Once you have clarity, you can start exploring visual elements, lightly and intentionally

It can help you start finding direction

On this article we share a few ideas and tools that we hope you find helpful

Logos: Keep It Simple

Early-stage logos work best when they are:

• Simple

• Legible

• Flexible

Places to explore inspiration or create basics:

• Logo galleries for reference

• Font catalogues

• 
  

Consider a simple wordmark using clean fonts as a placeholder

Experiment with different color combinations, prioritizing contrast and legibility

There are 4 main types of fonts

• Serif fonts
• Sans-serif fonts
• Script fonts
• Handwritten fonts

Images & Visuals

Use images that feel aligned with your values and audience. Ensure you have the correct right and use the proper attribution 

Good sources for royalty-free images:

• Stock photo libraries with natural, human-focused imagery

  • Unsplash 

  • Pexels

  • Adobe stock

• Illustration libraries for simple graphics

• Your own photos

• Scans from books in the library

• Magazine cutouts

Color: Direction & Harmony

A full palette might evolve over time and absorb new colors, focus on having high contrast. Pick a combination from a catalogue or develop your own with color theory 

Start with:

• A favorite color 

• One neutral (light or dark)

• One accent

Adobe has great color wheels, relied on by most of my friends

Consistency & Originality

Adding patterns to your designs provides consistency, which can be preferable to originality

It might feel clever to use a variety of disjointed colors, but it likely fails to convey a particular brand

Consider using the same:

• Tone

• Colors

• Language

• Layout patterns

This develops into your brand. Consistency makes it so that you would recognize anything associated with Coca-Cola by including a mere color or a particular shape outline

Mark This Module Complete When…

• You feel like your brand can be described in simple sentences

• You understand who you’re building for

• You have a rough visual direction (not a final design)