Last updated on January 17th, 2023
Logos come in a variety of shapes and forms. The monogram logo has been amongst the most famous emblems for centuries. Today, many global corporate houses boast monogram-style logos. People recognize these small typography-based logos immediately. This blog tells beginner designers how to create impactful monograms as a logo and a strong brand identity.
Monograms have been used for centuries from the Greek period when these symbols represented traders’ names. Then, the community included these symbols in their signatures and industries. But it was only in the 19th century that monograms became widespread, ranging from wedding invitations to claiming ownership of artistic works.
Today, monogram logos are the corporate identities of many businesses. Famous monogram emblems include the logos of General Electric, Warner Bros, H&M, Volkswagen, Channel, and New York Yankees. These are unique logos driving attention for decades towards their global brands.
But these are also the brands whose monogram logos successfully convey a message to their target audience. People find their logo designs relatable and connect well with them.
What is a monogram logo?
A monogram logo is a typography-based logo known as a ‘lettermark’ Most such logos have two to three letters, but one letter logo is also known as a letterform. These letters are initials from a company’s name and are often designed to look as if they are entangled to make a nice-looking insignia.
Monograms have always been popular as decorated items, particularly with the growing middle class and wealthy class. But monograms are today available in different types such as the crown, brand, and personal.
When should you opt for a monogram logo?
The monogram logo is an attractive design that people can readily recall. But should your brand have such a logo? You should opt for a monogram as your logo and brand identity but on some following conditions.
If Your Brand Name is Wordy or Technical
A monogram logo is best suited to brands whose name is too lengthy or technical. People do not like to pronounce long names and prefer shortening them. You will drive away people from your brand.
So, a monogram logo will shorten your company name. For example, the London Symphony Orchestra logo is a monogram in the shape of elegantly and stylish letters LSO.
Stand Out From Pictorial and Abstract Logos
If your industry has most logos as pictorial and abstract symbols, then a monogram logo could be a good choice to stand out. Such a logo will create a visual appeal by combining your company name’s initial letters to design a new image. For instance:
When Yours is A Luxury Brand
Luxury brands want to project a personalized feel about their fashion products. Your monogram logo can give them the feel of a high-end brand when it carries your company’s initials. So, you can then offer them monogram towels, fountain pens, customized tote bags, pillows, etc stylized items.
When Taking Your Brand To A Global Audience
A hindrance to taking a brand to the global stage is that the audience is diverse. So, not all of them speak the same language and come from one cultural background. The target customers at the international level have diverse personalities.
So, a monogram logo can help breach such language and other barriers. When doubt you can safely turn your company’s initials into a logo. For example, the General Electric logo is a monogram that people can recognize across the world despite their different backgrounds.
If Yours is A Family Business
Family businesses are personal businesses, and we usually put our signature on personal things. That is a surefire way to tell that you are the business owner or something else. So, a monogram logo is an ideal choice to represent your family brand. Therefore, many fashion houses run by families have monograms as their logos.
A family business with a monogram logo is the Gucci brand. Its company’s logo is an interlocking G’s, representing the family’s father’s name Cuccio Gucci.
Different Styles Of Monogram Logos
When designing your monogram logo, find out different styles and see which one best suits your brand. Make sure that the style you follow retains your brand vision.
Here Are The Major Monogram Styles You Can Consider:
- One Letter Monogram Logo – These types of monograms consist of just one letter, which is the initial of the company name. Usually, such a monogram has decorative flourishes.
- Three-Letter Monograms – Three-letter monograms are also known as the block style. These letters are of the same width and height.
- Conventional Style – The conventional style of monograms is famous for using three letters for company names or other names. But the side initials are a bit smaller than the middle initial letter.
- The Stacked Style – The designers stack the first and middle name initials on each other’s top. So, the first and middle initials are stacked on the top while the last name is on the right side. The first two letters match in height.
- The Interlocking Monogram – This style features fonts with flourishes, and the elements touch each other.
- The Circle Monogram – The designer places two or three letters inside of a circle. Or, the letters may make a circle shape.
- The Diamond Shape Monogram – Like the circle shape, the letters are inside a diamond-shaped monogram. Sometimes, the letters themself make a diamond shape.
How To Design A Monogram Logo?
A monogram logo is undoubtedly one of the most attractive symbols we see around. No surprise that you would also like to have one such symbol for your business as your brand identity.
So, Consider These Things To Design Your Monogram Logo:
Research The Brand
The first step is to research the brand. The logo must reflect a brand’s message, character, and values. So, know what the brand is all about. You must look into various dimensions of the company and how it conducts its business. Find out who the target customers.
