When it comes to designing logos,
inspiration is going to be one of your most useful tools.
Let's look at ways you can find an idea even when you don't feel inspired.
Once the business name and category have been defined,
it's time to explore ways to represent it visually.
Let's take a café, for example.
The most obvious representation might be a coffee cup, right?
Search the Elements tab for graphics that might
help communicate the ideas behind the brand.
Magic recommendations are handy for finding similar elements
in the same style or theme.
Try adding a bunch of potential elements to a page
so you can think of unique ways to combine them.
Try to steer clear of the obvious and the cliché.
What other ways could this café express itself?
What does it do differently to other cafes?
What if we said the café was particularly speedy
with serving their coffee,
what imagery would that bring up?
And if this café is situated right on the beach
and is popular with the local surfers?
That's a whole bunch of different imagery now.
How could you mix them together
to create something truly unique to this coffee shop?
This is a great way to use play in our work.
Playing around with existing graphics until we have a spark of inspiration.
A good designer leaves this as it is.
A great designer knows that this is just the first step
with the right visual inspiration.
It's time to step away from the computer.
We know, a bit weird for a video all about using Canva.
But it's the best way to get your ideas down
without technical skill constraints.
So grab a piece of paper and a pen.
A thumbnail is what we call a small sketch about the size of a thumb.
A large thumb that quickly captures an idea.
It's normally in just one color and it doesn't need to be perfect
as long as it makes sense to you.
Thumbnails are a place where designers can think visually
turning their visual inspiration into something original.
The aim is to work fast and iterate in tiny ways
from one sketch to the next.
See if you can fill a page while you are having a coffee.
Try things and experiment.
If it doesn't work, start another thumbnail.
This will help find a unique approach to your logo.
So when you're back on the computer,
you'll be able to bring that perspective with you.
Still not feeling inspired?
No problem, we've saved the best tool for last.
Figure ground is the perception between a subject or figure and its background.
A common interplay is to use negative space
to encode a symbol or image that's hidden within a design.
To do this, try overlapping elements and fitting them together in creative ways.
Only use black and white at first,
then create interesting new combinations.
Proximity means things close together
appear to be more related than things that are spaced further apart.
Use this principle to your advantage
by making sure the wordmark is close to the symbol in your logo lockup.
This should always be applied consistently
so it becomes obvious the two parts are related.
Look for ways to create similarity between elements of your logo.
This could be achieved through consistent color usage
or applying the same thickness to the type and illustrative elements.
When it comes to logo design, simplicity is key.
Don't be tempted to use complex illustrations or visuals.
Instead, try to communicate the essence of an idea or image
and allow people to fill in the gaps with their imagination.
This is called closure.
Arranging elements along a path creates continuity,
which can suggest movement or the outline of something else.
In this example, the path of the stars make the wand appear to wave.
Have you ever noticed that logos almost always look symmetrical?
That's because symmetrical elements are perceived
as part of the same group.
Try aligning all the logo elements in a symmetrical arrangement
to achieve a cohesive whole.
So if you aren't feeling inspired,
try these three tools to get you out of your funk.
Look for visual inspiration, thumbnail, and play with the Gestalt principles.
If nothing else, these tools are fun and sure to lift your mood.