What are some recommendations for creating my own logo?

I just started my own business, and I need a logo design however, I can't afford a professional design yet. Do you have any tips for creating something that can get me started?

Sometimes, as much as you value the idea of having a professional logo designed, it just isn't in your budget yet. Never fear, here's a few tips you can take to develop your own logo design that can hold you over until you're ready to have a professional logo designed.

Stick to type treatments

Developing a great icon or a mark is a challenge for even the most seasoned designer, and is probably a task you don't want to take on. It is tempting to fire up Microsoft Word, locate a clipart image and call it your logo, but the problem with this is that any one of your competitors can do the exact same thing. Not to mention that clipart typically looks like, well, clipart. It doesn't look custom, it doesn't communicate any emotion and it isn't very ownable at all. Instead, stick to a simple type treatment. Here are a few tips to creating a nice type logo to help you get by.

Don't use a font that came with your computer

Remember how we warned about looking to Word's clipart gallery for an icon or mark? The same thing goes for fonts. Stay away from any fonts that come standard with your computer. The problem with this is that these fonts are much too commonplace to act as the visual hook to your business. Instead, search out something more unique by using one of many online font websites. Fontsquirrel.com is my favorite site for free fonts, and myfonts.com is my favorite for fonts you can purchase. Both of these sites have hundreds, if not thousands, of fonts to choose from, and if you go with a purchased font, the likelihood that someone else might choose it for their logo is reduced.

Consider the feeling the font creates

Right now you're probably wondering how in the world you're going to pick a font from all of the options available to you. Before you start your search, write down 2-4 feelings that the typeface should evoke. That way, as you are searching for typefaces, you can cross-check the look of the typeface with your list to determine wether it feels the way you want it to feel.Here's a quick reference guide below that explains the general feelings associated with common types of fonts:

Err on the side of simplicity

Once you've started searching for fonts, and have a few possibilities, we'd urge you to err on the side of simplicity. So basically, if you are trying to choose between two fonts and one is more elaborate and the other is slightly less ornate, it would probably be in your best interest to choose the simpler option. The benefit of choosing a simpler option is that a simple solution will create a more sophisticated look in the short term, and will also give you the ability to transition to a custom logo in the future.