Pro tips on the logo sketching mindset

1. Choose the medium you are the most comfortable with

Sketching is all about exploring and having fun, so you need to do it with tools that you can have fun with. If you are trying to figure out how a certain app or program works, that takes away the focus from sketching.

You can go for the classic pen and paper. Or maybe your go-to medium is Procreate on the iPad. Maybe a Wacom tablet and Photoshop? Whichever it might be, make sure you are familiar enough with it so that you’ll only have to focus on sketching, not the tool itself.

2. There is no right or wrong way to sketch

Another cool thing about logo sketching is that there isn’t just one way to do it. Every creative has their way of sketching and none is better than the other.

However, there might be techniques that best suit your style and workflow, but you can only find that out by exploring a lot. You might have a really messy sketchbook, while all your colleagues keep theirs nice and clean. Or you might want to rapidly jump from one sketch to another, while your mates take their time on one before moving on.

Don’t get intimidated or demotivated if others have a different process than you. Each of us is unique and so are our processes. But let’s go through some of these sketching techniques and recommendations.

3. Don’t get lost in the details

Sketching is all about exploring different styles and directions. At this point, you should focus only on the overall, rough shape of the logo. Getting stuck on a single version and starting to polish that one might be a huge waste of time, as that version might not even be the best choice. You will have plenty of time to focus on the details in the next stage!

4. Sketch fast

As I just mentioned, the best way to not get lost in the details is to sketch fast. Not too fast that you mindlessly pass by every version, but fast enough to allow your brain to get all the ideas out. When you explore versions through sketching, your mind tends to jump from one to another… so let it do exactly that.

5. Sketching isn’t linear

Speaking of jumping from idea to idea, it’s okay to leave a sketch unfinished if a new idea comes up. You can always come back to it later. Feel free to take steps forward and back, to go left and then right and back again. Don’t set yourself boundaries, but rather give yourself full freedom to explore.

6. Be messy

One of the most common fears in the creative community is the fear of having a messy sketchbook. But guess what? Sketchbooks (or Photoshop or Procreate files) are supposed to be messy and to make no sense.

My theory is that the messier the sketchbook is, the clearer the end result will be. The human mind is super abstract and if you give it the necessary freedom to make a mess, it’ll eventually find clarity. Your sketchbook is yours alone, so don’t worry if it’s chaotic!

7. Don’t work with colors yet

I know, the colors are pretty. I love them too. But sketching and introducing color at the same time is really a rather unproductive way to do things.

You see, when you start introducing colors you are actually giving your brain an extra layer of information to deal with. Whereas at this point you should be focusing on one thing only: the overall style and shape of the logo. Color has so much power, and with that power, it will certainly steal your focus. You’ll have a whole step later on in the process to deal solely with colors.

8. Criticise your work

Learn to be your own critic. Try to look at your sketches objectively. Refer back to your keyword list and see which sketch matches it and which one doesn’t.

Look at your sketches from a technical point of view. Ask yourself: which sketch best matches the project at hand and why? Which one doesn’t and why? Which logotype is the most legible and which one is the least legible? If you were to finalize these sketches, would they all work in small sizes? Do they make sense for this particular project? Are they anatomically correct?

9.  It’s not about what you personally like

Sure, at the end of the day everything you design will be filtered through your own preferences. But try to detach yourself from the versions you like the most and find the versions that make sense for the project. Try to put yourself in your client’s (and their audience’s) shoes. What would they like?