It’s no denying that minimalist logos are pretty much in as of the moment.
The beauty of minimalist logos is that they do not hoggle too much attention but are still able to show their simple beauty by being clean, straightforward, and very professional looking.
While most logos beat around the bush or can be too bright and too eye-catching, minimalist logos try their best to keep everything on the down-low with a professional charm about it.
Minimalist logos have become trendy but they have actually been existing ever since. The beauty of minimalist logos is that they show simplicity while not lacking in their meaning.
Minimalist logos are also very good at being both corporate and creative at the same time. They don’t play around too much and oftentimes come off as serious but they are definitely not boring.
Sometimes minimalist logos can even be more attention-catching than other regular logos.
The good thing about minimalist logos is that they go beyond just regular text.
Minimalist logos can be quite challenging.
Due to their simplicity, it is sometimes hard to create a perfect minimalist logo without going overboard.
The challenge is basically to make more with less.
Think of it this way, minimalist logos are like speeches.
There are some speeches that are loud and powerful, and there are also some that are short but in-depth and quotable.
Minimalist logos usually resonate more with the latter. Saying more with less.
Here are the top 10 tips to make a minimalist logo:
Keep the design flat
The thing about minimalism is that it doesn’t really fit the motif of 3D shapes or effects.
Also, make sure to remove the color gradient and shadows since they make the logo less minimalist.
Minimalist designs should be simple and not play with many shapes or effects.
The less 3D the design looks, the more minimalist it becomes.
Instead of having a well shaded box at an angle, use lines to signify a box.
There are a lot of ways this can be done but basically, the more linear the design, the more minimalist it becomes.
Of course, there are many other ways that this can be applied aside from boxes.
Basically, the cleaner, straightforward, and flat a design looks, the more minimalist it becomes.
At first, it might be difficult to get the properties of minimalist logos right but through practice and trial and error, you’ll be able to come up with the perfect minimalist logo.
Stick to one color
When making a minimalist design, it is better to stick to one color.
Try experimenting with colors in order to find which one is the perfect combination. Remember, minimalist doesn’t necessarily mean black.
A minimalist logo can use different colors aside from black.
The minimalist logo can be a combination of yellow and black, purple and white, or any color combination that would work for the design.
This is where the minimalist logo can have more personality.
With the right play on colors, the minimalist logo can better represent the company.
Colors are very important when it comes to representing the company.
They can be used for the company’s website and promotional materials.
Having uniformed colors is very important since they provide a stronger company personality.
For example, Airbnb is a company that sticks to its color and because of that, it is more recognizable.
Avoid excess designs
Try to remove the redundant features from the logo and chop off anything that isn’t needed.
This is where the “minimal” in minimalist really counts.
The simpler the logo, the more minimalist the result will be. Aside from extra features or details, this could even mean extra lines itself.
Make sure that every line counts and try making a minimalist logo with as less as possible.
Less is more and the less details there are in the logo, the more meaning and power they will have.
Of course, there are some things that just can’t be removed and that’s fine. Leave the essentials but let go of everything else.
Apple is the perfect example of this.
The extreme minimalism of Apple allows the company to be easily remembered, very recognizable, and still capable of catching attention.
Cutting out the excess elements of the design allows the remaining elements to be highlighted even more.
Choose the right font
Aside from color, this is another powerful and very recognizable feature of minimalist logos.
With the use of the right font, the logo will become more and more in tune with what the company stands for.
Using a futuristic font can signify that the company is a futuristic company.
Using a classic font will show that the company is more in tune with its historical roots and still has that classic vibe.
Try experimenting with different fonts and find one that matches the company’s personality.
A good example for this is actually Uber.
While Uber’s design looks very simple, it is still pleasing to the eye.
This is because the company was able to pick out the right font that isn’t boring but also doesn’t try too hard to stand out. Uber’s font is perfect to represent the company.
Utilize space
Make sure not to cram everything together and that the elements can breathe on their own. Basically, make use of the space.
Minimalist does not mean that the logo has to be compact, allow the elements room of their own. Give every element their own space and respect it.
The perfect use of space creates a peaceful minimalist logo.
Once the elements of a logo are correctly spaced against each other, the logo will appear much cleaner and very strategically placed.
Although it might not be noticeable at first glance, there is definitely something about logos that know how to make use of space.
The thing about minimalist logos is that they have to be balanced.
Not too close and not too far from each other.
