Challenge: Design a logo that conveys a business or brand’s identity and unique value.
First impressions are everything. Create a logo that communicates the unique value of a business or brand.
Facilitation Guide
Background
From a hand-drawn sign on a lemonade stand, to instantly-recognizable emblems from the largest corporations, businesses of all shapes and sizes use logos to help attract interest, convey their brand identity, and encourage customers to spend money on their products and services.
Some brands use many colors and rely on text to build brand value while others stick to simple symbols without any words. Though the logos may look very different from each other visually, the most iconic logos not only convey a brand’s identity, but also create a connection with customers.
Glowforge laser cutter and engraver offers a wide range of design possibilities, including 2D and 3D capabilities, as well as the ability to work with a variety of materials. With its cutting, engraving, and scoring functions, Glowforge is a versatile and powerful tool that can help bring any logoto life.
Explore
Research and explore solutions to the logo challenge. Consider the following:
- Which existing business or brand will you design a logo for?
- What product or services does this business or brand provide? How can a visual logo help customers better understand the value it brings?
- What words best describe how the business or brand meets customers’ needs?
- How can Glowforge and its tools help bring your logo design to life?
Explore Tip
If you get stuck, check out the Glowforge community for ideas on how others have created logos or incorporated logos into projects using Glowforge.
Reflect and Review
Take a moment to reflect on the research you did for your logo design.
- What makes a logo compelling?
- What products or services are central to the business or brand you researched?
Consider: Are there any other resources or techniques you want to explore before brainstorming your own logo designs?
Ideate
Brainstorm different ideas for your logo. The goal is to think of as many ideas as you can without worrying about how good or bad the ideas are. Consider the following:
- How can my logo reflect the business or brand's values or communicate their products and/or services?
- How could you use tools such as the Glowforge app or other design software to help create your logo?
- Ideas evolve over time. Take the Apple logo for example. The logo has evolved at least six times since its inception in the 1970s. Your ideas in this first stage will most likely evolve throughout the design process.
Ideate Tip
Your Glowforge can engrave from a JPG or PNG image file and cut or engrave from SVG and PDF files. This means you can create something in a popular design software you already use, convert it to one of the supported files, and create a logo using your Glowforge.
Reflect and Review
Now that you’ve brainstormed some ideas, take a moment to reflect.
- Are any of your ideas similar enough to be grouped together?
- Do any of your ideas stand out as favorites? Which ideas might you disregard?
Consider: Are there any gaps in your brainstorming ideas? In the Design stage, you’ll narrow your ideas to 1 or 2 logos to fully design, so make sure you’re happy with your options.
Design
Review the ideas you brainstormed and select one or two that you would like to develop further by creating sketches or digital mockups. Consider the following:
What digital tools or media will you use to create a unique logo design?
What tools and materials do you need to develop your print idea(s) using your Glowforge?
How might you include features like text, symbols, fonts, and color in your logo?
Design Tip
You can import a hand drawn sketch of your logo using the Glowforge’s trace feature. Designs uploaded using this feature can be combined with other elements in your Glowforge app to create your final logo.
Reflect and Review
Now that you have spent time developing several logo designs, take a moment to reflect on the progress of your design.
- Is your logo still focused on your business’s branding, products, and services?
- Does your logo incorporate design elements that connect with customers?
- Why have you chosen the typeface and/or colors used in your logo?
- Ask a peer for their input: Does this logo design make sense for this brand?
Consider: Is there anything you want to change about your design before moving to the Prototype stage?
Prototype
Select one fully developed logo design. Using Glowforge, create a prototype of your logo design using appropriate materials. Consider the following:
- How long will your design take to create?
- What material(s) will you use for your design?
- Can you resize the logo for various purposes without losing detail?
- How might you customize your prototype once it’s created? Consider how you might add color to your design.
Prototype Tip
Your Glowforge works great with materials you might already have, like cardboard or cardstock. Materials like this are perfect for the Prototype stage as you’re refining your design. (Pro tip: Keep the scraps from your prototypes on hand for future projects!)
Reflect and Review
Take a moment to reflect on the prototypes you created and tested:
- What do you notice about your logo in its physical form?
- What design elements of your logo design do you want to revisit?
- Do you need to add color to your prototype before the evaluation stage?
- How does your physical creation differ from what you imagined?
Consider: Are there any previous stages you want to revisit in order to rethink any part of your logo design?
Evaluate
Now that you’ve created and tested your logo prototype, it’s time for feedback. Here are some sample questions to ask your peers in order to get useful and actionable feedback:
- Is the logo simple and easy to recognize?
- Is it memorable and unique?
- Is it versatile across different applications? Consider websites, merchandise, packaging, signage, advertisements.
- Does the logo convey the right message about the business or brand?
- Is it timeless?
Evaluate Tip
Record a video of yourself presenting your logo and specifying the type of feedback that you would like for your logo design. Posting the video on an interactive whiteboard, such as Padlet, or video discussion platform, such as Microsoft Flip, could help you expand your feedback audience, and receive targeted feedback all in one place.
Reflect and Review
When reviewing the feedback you received, consider:
- What aspects of your logo design do you need to revisit or adjust?
- Are there stages in the design process that you would like to return to in order to make your adjustments?
Once you have completed and finalized your logo design it’s time to share it with a larger audience!
