Logo Guidelines

Jeff Design

Over the years many a client and person looking to create a logo has asked me if I had any ‘logo rules‘ that I follow? Here are the basics:

1) A logo should look as good in black and white as it does in color

2) A logo should not rely on color or gradients to work

3) A logo should be legible at 1″ wide

4) A logo should have both a horizontal and vertical option (although one orientation should be the preferred usage)

5) A logo should have specific assigned colors to use on all media types (Pantone, CMYK, RGB, Hex)

6) A logo should not use clipart for its icon

7) A logo should have a controlled spatial relationship between its icon and type (Don’t make the icon too big or small for the typographic treatment of the company name, etc.)

8) Do not ask to make the logo bigger. (Better you just do that yourself)

9) You shall not use Zapf Chancery in all caps as your company typeface (Just stay away from Zapf Chancery)