It is true, not all logo designers are created equal. And, what is even more true, it doesn’t matter how many they have done or how many years in the saddle they have. The only thing that counts is talent or an eye for design.
When you are looking for custom logo designs then start with the portfolio of the logo designer. Make sure that their style and what you are looking for match. Don’t expect a logo designer who does mostly abstract logos to draw you a cartoon character and vice a versa. Everyone has a different style, and what you are looking for is a style that you like.
Don’t be fooled when someone says they are not using clip art. That is a red flag. There is a right and a wrong way to use clip art. You want a logo designer to use it the right way. If they aren’t using clip art, chances are you are going too get something very amateurish looking. After all, if they aren’t using clip art and were good illustrators, then they would be illustrators, NOT logo designers.
It is absolutely OK for a logo designer to use clip art. What a professional designer will do is take elements of the clip art and manipulate it for their own purpose. Many great designs have been done this way.
Don’t be fooled into paying for the amount of colors use on your logo. It takes NO additional time to design with one color or unlimited colors. Once again, that is a sign of an amateur so stay clear.
Make sure you get vector files so you can have your logo professionally printed. Most common formats for this is EPS or Postcript. Most designers will use Adobe Illustrator. If a designer only offers JPEG, again stay clear except if your only use is for the web.
You will also want to work with someone who is responsive, easy to work with and will give you as many revisions as you need. Check their testimonials. This is the best way for you to get a feel for how they work.
Hope that helps!
Regards,
Jimmy H Thakkar