If the elements are too far from each other, this would also create an irritating waste of space feeling that also won’t be pleasing to the target market.
Make use of negative space
For those that want to make a really good minimalist logo, one that stands out, it is good to use negative space.
This is where an image can be created in white space between two different objects.
Applying this to the minimalist logo will give it more life and will make it more realistic.
Negative spaces is where the designer can really play with the logo.
The good thing about using negative spaces is that not a lot of minimalist logos use negative spaces making the logo unique.
This can be a way for the logo to stand out from the regular minimalist logo motif.
One perfect example of this is Beats by Dre.
The logo uses negative space to make a “b” which also looks like the headphones at the same time.
This creative play on negative space makes for a very unique logo despite its simplicity.
The logo is definitely noticeable today.
Keep elements simple
The key to making a really good minimalist logo is to make sure not to complicate anything within the logo.
The simpler the elements, the better the logo will look.
Do not use complicated elements like overly detailed symbols.
Try finding a cleaner version of the symbol you want to use for your logo.
While it may seem really hard to find a simpler and cleaner version of a symbol or element you might want to use for your logo, there are still ways that can be explored in order to come up with a cleaner element.
Try being creative with the symbol or element being used in the minimalist logo.
Experiment with different representations of the symbol or element to come up with the perfect one that fits the logo.
Once again, Apple is one of the examples of using extremely simple elements for its logo.
Of course, copying Apple would also not be a good idea.
Instead, try to look for an element or elements that could perfectly represent the company in a very simple way.
Another example of this is Spotify.
Although it doesn’t use a typical symbol like a note, it still shows a minimalist logo that is related to music.
The three curved lines are also very recognizable and are also a very solid representation of the company.
Make the logo geometrically pleasing
Mathematics plays a great deal in minimalist logos since they have to look geometrically pleasing despite being simple.
The more geometrically correct the minimalist logo looks, the more visually pleasing it will be.
Geometrically pleasing isn’t just limited to the lines but also the fonts and other elements of the minimalist logo itself.
Using the fibonacci sequence and other geometric indicators can help the designer make a geometrically pleasing minimalist logo through computations.
Adidas is another company that makes use of really good geometry.
While the three stripes itself create a uniformed logo, the upper parts of the stripes show a geometrically pleasing mountain-like symbol.
This makes the minimalist logo unique despite being simple.
Who knew you could do that much with just three stripes?
Make sure to use the right shapes
The more round a logo is, usually the more alive and creative it becomes.
Circles can be used as borders for the minimalist logo and they give off a very lively feel to the design.
Borders aren’t the only pieces of the minimalist logo that can use shapes, elements and even the element itself can be a shape.
Square borders and elements with sharp edges usually show a more corporate and firm design.
The stronger the shapes, this means the less curves, the more firm and straightforward the design would look.
Make sure to use the right shapes. Aside from circles, squares, and rectangles, there are hexagons, penagons, and more.
A perfect example for this is the Toyota logo.
Instead of using normal circles, the logo makes use of differently curved and shaped oblongs which actually create every single letter of the word TOYOTA.
The logo is a play on letters in itself.
The shapes within the logo create perfect curves all forming the TOYOTA symbol.
Make use of lines
The thing about lines is that while some people might think they are boring, they have a very large role in the minimalist logos themselves.
Aside from the length of the line and its orientation, another key feature of the line is very important to make a good minimalist logo.
The line’s thickness is very important.
The thicker the line, the bolder it looks.
The thinner the line, the more sleek and intelligent it looks.
Playing with the lines and fonts’ thickness is very important since it is also another way for the minimalist logo to embody the company’s personality.
Every line counts.
While some companies like to have an extra line here and there, they should be used to signify something.
For example, there is a law firm called “Bernie & Sanders Law Firm,” “Bernie & Sanders” can be positioned on top and separated with a line in the middle with the “Law Firm” at the bottom.
When it comes to making minimalist logos, the key is to go as meaningful as possible without having to put too much.
If there is something that has meaning but it is not too strong, it might be better to remove it from the logo.
The simpler the logo is, the more minimalist it will feel.
The key to making a minimalist logo is to try making a regular logo then simplifying the parts that can be simplified in order to get a cleaner and more straightforward logo.
If there are simpler ways to represent other elements, it might be good to experiment with those simplified designs.
Most of the top minimalist logos try their best to stay away from anything that is not useful to the logo itself.
If it doesn’t say anything or support the company’s main intentions, take it out.
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