It would be good to sit with the client or business owner to understand the brand and its future goals. At this preliminary phase, you should look at the logos of the brand’s competitors.
Draw Sketches For Ideas
Now that you know the brand inside out, you know what design will suit your monogram logo. But there will be many logo ideas storming your creative mind. To find out all those rough ideas, it is best to sketch them out on a piece of paper rapidly. Within minutes, you will have a couple of impressive logo ideas on the paper.
A good look at all sketches will help pick one to develop it further into a logo. You can then work on its look by creating the letters differently, shaping the edges.
Make It A Clean and Simple Design
A monogram logo is based on two to three letters, the initials of a company name. So, generally, monograms are clean and simple designs. There are mostly two to three letters in the design. Still, when creating two letters together, make sure that the design is legible. Viewers should be able to visualize your brand message through those letters immediately.
Try to create the design with minimum elements rather than incorporating additional elements, which will clutter the limited design space of the logo. You can create a perfect monogram with the help of a monogram logo generator, which is a DIY software tool. It guides you through designing your logo without any experience.
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It Should Be Symmetrical
Make sure that your monogram logo looks symmetrical that all of its elements are aligned well. When pairing the two letters, they should make the entire structure a balanced and symmetrical design. Its elements should have enough space between them for eligibility and balance.
To create the symmetrical design, use a grid for logo design. A grid helps in determining the adequate spacing between the letters. Using the grid, you can also make the design a little lopsided or asymmetrical. It is also a great way of focusing on the part of the logo. Volkswagen and HP logos are examples of symmetrical monogram logos created on the grid.
Choose A Color Scheme
Pick a suitable color scheme if your monogram logo needs to be in colors. The purpose should be to make the design stand out. Avoid using multiple colors as they may confuse a viewer in getting the right message. We advise using one or two basic or accent colors. The intention here is to make a unique logo without too many colors.
When choosing your color scheme, pay heed to your brand colors. For example, the General Electric monogram logo has its brand colors blue and white in the design.
But if you are planning a monogram for a wedding, the color scheme will be different from a business logo. Alongside the logo for weddings, you might also be looking for some tools to help you create other visuals. You can try the Wedding Congratulations Maker tool that allows you to congratulate in style and on a personal note.
Pick Appropriate Fonts
You should design your monogram logo with appropriate fonts that suit your brand. Choose a font that can balance different elements of the design. Use the fonts that work well with your industry and reflect your niche.
Most of the monograms we come across have stylized letters. Find out a typeface that can speak for your brand personality. But make sure that the typeface you picked grabs attention, and it should be expressing your brand voice.
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Try Different Shapes and Layouts
Monograms logos come in different shapes and layouts. Think of rectangular and circular shapes as these look simple and stand out. But you should also try new layouts. For instance, you can interlock the letters or mirror them. You can also stack them together. Warner Bros logo is an excellent example of a different letter seal layout.
Use Negative Space
Negative space is the space in between the two design elements. But a designer can use this space to create some hidden figure. So, you can try to explore the gap between the letters to convey your brand message.
Create Some Hidden Meaning
Think of creating a monogram logo that has hidden meaning. People appreciate such logos for their unique designs, which help win customers’ loyalty since they see their brand logos as trustworthy. The audience will think more about your brand.
Consider Design Size
When creating logos, one of the major considerations is the size of the design. Logos appear on different social media platforms and other online or offline channels, each with its own set of design parameters. So, make sure that your logo fits in the set space of a platform.
You can consult the Social Media Design Size Guide from Designhill, which lets you access all the image sizes for different social channels.
Now that you know how to design your monogram logo, it would be helpful to find out what your means are to create the design.
If yours is a small business with limited financial resources, we advise you to opt for a online logo maker from Designhill. This simple but effective tool gives you access to a vast library of fonts, colors, and icons from your industry.
You can pick the design elements and drop them on a set design template and customize the design as many times as you can to your satisfaction. Alternatively, you can crowdsource the job to Designhill by launching a logo design contest.
Many talented designers will compete to win your contest by submitting unique monogram design ideas, and then you can pick a winning logo for your brand.
Wrapping Up
Monograms have been conventionally used for centuries, but today they are the brand identities of small to big business houses. A monogram logo has one to three letters created to convey a brand message and brand personality. Make sure that the logo is simple and stands out. Choose the color schemes and fonts carefully, along with shape and layouts.