Ok, so it’s been a long time coming, but I’ve finally managed to find time to read my copy of LogoDesignLove by David Airey… and I have to say, it was a really great read. I think that anyone in the creative industry could learn from it, whether you are a logo designer, web or graphic designer, copywriter, photographer, whatever, there is something for everyone to take away to make them better at what they do.
The first three chapters which fall under the title ‘The Importance of Brand Identity’ are obviously completely focussed on branding and logo design, however, chapters four onwards could actually be applied to many creative industries and this is why I think that it’s an essential read for anyone starting up in business. In fact, I’d even go as far as to say that even the most established freelancers could gain from it…
It’s absolutely packed full of useful tips and David really goes out of his way to explain everything really clearly, and doesn’t hesitate to use as many real life examples as he can. The fact that he is talking from personal experience, and sharing his mistakes as well as his triumphs makes all the difference.
It isn’t really one of those ‘inspirational’ coffee table books that are packed full of images and not much else - don’t get me wrong, there is a time and a place for those and I love to flick through them if I’m struggling for ideas - it’s more of a sit-down-and-concentrate type of book, because there’s something to gain from almost every paragraph. Having said that, there is still a good selection of fantastic logos to illustrate key points in each chapter.
For those of you who have been in the business for a while, you might not learn as much as say, a recent design graduate, but I guarantee you’ll still enjoy reading, and will probably find yourself agreeing and taking comfort in the fact that even the most established designers suffer the same trials and tribulations as you have in your time.
If you’re thinking about going freelance, but aren’t quite sure what you need to do to get clients, or how to price design, or what approach you should take to gathering information and research, then LogoDesignLove will give you a solid grounding on all of it. It has just enough detail to give you confidence, but not so much that you feel like you’re being told how to run your business. And let’s not for get that it will teach you exactly how to create iconic logo designs, which are both beautiful and timeless.
The only things that I would have liked to have seen more of are examples of the sketching processes. Whether that be Davids notes and drawings, or examples of other creatives’ sketchbooks - I don’t know whether that’s just because I used to be an fine artist, or whether it’s because I enjoy the process of transforming something analog into digital… whatever it is, I do know that David ran out of pages in the book and posted some more examples on his website instead.
So to wrap up - Anyone wanting to gain a bit of inside knowledge as to how the top logo designers approach their work: Read this book. Anyone who fancies themselves as a bit of a brand identity designer: Read this book. Anyone who is currently freelancing or running a small design studio: Read this book. Anyone who is graduating from a design related course this year, or in years to come: Definitely read this book, it’s good.
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By Chris Skelton