...and my (current) personal #1 rule when developing logos. Cool right?!
There are more steps to developing a killer logo than I care to count. Each designer has a different process for logo design, but most look similar to the following steps (deep breath): research, moodboards, sketches, brainstorming, more sketching, research again, digital comps, presentation of comps, more brainstorming. etc. ect. blah......... blah.
If you are a designer you know the beat of that drum, but if you are not, know that there is a lot of blood, sweat, tears, and knowledge that goes into making a logo. A lot, a lot.
Somewhere in between all those other steps is where my current super secret, high tech, one of a kind, rule to rule all rules happens! What is this rule you ask?!
- Sleep on it -
So I feel like some of you may be giving me one of those sarcastic slow claps, like the ones after a really awful tap routine. Let me give you a few reasons why "sleeping on it" helps me, you, or the designer you payed to make a great logo for you.
You wont get ahead of yourself.
I often get like 4 steps in front of myself when designing a logo. I'll be at the comp stage when I should still be researching or I'll try and finish the logo when I really need to develop some more ideas. By "sleeping on" your designs, you are giving yourself permission to slow down and make smart decisions about your designs.
You have a fresh perspective on your designs
I would love to say that the first ideas that pops into my head for a logo design is genius but typically it's not. Typically they're crap. But if I take the time to sleep on my initial logo concepts I have the ability to come back with fresh/rested eyes and hopefully will be able to easily discern the good ideas from the bad.
New, bigger, better ideas will come to you!
Sometimes the first round of logo ideas can be a uninspired, or just aren't quite there yet. Maybe you haven't spent enough time researching the brand, maybe you didnt have a good day, or your pet hippo ate your ipad etc. Whatever the reason is, this often happens when designing a logo. My suggestion is to sleep on it. By giving your brain a day or two to process you will be able to brainstorm new concepts that are stronger, and more inspired. Hopefully you will have thought of more creative solutions to your initial concepts as well. The goal is to push them from "meh" designs to "rad" designs.
The most common time I need to "sleep on it" is during/after my brainstorming sketch phase. This is a key point in logo design because you need a strong core design concept. Other common times are after I digitize the best logo comps, and when I am doing revisions on the comps. Every logo design is different but I have learned that if I get sucked into a creative black hole, bounce off an invisible wall or am frustrated with designs that wont come together, it is usually time to step back and give it a night.
I used logos as an example because I know them. They relate to my daily work routine and I understand them, but maybe you dont make logos. Maybe you make jewelry, or you do business consulting, or own a cupcake factory... ps. I wanna visit a factory that shoots out cupcakes. Or cheesecake! Even better... I digress. Whatever it is you do, there are always decisions that need to be made. Some need to be made right on the spot. You dont have time to think you just act. But there are also decisions/ideas/concepts that we should allow to settle so we can look at them clearly after the dust has cleared. In encourage you to let your ideas breath. Let your creative scope broaden. Dont rush it. Dont worry about it.
Take a nap instead.
