Simple is beautiful.

All design (and especially logo design) comes from one of two different approaches: abstract or concrete. Abstract design attempts to capture the emotion of a company, service or product in a way that is not immediately apparent, while concrete design uses a more conventional, literal and direct approach to a design challenge.

If done successfully, abstract design can sometimes be more effective because you create a visceral connection with people in a way that you can’t with straightforward, concrete design. On the other hand, straightforward design doesn’t always capture people’s imaginations or create as strong an emotional connection. Of course, using an abstract approach can be risky because if not done well, people might miss the connection or, worse yet, react negatively to it.

Beginners should begin with concrete design: abstract requires a keen sense of perception and understanding not only where your clients are coming from and how they feel, but also the emotions that your own abstract design generate. Expand, attempt, but probably best not to make these your first gigs.

And the great resource I linked up was the Vector Art Blog—reviews, articles, tutorials, a digital artwork gallery for inspiration, vector brushes, fonts. Definitely a must-bookmark.

Tomorrow: Putting this into practice with our sample company’s logo.