Logo Design Workbook: A Hands-On Guide to Creating Logos

by Sean Adams, Noreen Morioka

The "Logo Design Workbook is the first in a new series of practical and inspirational workbooks from Rockport that will cover all the fundamental areas of the graphic design business. The edition focuses on how to create powerful logo designs and answers the question. "What makes a logo successful?" In the first half of the book the authors walk readers step-by-step through the logo development process. The authors, Adams Moriaka, discuss everything you need to know about logos including choosing colors and typefaces, incorporating logos on products and collateral, figuring out the pros and cons of illustrating and avoiding common mistakes in logo design. Scattered throughout the second portion of the book are interviews with prominent logo designers and profiles of many well-known logos, that as well as historical logos that have shaped graphic design.

Genres: Design, Nonfiction, Art Design, Reference, Business

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Sean Adams is the Chair of the Undergraduate and Graduate Graphic Design Program at ArtCenter. He also serves as Executive Director of the Graphic Design Graduate Program. Adams continues his design practice with The Office of Sean Adams. He is the author of multiple books, and on-screen author for LinkedIn Learning. He is the only two-term AIGA national president in AIGA’s 100-year history. In 2014, Adams was awarded the AIGA Medal, the highest honor in the profession. He currently is on the editorial board and writes for Design Observer.

Adams is an AIGA and Aspen Design Fellow. He has been widely recognized by every major competition and publication, including a solo exhibition at SFMOMA. Adams has been cited as one of the forty most important people shaping design internationally, and one of the top ten influential designers in the United States. Previously, Adams was a founding partner of AdamsMorioka.

Reviews

[Toni Conn · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was less of a workbook and more of a reference guide for the pieces that are needed for making a logo. I was looking for more information on the design process of making a logo.

This book has a great checklist for the graphic manual that should accompany the logo you provide the client. Another good piece of this book was a list of points to follow up with your client after the logo is being used.

I prefer Logo Creed: The Mystery, Magic, and Method Behind Designing Great Logos better.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty elementary, even for an introductory book. Wastes pages with examples of fonts the reader should already be acquainted with if they've ever used MS Word, basics of colors you learn in Art 101, etc.

Also, "No one likes change and the designer is the catalyst for change." I mean really?

It'd be cool as a coffee table conversation starter, I guess, and it's a good reference to get the juices flowing (so to speak), but far too superficial to provide much utility.

[Joel Wakefield · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bright, very visual guide to the process of creating logos, marks, and branding identity. The first half of the book walks through the design steps, followed by a large number of case studies in which designers present work for specific clients. I am not a designer so the entire field is new to me, and I appreciated never feeling lost or overwhelmed by jargon or text designed exclusively for trained designers. I found the case studies very interesting (for the most part), and appreciated that they originated from many different markets across the world, showing different aesthetics and approaches in different cultures and countries.
I think I might appreciate this book even more if I were to force myself to do some of this thinking in developing a logo or brand, which would make me explore and understand the creative steps better.

[Vũ Đăng · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want more from this book. I don't say it's not good, but it can't give me new skill or new aspect about logo design.

[Ari Mustofa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

[Dimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what it says in the tin. Not a bad book, but I feel underwhelmed.

[R.Friend · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another series I enjoy from Rockport, and the firm of AdamsMorioka was a great choice to edit the Logo Design Workbook.

The authors give a very good account of the process behind not just logo design itself, but brand extention. They also feature several good examples supporting their points.

An interesting sidenote to this book is the inclusion of logos of the specific graphic design firms that contributed to the project. As 90% of them are purely typographic and decidedly minimalist, the contrast with most of the logos they've designed for others is a bit ironic.

Overall, another good design resource and addition to the library.

[joke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Logo Design Workbook focuses on creating powerful logo designs and answers the question, "What makes a logo work?"In the first half of this book, authors Sean Adams and Noreen Morioka walk readers step-by-step through the entire logo-development process.

[Gabriela · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's really more of a reference book for logo types and styles rather than giving step by step information how to design a logo. But if you're looking for inspiration and basic knowledge of logo styles this book is great for you.