If I want to design a logo, where do I start?

[SlightlyMadShrek]

Anyone done it before?

Everything I think of has either been done before or is naff...

errrrrm, i am not sure what you mean...are you trying to draw a logo for a brand? i would suggest having a set time for drawing, then a break, then a set time for critiquing...but not doing both at the same time.

not everything you draw can have NO potential...it's not possible!

what is it for? maybe you shouldn;t do it on your own? that's very depressing

is that how critiquing is spelt ? i'm not sure...???

It is for a driving school. It will be the business logo.

The ideas I have had have been done (or maybe thats cos they are familar cos I see them round so seeds my own ideas?)

By best is a little car with a smiling face (called Mr Smiley ). Its naff.

you start with ideas and insperation(badly spelt but you get it)!so think where can you get ideas from.google driving,cars,learner drivers etc.

My other idea is a set of traffic lights where the green light becomes the letter 'O' which is in the name....

Problem is that the logo needs to be compatible with B&W print for newspaper advertisiting, so the traffic lights don't work quite as well

i dont know could still work.sounds good idea

depending how much time you have before this needs to be done - you could go and talk to the teacher at your local 6th form and see if there are any aspiring design students who would want £25 for designing you a logo.

I would go this route because I am the least creative person I know

Actually we have a major art college down the road.......

I have seen ads on ebay - logo design for £5, it just sounds wrong buying a logo on ebay though

how long have you got to get it done?im happy to help?

infinity?????

I wasn't expecting/punting for someone to do it for me....I have never doen it before and wasn't sure where to start to get good results.

I should clarify that it is DPs business, so it is a little project I have started to redo website, so I was thinkning of redoing (or should I say creating) a logo. Hence the reason there is no deadline as such.

logo design boundaries:

it should relate to the business field
(cars + Learners passing their test)

it should be simple to understand by the customer
(you can check this out by putting designs in front of people and saying 'DO YOU UNDERSTAND THIS?' - i.e.. not what do you think)

it should reflect the tone YOU want to portray
(warm and positive and approachable)

it should work in single colour
(i.e. NOT traffic lights, cos changes the cost of printing)

hmmmmmm, a little car with a smiling face - could it be that you've already got it?? Or even more specific, a little car with L plates/just an L plate on wheels with a smiley face???

The name 'Mr Smiley' - is that the business name? in which case, might need to put that thru the same test..

Don't know if this helps you, but would say it's NOT worth getting a logo on ebay when you sound perfectly like you've got ideas coming in.... may be wrong but.....?????

Mr Smiley is just teh affectionate name for my little car - I had to give the jpg file a name right . It is one I grabbed of google images and modified very slightly (put L plates on) - so a bit dodgy as far as copyright goes probably. A bit complex too.

Shoudl I specifically include or exclude the company name?

I have had some 'brainwaves' overnight and currently have the following ideas.

A (car) key, possibly with the name forming the blade of the key?

A road sign with directions to "the company name"

Steering wheel. There is another company working locally with a steering wheel as the basis of their logo so I would have to differentiate carefully,

I have just re-read your last message.....

L plate on wheels, I love it. I shall get my pen and paper out!!!!!!!

oooh like the idea of it driving towards the sign with the company name on that. that feels like a strong message 'go this way if you are a learner driver'

drawing-wise - if you can link it (either by keping them close together or by having a white lines on the road/verge line connecting them or by overlapping them somehow) so that people don't 'read' the pictures as two separate icons), you might be on the right road!

scuse the pun...!

(just off to see what advice i am getting on my accountant/bookeeper thread, but i reckon DP's got a good brain on his team!)

i mean i reckon YOUR DP's got a good brain on his team!

My DP's got me.

(actually, my DPs not doing so bad either). i will go and tell him.

I am the brain .