You may (and should) love your logo. But have you ever wondered how it is perceived by potential customers and clients?

Shapes, sizes and colours act as receptors for the human mind. Extending this to your logo design, the colours that you use and the shapes that you pick will convey certain feelings and emotions to those who see it. Below, we break down what some common shapes and colours connote. Does your logo communicate your brand message effectively and do what you want it to say after looking at these psychological traits and attributes?

Warm Colours

Colours such as red, orange, purple and gold are stereotypically classed as ‘warm’ colours meaning that they connote a sense of life and passion in those who see them. They grab attention (think of traffic lights where both red and orange are used to control the actions of drivers) and stand out from muter, colder colours. These warmer and louder colours work well for logo designs that require impact, presence and passion.

Cold Colours

Colder colours such as blue, green, yellow and silver can look very clean and easy on the eye. However, they run the risk of paling in comparison to warmer and harsher colours; therefore cold colours can blend into the background easily. Due to this, logo designs may incorporate a warm and/or neutral colour along with a colder colour to alleviate and buttress their presence.

Neutral Colours

Black, white and grey are popular examples of neutral colours which work well to complement other colours or in some instances (especially with the colour black), they can be used on their own for a fail-safe and uninterrupted logo design. Neutral colours can be comforting to those who see them as they are clinical and welcoming due to their prevalence as a colour in general. Such is their versatility that they can balance a warmer colour palette and enhance a colder colour palette.

Soft/Rounded Shapes

As the classification would suggest, shapes that are soft and have rounded edges are a gentle and welcoming image to the eye. They are not brash or threatening and they work well to segue with most colours and designs as they are not restricted by corner placement and size etc. These shapes are commonly seen as used in the logo design of children’s toys and confectionery – innocent, safe and fun.

Sharp/Edged Shapes

Sharp shapes with edges do have a very clean and sleek look to them – however, one must avoid this from becoming too jarring and confusing to the eye. Jagged and asymmetrical shapes that would fall under this category can connote directness and efficiency i.e. straight to the point. Edged shapes are complex in that they must have multiple lines outlines converging to make the edges.

Lines + Motifs

Lines and motifs can either be seen to add simplicity or complexity to a logo design. For example, a logo consisting of just texts and lines serving as the only pictorial element can look simple, clean and modern. More complex motifs like swirling tendrils lend a classier and more refined look to proceedings.

Does your logo communicate your brand message effectively and do what you want it to say after looking at these psychological traits and attributes? If not, talk to the logo design and branding experts at Ireland Website Design to have your logo redesigned so that it conveys the correct message to loyal and potential customers alike and connotes the correct feelings.