaks about what makes the logo good or bad ..
My favourite book for this year, brilliantly written that I read it in a continuing FIVE hours. And it's not even a philosophical book :D

[Kayla Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Besides the outlandish price, this book was a fabulous find! David Airey does a fantastic job of clearly articulating the process of creating brand identity. Everything from the design process to teaching you the best practices for working with clients. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the graphic arts or brand identity business. The art of making effective logo's has never been more exposed.

[William K. Moses Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never really understood what makes a logo good or bad. My hope was that this book would help me understand. My main take away is this: an image can mean anything, but it's how you project it and tie it into the philosophy of your business that matters. Once you've figured out what you want, there are a few guidelines that can help you get the correct representation from whatever image or symbol you choose.

A fairly easy book to read and a pretty informative one. I liked it.

[Raghad Barakeh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Author has the creativity in design world , actually that helps me a lot and makes me look at things in a different way .
Thank you David Airey

[Minh Nguyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of insight, tips & trick in the design business. I would totally recommend it to anyone who wants to start a freelancing design services as I found myself learning a lot from this book!

[Fenriz Angelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good introductory book about the importance in creating a good logo and the author provides essential elements to always have under consideration while in the process of creating an identity design for a business. It's not mind-blowing, actually, i already knew most of the stuff here bc it's what teachers taught me, but i think it's useful to have a literary source to look up.

I would have liked more detailed examples of the designs, though.

[Christine Nabil · Rating 5 out of 5]

very very helpful book

[Pongsak Sarapukdee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This guide book will train your creativity.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of Insight for the Student of Design

This book fills many blanks that might have been left during a formal art education. This book provides several examples of professional logos, and includes rough sketches that demonstrate the design process. There is other insight provided as well, such as dealing with clients, negotiating price, dealing with pitfalls. I recommend this book for anyone considering a career in the design industry. If you're a student and are considering design as a career path, then I highly recommend adding this to your reading material. It'll be worth the extra time. Be sure to have a notebook handy; you'll need it!

[Ren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has helped me countless times to inspire me, before every design task I take, I always find myself going through pages and pages of logo examples from David Airey. He clearly explains his brief and what his approach is with sketches and how he arrives at the final design. The book is a quick read so it's always good to keep at hand in your backpack to go through on your commute/ travels as you ponder about the design task at hand. Such a helpful book and a must have for every designer.

[Dhruv · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick and informative read. The logo design examples included are especially eye-opening and provide insight on how designers create brand identities that work. A major section deals with handy tips on planning a design project, managing client relationships and delivering your designs. David's advice on the practicalities of the logo design business is where this book draws most value from. These insights could potentially save days and months of rework for a majority of designers out there.

[Kimberly Greenough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just logo design, great identity design book

I was really pleased with how extensive this book is on the identity design process, without being over-complicated or feeling the need to over-explain itself. Not just an explanation of logo design, it includes a succinct analysis of and process for creating a brand identity for clients, as well as great professional guidance for working with clients.

[Mystery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Logo Design Love is a great book for beginners and an awesome reference to keep. Airey touches on the core concepts behind designing logos and brand identities. I've been designing logos for five years now and I feel like I've still learned something new. He goes into case studies and clarifies some of the best ways for designers to give it their all. Highly recommend this one!

[Gary Meacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tremendous resource on design process. David Airey approaches the subject from all angles with general advice, how-tos, things to watch out for, Q&A, and poignant case studies that create a behind-the-scenes look for the reader. Gladly adopting this book as a required resource for my Graphic Design courses.

[Stuart Macalpine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about Logo design might seem a bit niche, but the concepts in it are about simplicity, clarity, congruence, timelessness and communication. I found it totally engaging and thought provoking. Internally I was reading it through the less of Learning Design and found it had "lots of juice for not much squeeze".

[Kylee Allred · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, the guidelines for creating brand identities are super helpful. It also answered so many questions I had about working as a freelance designer, client feedback, staying motivated, etc. Everything was very relatable and applicable!

[Sabrina Seheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved reading this book!
This book has quite useful tips and advices on real life working problems that you may face. Wonderful book! I would recommend.

[Aann While · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read for someone new in the logo and branding business.

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite possibly the best design book I’ve read. The author goes into detail about his process and lessons learned over his career.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, the best book on Logo Design.

[BENMOHAMED · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really simple book, it explains what are the true principles of a good logo, and the authors gives some of his personal experiences in the business field.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really lovely intro to logo design. Thorough, well thought out, great examples. Good read for folks at any stage of design career just for the examples if you haven't seen them, but mostly beginners.

[Abdul-Ghany · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great book!.

[Sindija Holste · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great advice for designers!