Is it me, or is there a logo for EVERYTHING these days? From the worldwide corporations, to small businesses, to sole proprietors. Automakers, clothing lines, hospitals, magazines, appliances, kennels, you name it, this list goes on and on and. . . well, you get the picture. And in the search for identity, even individuals have logo-fied themselves. From professionally made, Image-consulted, PR contracted professional logos for athletes and movies stars, to graffiti tags of the disenfranchised urbanites and their suburban cousin wannabes, we use this symbol based form of art to express to others who or what we are. We seek a symbol that is uniquely us. An icon or tag that screams “In my absence, look at this picture, and think of me. . . or don’t”. But what is a logo you ask? Wikipedia defines a logo as:

A logo (Greek ????????? = logotypos) is a graphical element (ideogram, symbol, emblem, icon, sign) that, together with its logotype (a uniquely set and arranged typeface) form a trademark or commercial brand. Typically, a logo’s design is for immediate recognition.[1] The logo is one aspect of a company’s commercial brand, or economic or academic entity, and its shapes, colors, fonts, and images usually are different from others in a similar market. Logos are also used to identify organizations and other non-commercial entities.

Simply put, a logo is “a company or individual emblem or device”.

There are of course logos that are easy to recognize. Coca Cola, Nike, McDonalds, Google. and Apple to name a few. Creating a logo takes time and requires a great deal of thought. While the end product may seem simple, as a professional designer of 20+ years, I’m here to tell you, it’s a load of work. If you aren’t careful, the end product can convey the wrong message. This can be hilarious, for everyone who isn’t you or your company.

In this day of rampant (and sometimes shameless) self promotion, everyone and I mean EVERYONE wants a logo. You can’t swing a cat without hitting a trademark of some sort. . . hmmm, “swingin’ cats” logo, I think I see my next project coming up. If you have a business, something that your lively-hood depends on, I strongly urge you to seek professional help with your company icons. It’s important that it’s done right. I refer you back to the “hilarious” logos. You don’t take your mutt to the mechanics if your fluffy is yarking up chew flips. Neither should you go to your friends cousin who once won a 4th place ribbon in the county fair for his rendition of “American Gothic” in macaroni, to produce an iconic “face” for your company. As Red Adair once said “If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, wait till you hire and amateur”.

However, this shouldn’t stop any of us from trying our hand at this time honored artistic shorthand. You want a logo for yourself? Knock yourself out! Better yet, draw a picture of boxing gloves with nipples and call it “Knockers”. Or do you just have an idea for something you think is clever or amusing? Then draw to your hearts content. There is no wrong answer here. It’s a matter of self expression. Doodle, draw, diagram, dictate, devise, or design your own image for those gems floating around in your head. Have fun above all. Create, actualize, author, build, forge, hatch and shape to your ever-lovin deeelight. Show it to other and get their feedback if’n you wanna. If they like, GREAT! Maybe they’ll do one for themselves. If they don’t like it, then you might want to show them that time-honored single finger logo that is so recognized the world around.

I’ve included a couple of logos I’ve created. One is for a buddy’s blog. Xspectre8.com. Michael Culver, Adventurer – Magician – Gentleman Farmer. I came up with tag line “Swashbuckling, Sleight of Field-Hand”. He’s a hand’s on mechanical, techno, hacker sort of guy. Knowing this, I came up with the spitting jolly roger with the crossed binary wrenches. Xspectre8 has been his “tag” for a long time, thus the spitting part of the logo. The other is a logo for “Muzek Pir8s”, a techno cover band that ultimately never was. Both use the jolly roger and number 8 in their themes. You can take a simple idea and run in many directions.

I encourage you all (or perhaps just “both”, depending on readership), to give it a whirl. I think you’ll really get a kick out of doing this. It can be a great outlet for those fantastic ideas I know you have. Good luck. Now, You Go LOGO!