If you have any designer friends, you may know that nothing gets designers going more than the subject of gradients.聽
Those who remember the olden days of WordArt still cringe when they hear the word; others who are newer to the design scene might have missed that unfortunate period, and they鈥檙e able to look at gradients with fresh, optimistic eyes.
We鈥檙e on the cheerful end of that spectrum, in that, like with every other design element, we believe gradients can add something to a logo design if they鈥檙e used in the proper time and place.聽
Although some might accuse gradients of being a logo design trend rather than a standard color technique, timeless logos such as Instagram and Airbnb have used the gradient to their success 鈥� and so can you!
But first, the obvious question:
A gradient is a design element made up of colors that gradually fade into one another. Also known as 鈥渃olor progressions鈥� or 鈥渃olor ramps,鈥� gradients either consist of many shades of the same color, or multiple colors that blend from one to the other.聽
The point of a gradient isn鈥檛 necessarily to have multiple colors in a single design; rather, it blends the colors so that each shade transitions into the next 鈥� creating an overall cohesive effect.聽
There are several types of color gradients that are commonly used in logo design:聽
If that seems confusing, don鈥檛 worry; what鈥檚 important to know is that there are many ways to shade a logo in order to turn it into a gradient.
If you鈥檝e already started brainstorming ways to apply gradients to your logo, great!聽
But if not, that鈥檚 okay too.聽
There are typically 2 main types of gradient logos: Icon-based logos and text-based logos. Let鈥檚 take a look at the difference between them, so you get some logo design inspiration
The world鈥檚 most popular gradient icon logos tend to fall in the tech industry. One reason is because our screens are so crowded with colors and buttons that companies are looking for ways to get their apps to pop out – and gradients are an effective way to do that!聽
You鈥檒l notice that all of the logos pictured here use gradients that include bright colors in the red spectrum, to both catch the eye and help symbolize energy and passion. Tinder uses a subtle gradient in its icon to look like a burning flame, where the Firefox logo has a conic-like gradient to help emphasize the motion of the fox wrapping around the globe.聽
Gradients don鈥檛 have to be restricted to icons or symbols! They can also be an effective way to highlight a specific aspect of a brand name, or even to emphasize a letter that you don鈥檛 want your audience to miss.聽
The TrueCar logo does just that, by contrasting the dark 鈥淭rue鈥� with the colorful gradient 鈥渃ar鈥�. Each letter in 鈥渃ar鈥� is its own individual gradient, and the pop of color both catches attention and indicates motion (just like you鈥檇 want to see from a car).聽
General Motors, on the other hand, has a mirror gradient, which aims to mimic a clean sky and point to the company鈥檚 鈥済reen鈥� initiatives. In this case, their text is almost secondary to the vibrant blue color palette.聽
And, you鈥檒l notice that many of these text logos use gradients that are linear, in order to encourage the eye to gradually move along the logo name.聽
Now that we鈥檝e seen a number of different kinds of gradient logos, let鈥檚 discuss when a gradient logo is the right choice for your brand!聽
Gradients should be used to accent a strong logo, not hide a weak one. You also don鈥檛 want your gradient to be the selling point of your logo; if anything, it should be used to add a little extra flair to your design, but only as a point of enhancement to the other elements of your business鈥檚 logo.聽
That said, here are a few other times that using a gradient could work well for your logo:聽
When designing a logo, it鈥檚 important to think about what kind of vibe you鈥檙e trying to put out into the world, and gradient design is a vibe unto its own.
It implies creativity, imagination, innovation 鈥� all great things, but not necessarily suitable for your specific brand personality. A lawyer, for example, might not want those traits associated with his/her litigation firm, but a band logo would fit right in with that overall image.
Gradients tend to look much better on screen than they do in print, so you鈥檒l want to think twice before choosing a gradient if you鈥檙e planning on branding a lot offline.
A restaurant logo probably would do better with a flat design, because you鈥檒l likely be putting your logo on menus, napkins, and a storefront. Gaming logos, however, can definitely incorporate gradients 鈥� both to separate yourself from the competition, and to be remembered for your unique logo.
