A coherent identity isn’t designed in a single sitting. It’s built up — sketch by sketch, decision by decision — and then ruthlessly trimmed.
Start with the verbs
Before any visual exploration, write five verbs the brand should do — provoke, calm, persuade, charm, challenge. Verbs constrain decisions later. Adjectives don’t.
Sketch in black and white first
Color makes everything look more finished than it is. Resolve composition, hierarchy, and proportion before color enters the conversation.
Build the system, not the assets
A logo is the souvenir, not the brand. The reusable parts — type pairings, spatial rules, motion patterns, photographic direction — outlast the mark.
Pressure-test against the worst surface
If it survives a 16×16 favicon and a 6-meter mural, it’ll handle whatever sits in between.
