Branding 101 For Artists

I recently reworked my logo. Oddly enough, I didn’t change much from my 2020 design. It’s still a taxi with balloons. However, in going through this process, I realized just how much I’ve changed in four years. Or rather, my art has. After hundreds of paintings, I guess your style really does evolve. The most rewarding part of this exercise was seeing the two logos side by side and realizing how far I’ve come without even noticing.

The top logo below is my 2020 version. The bottom logo is my 2024 version. When I look at what’s changed, I’d say everything aside from the iconography. I hesitate to say the bottom logo is better, but what other word can I use? In my opinion it is better. It looks like it was done with more precision and ease. It’s the work of a more advanced artist. The kicker is that the bottom logo actually felt easier to paint than the top one. I guess that’s a sign of how far I’ve come too.

This exercise was so enlightening and fun, I’ve decided to talk about branding today. Hopefully, this article provides the inspiration you need to tackle your logo in the New Year. This exercise only took me a few hours, from painting to scanning and editing. It was so simple and enjoyable, I even made a holiday version of my logo (shown below).

You can easily do this in a few hours too. I can’t think of a better use of your time. Below are my tips for how to create an artist logo that is impactful and that represents your brand perfectly. Because how do you sum up your body of artwork in one small image? That’s the tricky part.

Think About the Purpose of Your Branding

Whether you’re starting from scratch or reworking your existing logo like I did, this is the best place to start. This can be an easy step to skip. However, it’s probably most important. What is the purpose of your branding? Is it to get clients? To sell artwork? To have people remember you? Maybe it’s all of these things, but make sure you list them out on paper. And along that same vein, who is your customer? Your logo is like a fishing lure. In order to choose the best lure, you need to know your fish.

Describe Your Brand in Five Words

Based on the purpose of my branding, the five words I came up with were playful, elegant, classic, professional and efficient. These words alone gave me so much to work with. And this exercise just keeps on giving. It can be helpful in everything you do to promote your art, from website design to implementing your social media channels. If you can’t think of five words, just pick three.

Don’t Skip the Visual

As an artist, it can be tempting to simply sign your name and make that your logo. It’s what I see most artists doing. While I don’t hate this idea, I think it’s a missed opportunity. Your signature may look unique to you, but it probably doesn’t look all that interesting to everyone else. You’re an artist, so use your logo as an opportunity to showcase your skillset with an image.

If you’re having trouble thinking of a visual that best represents your work, look at the last five paintings you did. Are there any repeating themes? For instance, do you have flowers in every single piece? If so, make that your logo. If you can’t find any repeating themes, try going back further in your work. If all else fails, make a list of the things that most inspire you. See if that triggers any creative inspiration.

Be Selective With Your Color Palette

I’ve always said that the easiest way to make your work look like it was done by a pro is to use a carefully curated color palette. I use the same colors in my work over and over again. The colors you use in your work should be the same ones you use in your logo. You don’t have to use as many colors as I did. Just try to pick a few that best represent you as an artist.

Consider Your Font

You have three font choices - serif, sans serif, and handwritten. Within those choices are italic, bold, caps, no caps, cursive, etc. I don’t think the font is as important as the message it conveys. Since I wanted to convey elegance and professionalism, I chose a serif font. If you want to seem more approachable, maybe use your handwriting. If you want to convey you are organized and easy to work with, maybe you use a sans serif font.

A helpful exercise can be to look at the brands you most admire and/or that you most want to work with. What fonts are they using? I would use the same kind of font in your logo.

State What You Do

I do think it’s helpful to list your profession in your logo, even though it may seem obvious. Your website is mainly so clients or projects can find you, so make it easy for people. Do you identify as an artist? Or illustrator? Or painter? Or writer and illustrator? This is important. My logo says illustrator, which tells everyone I’m looking for commercial illustration work, not people wanting me to paint their family portrait.

Make Different Versions

Before making your logo, carefully consider where it will be used. Do you need a square version for social media? Or maybe a horizontal version best suits your website. And don’t forget your favicon on your website. I can’t stand when I go to an artist’s page and see that little gray default box. For my favicon, I actually kept the balloons from my old logo because they are easier to read from a distance.

And do you want seasonal versions? A lot of my work is holiday driven, so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make a holiday logo. Think about any holidays or times of year that are significant to you. It’s possible you like to animate, so maybe you make a moving version too.

Don’t Take It Too Seriously

The beauty of this project is that no one cares except you. You can change it any time. This exercise should be fun. If it’s not, try your best to loosen up. You will get the best result working from a place of joy. If you can’t seem to loosen up, just make a lot of logos and choose your favorite one. That’s what I did back in 2020. The idea of making one perfect logo felt like too much pressure, so I made lots before I found one I liked. Your logo is your chance to get a little wild. Do something imaginative and outlandish -something that your audience will remember long after leaving your site.

A tip for making this fun is to put on music while you work. What music best aligns with the message you are trying to convey with your brand?

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Well that’s all the advice I have to offer on this subject. It can be a good practice to revisit your logo every few years. I know I’m not going to wait so long next time, given how much fun I had doing this. The New Year is a perfect time to tackle this project and start 2025 with a fresh slate.