This logo design course is all about craftsmanship of the artwork, the minutia of building logo marks. It's focused on what goes into the execution of a good logo—because it won't matter what the idea is if you design it poorly. Von Glitschka explains how drawing complements the brainstorming and design process, introduces time-tested build methods for vector-based graphics, and explains how to make the critical decisions around format, color, and other aspects of brand identity. These creative tactics and workflows will help you create better, stronger workflows that display beautifully in all formats: in print, on the web, or in motion.

Logos are a critical part of the modern visual landscape. A good logo is simple, instantly recognizable, and comprised of only the most essential elements. To learn how to create your own, it's important to be able to identify the components and design techniques behind the most successful examples, from the Nike swoosh to the Coca-Cola ribbon. In this course, Nigel French reveals how successful logos depend on good type choices and simple shapes—or the combination of simple shapes. He shows examples of popular logos and then demonstrates how to use the same construction techniques to create similar logos in Adobe Illustrator. The course combines theory with nuts-and-bolts techniques that emphasize simplicity and readability: the principles that ground the world’s best logo designs.

The handmade aesthetic isn't limited to little boutiques; even large businesses (including Starbucks, Nordstrom, and Whole Foods) understand when it's best to play the "handmade" card. Kick back in the LogoLounge and learn how imperfection, texture, and personality can help add a sense of authenticity to your client's brand. Design expert Bill Gardner shows how to decide when a human touch is appropriate, incorporate free-form and line-drawing illustration techniques, use color and texture to make surfaces seem more tactile, and use typography to express specific ideas. The good news? You don't have to relinquish your favorite digital tools. Bill shows how to create this "old world" look using "new world" shortcuts.

No other topic has driven corporate identity more quickly than sustainability. When it comes to logo design, whether businesses are tied directly to the environment or not, references to nature abound. In fact, the most-searched terms, year in and year out, on Bill Gardner's popular LogoLounge site are terms like "tree," "water," "earth," and "nature." In this course, Bill tackles the hidden symbolism behind how we depict our planet, from what's in the sky to what grows in the ground, and teaches you how to use these symbols to give your logo designs more impact. These valuable insights will have you looking at nature in ways you never considered before, and help you better explain the natural elements in your logo designs to your clients.

Logos are a critical part of the modern visual landscape. To learn how to create your own, it's important to be able to identify the components and design techniques behind the most successful examples, from the Nike swoosh to the Coca-Cola ribbon. In this course, Nigel French deconstructs popular logos in order to explain why and how each logo works, and offers a methodical approach to creating a logo in Illustrator. This course combines theory with nuts-and-bolts techniques that emphasize simplicity and readability: the principles that ground the best logo designs.

Many times, a designer will have a concept for a logo, such as a bird in flight, but struggle with how to communicate that rather simple idea in a new and dynamic way. Bill Gardner, founder of LogoLounge, has been looking at, tracking, and writing about logo design styles for over thirty years. In this course he will walk members through six different visual effects that will help communicate your ideas more effectively. You'll learn how transparency can communicate a promise of clarity, how texture and light tell stories, and how three-dimensional shapes make your ideas almost touchable. Incorporate these effects into your designs and turn "nice" logos into ones that capture the hearts and imaginations of clients and their customers.

Storytellers weave their tales with words. Designers must do it with pictures, and shapes and symbols are their visual shorthand, a way of quickly communicating emotion and meaning. Here Bill Gardner, founder of LogoLounge, examines how shapes and symbols help designers integrate story into their logo designs and explores the mystery behind these forms. Learn why people respond emotionally to certain geometric shapes, the history behind common symbols, and new and emerging symbols that will help your logo age gracefully. This course will give you the tools to convey the meaning behind your designs to your clients.

In order to attract top talent and execute strategies effectively, it's imperative that you make your company a vibrant, engaging place to work. By gaining a solid foundation in organization design, you can learn how to build a high-performing organization that thrives in a complex business environment. In this course, Amy Kates shares a practical approach to organization design, providing you with a complete overview of the core models, methods, and tools used by organization design practitioners. She shows how to create alignment between components of an organization, select structure and integration options, match talent to an organization, and manage the organization design process.

You don't need to be an artist or designer to create an excellent logo. The best ones are simple—often just a word or a shape. However, the opposite is also true. Logos can be difficult precisely because it's so easy to overthink them. John McWade approaches logo design from a different perspective. He speaks to designers and nondesigners alike, offering tips and tricks to create simple, beautiful logos that get the message across with a minimum of fuss. After all, the most iconic logos—think Apple, Nike, and Disney—are some of the simplest. Follow along and learn how to apply the principles of these master brands to your own logo design.

Truly exceptional visual brands often come from designers who took the time to understand their client's business and motivation to rebrand. This course shows how to navigate an identity project through the design and discovery process, to ensure that you grasp where your client is coming from before you craft their logo design. Instructor Bill Gardner discusses the value of preparation and research, and goes over the different motivations behind a client's decision to rebrand. Bill also covers the different brand personalities, as well as how to better understand your customer's business and identify their competitors. He wraps up the course with a discussion of competitive analysis and road map creation.