Friday, November 27, 2009

45 Rules for Creating a Great Logo Design



1.Do not use more than three colors.
2.Get rid of everything that is not absolutely necessary.
3.Type must be easy enough for your grandma to read.
4.The logo must be recognizable.
5.Create a unique shape or layout for the logo.
6.Completely ignore what your parents and/or spouse think about the design.
7.Confirm that the logo looks appealing to more than just three (3)
individuals.
8.Do not combine elements from popular logos and claim it as original work.
9.Do not use clip-art under any circumstances.
10.The logo should look good in black and white.
11.Make sure that the logo is recognizable when inverted.
12.Make sure that the logo is recognizable when resized.
13.If the logo contains an icon or symbol, as well as text, place each so
that they complement one another.
14.Avoid recent logo design trends. Instead, make the logo look timeless.
15.Do not use special effects (including, but not limited to: gradients,
drop shadows, reflections, and light bursts).
16.Fit the logo into a square layout if possible, avoid obscure layouts.
17.Avoid intricate details.
18.Consider the different places and ways that the logo will be presented.
19.Invoke feelings of being bold and confident, never dull and weak.
20.Realize that you will not create a perfect logo.
21.Use sharp lines for sharp businesses, smooth lines for smooth businesses.
22.The logo must have some connection to what it is representing.
23.A photo does not make a logo.
24.You must surprise customers with presentation.
25.Do not use more than two fonts.
26.Each element of the logo needs to be aligned. Left, center, right, top,
or bottom.
27.The logo should look solid, with no trailing elements.
28.Know who is going to be looking at the logo before you think of ideas for
it.
29.Always choose function over innovation.
30.If the brand name is memorable, the brand name should be the logo.
31.The logo should be recognizable when mirrored.
32.Even large companies need small logos.
33.Everyone should like the logo design, not just the business that will use
it.
34.Create variations. The more variations, the more likely you are to get it
right.
35.The logo must look consistent across multiple platforms.
36.The logo must be easy to describe.
37.Do not use tag lines in the logo.
38.Sketch out ideas using paper and pencil before working on a computer.
39.Keep the design simple.
40.Do not use any "swoosh" or "globe"symbols.
41.The logo should not be distracting.
42.It should be honest in its representation.
43.The logo should be balanced visually.
44.Avoid bright, neon colors and dark, dull colors.
45.The logo must not break any of the above rules.

My source for this list can be found here http://is.gd/57WMB

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

My tweets and their sources


I was on twitter one day and I was thinking about how people know what to tweet. When I try to explain Twitter to people they always say "I wouldn't know what to tweet". So I thought I would write down a general Idea of where the inspiration for tweets come from. This is just 5 of my interests but it gives you a general Idea.


1) Interesting Business/entrepreneurial articles
Sources: Inc Magazine retweets, Success Magazine retweets,Openforum.com
2) Tech/Lifestyle stuff
Sources: engadget.com, boygeniusreport.com, lifehacker.com, wired.com
3) Fun stuff
Sources: interesting stuff while travelling,funny pictures, fun articles found at popurls.com, crazy stuff people say
4) Coffeestuff
Sources: "coffee" on google alerts, coffeecupnews.com, reporting on coffee tastings, SCAA.org, Trade magazines-Specialty Coffee Retailer, Fresh Cup, Tea and Coffee Trade Journal
5) Inspirational Quotes
Sources: quotegarden.com, Success Magazine, The Twitter accounts of @j_canfield, @tonyrobbins, @tomziglar, @Jairekrobbins, @marvintowler, @darrenhardy

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

A Veteran Experience

I had a great business trip to Texas and Florida this last week but the trip's highlight didn't happen until the very end. Last night, when our plane landed in Seattle, they announced that a Pearl Harbor survivor was seated in the very back. When the plane came to a stop we all stayed respectfully seated while this hero slowly made his way up to the front of the plane. When he got to the front door this older gentleman said a few words on the intercom. He quietly and emotionally talked about how proud he was to be an American citizen and he said to please pray for our men and woman risking their lives for our freedom. It was an amazing and moving experience, there was not a dry eye on the plane. God Bless and Happy Veterans Day everybody