Like we mentioned above, a gradient isn鈥檛 meant to be the sole focus of your logo; it鈥檚 only there to enhance, the same way an accent of color or a secondary font would.聽
There may be times when you need a transparent logo (a version of your logo that works on colorful backgrounds), and in scenarios like those, your logo will have to stand on its own 鈥� without a gradient to back it up.聽
Gradients can often distort the text of a business name or make it more difficult to read, depending on how intense the effect is. It鈥檚 best to shy away from adding gradients to a wordmark logo, or logo that uses only text (no symbols or icons) 鈥� unless the gradient is VERY subtle.
When all is said and done, why would a business actively choose to use a gradient design when it鈥檚 easier to create a flat logo? The answer is simple: It will set your logo apart from competitors.聽
Among other things, gradient logos are:
Because they鈥檙e currently not the norm in the world of logo design, gradients are able to make a long-lasting impression that flat logos sometimes can鈥檛.聽
We鈥檙e used to talking about colors like they鈥檙e singular entities 鈥� the sky is blue, this cherry is red 鈥� so when we see colors that we don鈥檛 have language to immediately describe, the image isn鈥檛 as quick to leave our heads as those with flat colors we鈥檙e accustomed to seeing.
Like we mentioned above, your logo design should speak to your brand identity, and gradient logos own a lot of creative real estate. If your business is in the arts, in innovation, or simply wants to be known as a company that finds out-of-the-box solutions for their customers, then you鈥檒l want a logo that can communicate that creativity to your audience.
If you look around, you鈥檒l notice that objects in nature are rarely characterized by a single color shade. Trees have a compilation of greens, browns and oranges; dirt segues between blacks, browns, and reds.聽
In other words, our eyes are much more accustomed to seeing gradients than flat designs in our everyday lives, and with a gradient logo, you can make your business that much more alive in the minds of your audience.聽
By using a gradient logo, you鈥檙e engaging your audience in conversation with your brand. You鈥檙e letting them know that you鈥檙e different, you have spunk, and you鈥檙e not afraid to make bold choices 鈥� both as a brand and as a business.
You may already know the steps in the logo process, but you鈥檒l want to keep these tips in mind before plunging forward on your gradient journey:
Simple = professional, and a subtle gradient can enhance the logo design you鈥檙e already working with. A gradient that鈥檚 too intense, on the other hand, will dominate the design, making it unpleasant to look at and difficult to print.
If you鈥檙e pairing your logo with a colorful background, contrast between the two is key.
You don鈥檛 want your gradient to clash with the background, and you certainly don鈥檛 want your logo to get lost because the colors are too similar. Make sure that you have contrast in your design while having all of the elements give off the same mood.
Settle on a logo design that you like; then, see if you can enhance it with a gradient. By creating a solid version initially, you鈥檒l know if your logo is able to stand on its own when printed or put on a colored background. And, you may find that your logo doesn鈥檛 even need a gradient to stand out.
Gradients aren鈥檛 just meant to look cool; they鈥檙e also supposed to pack meaning into a logo. However, you want to make sure that the meaning you鈥檙e giving your logo is on-brand. If you sell jewelry, there鈥檚 no need to throw in a rainbow; if you have a solution for creating clean water, stick with different shades of blue.
How does your logo look with no background? What about if it鈥檚 on a black surface? To optimize your logo for printing, first try it out on product mockups and different mediums. Make sure your logo is versatile before committing to the design.
You now have everything you need to design a gradient logo; the question is, what are you going to do about it?
Whether you decide to hire a designer or use a logo creator to get the job done, you should think ahead of your logo colors and consider creating a gradient logo for your business 鈥� both to set yourself apart from the crowd, and to tell the world your business isn鈥檛 afraid to be bold.
This portion of our website is for informational or educational purposes only. 91吃瓜 is not a law firm, and the information on this website does not constitute legal advice. All statements, opinions, recommendations, and conclusions are solely the expression of the author and provided on an as-is basis. Accordingly, 91吃瓜 is not responsible for the information and/or its accuracy or completeness. It also does not indicate any affiliation between 91吃瓜 and any other brands, services or logos on this page.
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