Customer Reviews

Logo Design Love: A Guide to Creating Iconic Brand Identities

5 star:		(60)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

David Airey has nailed the topic of logo / identity design right on the head!

I have been fortunate enough to have a handful of my logos featured in a few best selling books. By no means do I consider myself an expert, but instead (just as every designer should be): a constant learner. Success is fleeting and then it's back to the drawing board to try and repeat the process. Just as every designer with a beating heart, I have questioned my design process, my pricing, my abilities, and my skill at negotiating with the client. Logo Design Love gave me the confidence to say: "You know what? I'm doing ok, but here's what I'm going to work on..." David Airey has come as close to mastering the topic as one can and he translates his methods flawlessly into an easy to understand series of steps that are sure to get your designs on the right track every-time. I am pleased to say that though I have been using much the same approach as David when constructing logos, I took some very valuable tips and strategies away from this that I can not wait to apply to my next identity design!

Perhaps the best thing about this book is that it can serve as the perfect way to educate your client on the concept and process of logo design! 2009 found many of my clients consistently trying to pit my prices against crowd-sourcing sites even though there was absolutely no comparison in the quality and level of service between us...AND IT'S FRUSTRATING! VERY, VERY FRUSTRATING! You must remember that to the average client: a logo is just a logo and therefore shouldn't cost that much to create...to make matters worse, we designers have collectively pandered to this mentality instead of correcting it. This book, when given to your client, will correct it! I am going to buy a handful of copies and every-time I start a new identity design I will supply the client with this book as a cornerstone of education and communication on the topic to ensure that we are on the same page. If you like the idea of having a smoother client-designer relationship, you'd be smart to do the same. I managed to read the book in two sittings, so don't worry, it will not delay the process, but will undoubtedly save much time and frustration. Thank you David Airey for such a valuable contribution!

I really enjoyed reading this book. It's fairly short and to the point and will hold your attention unlike a lot of books I have purchased in this category. I wasn't sure I needed it at first. I have quite a few books on my bookshelf on this subject, some that I have never been able to stomach for more than a few pages. This book is not one that will sit on your shelf unread. It's chock full of useful, real life business advice for the freelance designer. David also walks you through his identity design process using real examples. This is everything I wanted to learn in school, but never did. If you are a graphic designer and you haven't read this, you are doing yourself a huge disservice.

David's book is more than a guide to creating iconic brand identities, is a guide to be a more successful graphic designer in anyway. The book was easy to follow and there is nothing bad I can say about it. I am a graphic design student and this book is very inspiring, I can only say that is an excellent read. I have learn more from this book than any graphic design professor I have had.

As a professional graphic designer for the last 10 years, I have run across too many clients who have asked me to design them a logo and believe that the process consists of me doodling on the computer for a few minutes and then hitting the print button. The process is much more in-depth than that and this book by David Airey lays out the process in an easy to understand way. I love this book and devoured it in one day. David's writing style is not only down to earth and gets straight to the point, but he also shows you exactly what he means with excellent logo examples. David unleashes a lot of misconceptions about logo design and covers everything from brand identity, to the design process, to working with clients. Just as logos should be simple and timeless, this book is beautifully simplistic and will definitely prove to be timeless. This is a must read for any graphic designer or for those looking to hire one.

Like another reviewer mentioned, I bought this book hoping to gain new insight on the thinking process behind designing logos and such. My favorite section of the book is where the author explains how designers use mind maps to draft ideas before turning to use the computer.

However, when it came to showcasing different logos, it almost came across as advertising how great the respective designer(s) were for coming up with the different logo designers, and consequently how successful the company did after the re-branding effort. There was the problem (logo was boring), and then the solution (designer drew up some ideas and voila, a cool logo was implemented)...but what I really wanted to know was the thought process in between these two steps!

All in all, a good read with some useful tips

I've done some graphic and web design in the past as part of a different job, but I'm now changing careers and will eventually be doing mostly freelance design. There are a lot of books out there that show you great designs, or that discuss only the more technical aspects of design. But this book is unique in that it not only shows you brilliant works of design and branding, but shares the creative process behind them, focusing specifically on the critical task of creating brand identities that are lasting, relevant, and pleasing to any given client.

This book is visually inspiring while also being a great read... the perfect blend of eye candy and rich information! I'm about halfway through right now, and even if this was the end of the book, I would think it was worth picking up. But just when I think it can't get any better, I read a few pages more and love it even more. David Airey just does a great job of demystifying some of the more daunting aspects of branding. Obviously I'm a beginner, but I have to believe that even seasoned designers who aren't as experienced in branding would find this very useful. Anyway, enough gushing. Get it. Love it.

The favorite books on my shelf, in all subjects, are always small. Small does not mean scant. My favorite small books are always incredibly dense, and have dispensed with extraneous chapters, trivial pursuits, and needless diversions. David Airey's "Logo Design Love" is such a book. It is a comprehensive survey of the logo design process. It's easy to read quickly. It's lovely to hold. It has that "now this is a book I want to keep" feel to it, and is reserved on my shelf in my favorites section. Or "favourites" as David might put it.

I know David from his blog. His personal, conversational tone on his blog bleeds right over to the book. Warm yet consummately professional. He tells you what you need to know about logo design, and refrains from abstruse pontificating that some other "Goliath" design books get mired in. That is very refreshing!

If you are looking to break into the designing of logos and brands, there is no better book I'm aware of to do that succinctly, on budget, and on time, than Logo Design Love. Big things do come in little packages sometimes!

Highly Recommended!

Douglas Bonneville
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A very practical guide to dealing with clients and designing logos. Really gives a look into Airey's process and his open view of the process is really helpful. You never feel as though you're not being let in on something. The writing style is very friendly.

My only criticism is length. I felt like a bit more could have been elaborated on. However, the length really added to the friendly, open feel of the book, so I can't dock it too much.

Overall, if you are looking for a quick read about modern logo design and have some questions on how to design logos, this book is perfect.

I have been a Graphic Designer for about 12 years now. It seems that creativity is one of those things that you are 'supposed to be born with'. WRONG. As David Airey displays on his book, you don't need to be great at drawing or using a computer. David's formula for iconic brand creation goes step by step showing you in normal language the ropes of the design of a great iconic brand design. A great book. As mentioned, I have been in the industry for a long time, and even though I consider myself to be 'pretty knowledgeable' chap, there was always a guide or bible -sort of speak- missing. With this book I have a basic process in mind, where I know where the client is, I learn where they want to get and eventually I, as a designer, help them to get there. Thanks David, awesome book. When is part 2 coming?
- Cristian Rojas

This book is a must read for both designers who work in the field of brand identity design and clients (those who hire designers) looking to have a firm understanding of the process and importance of what a logo should (and shouldn't be) -- timeless, memorable, relevant and simple.

The author, David Airey, has a very friendly approach to his writing style, which makes for an easy and enjoyable read from start to finish. He walks us through well researched background information and takes us step by step through a successful and intelligent creative process. Following his advice and process is certain to lead to a successful logo.

The author even answers many great questions towards the end of the book that pertain to pricing, dealing with clients, and how to "seal the deal" -- and a bunch more. Perfect for students and designers that are new to the field and have many "unsolved" questions.

Even the authors blog [...] is a great compliment of resource to this valuable book.

Overall, an enjoyable, helpful and insightful read.