How to Create a Word Mark Logo in Illustrator

Companies large and small use logos to represent their identity and establish recognition for their brands and products in the marketplace. Some logos consist entirely or principally of graphic elements, from distinctive abstractions to representative, recognizable illustrations of objects. Other companies' logos rely mostly on typography to create an impression. Designers classify these type-driven logos as word marks. While the process of creating a word mark may seem relatively simple, it's far from easy to choose just the right typeface, style, size, color and customization to craft a logo that's powerful and enduring.

Instructions

1. Launch Adobe Illustrator. Choose New from the File menu and create a new file in CMYK document color mode. Set your artboard to a large-enough size to give you ample working room for multiple logo variations during the creative process. Click on the OK button to open your new file.

2. Choose Swatches from the Window menu to bring up the Swatches panel if it's not already open on your screen. To add spot or process colors to the Swatches panel, go to the Open Swatch Library fly-out menu of the Swatches panel menu at the top right corner of the panel. Choose the applicable color library, which opens in a free-standing swatch panel titled with the name of the library. Add color swatches to your Swatches panel by clicking on the color chips for the colors you need.

3. Choose Character from the Window menu to bring up the Character panel if it's not already open on your screen. Choose the Type tool in the Adobe Illustrator toolbox. Click near the top of your artboard to create a type object. Type the company name to begin creating your word mark.

4. Switch to the Selection tool in the Adobe Illustrator toolbox. Click once on your text object to select it. Change the Adobe Illustrator default typeface to the first font you want to consider by selecting the typeface name in the Character panel. Set the type size of this first variant in the Character panel.

5. Hold down the "Alt" (Windows) or "Option" key (Mac) and drag your type object to create a duplicate below the first variant on the artboard work area. Go to the Character panel and change the typeface for this duplicate to the next one you want to evaluate.

6. Change the type style to make it bolder or italicized by changing the type style in the Character panel. Experiment with color by choosing the entire type object with the Selection tool or a range of characters with the Text tool and clicking on one of the colors you added to your Swatches panel. Try mixing two typefaces or styles together to see if these types of designs accentuate important aspects of the word mark.

7. Continue creating typographic alternates by duplicating each exemplar and altering the duplicate to use a new set of typographic or stylistic parameters. When you've created instances that use each of the typefaces you feel is a viable candidates, save your file.

8. Share your logo alternatives with your client and seek feedback about which designs they prefer. Continue experimenting with variations on these designs until you craft a word mark that meets with your client's approval.

Tips & Warnings

• Choose colors that have well-matched alternatives in spot and process color so you can create the full range of identity materials for your client.

• If you find yourself feeling frustrated with your attempts to narrow down your selection of typeface candidates, save your file and set it aside for a few hours or a day. When you return to your work and look at it with fresh eyes, you may find your task clarifies itself.

• Make sure your design isn't too similar to familiar logos and doesn't accidentally resemble an unpleasant or unsuitable concept.

• Avoid creating logos in three colors, as these carry all the expense of four-color printing. Obviously, if your client prefers a three-color design and is willing to pay for its production costs, that overrides practical concerns, but make sure you convey these issues clearly as you seek client approval.

References

• Adobe Systems: Using Adobe Illustrator CS5
• "The Adobe Illustrator CS5 Wow! Book"; Sharon Steuer; 2010
• "Adobe Creative Suite 5 Design Premium All-in-One for Dummies"; Jennifer Smith, et al.; 2010
• "Illustrator CS5 for Windows and Macintosh Visual QuickStart Guide"; Elaine Weinmann, et al.; 2011