Free course · Lesson 3 of 5
Branding & Corporate Identity
In this lesson you will
- Explain what a visual identity includes
- Plan logo variations
A brand is more than a logo — it is a complete visual ecosystem: logo variations, color palette, typography, patterns, and guidelines that ensure consistency across every touchpoint. Whether you are designing for a local restaurant or an NGO in Juba, a strong brand identity builds trust and recognition.
- Primary Logo: The full-color, full-lockup version. Use on white or light backgrounds.
- Submarks / Alternate Logos: Simplified versions — an icon-only mark for profile pictures, a horizontal version for website headers, and a single-color version for cost-effective printing.
- Brand Patterns & Textures: Create a simple geometric pattern from your logo or a repeating icon. Use it on packaging, stationery, or website backgrounds.
- Brand Guidelines: A one-page document showing logo placement, minimum size, clear space rules, color codes, and font usage. Share this with anyone who creates content for the brand.
Practical Skill: In Adobe Illustrator, design a logo with three variations: a horizontal lockup (icon + text side by side), a stacked version (icon above text), and an icon-only mark. Export each as PNG (for digital) and SVG (for web). In Canva, use the Brand Kit to save all variations.
=== LOGO LOCKUP BLUEPRINT (Horizontal Version) === Software: Adobe Illustrator (recommended) or Canva Canvas: 1200px wide x 400px tall (transparent background) +------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────────────────────┐ | | │ │ │ │ | | │ ICON │ 16px │ BRAND NAME │ | | │ AREA │ GAP │ (Medium Weight, 48pt) │ | | │ │ │ │ | | │ 120x120 │ │ tagline or descriptor │ | | │ px box │ │ (Light Weight, 16pt) │ | | └──────────┘ └──────────────────────────┘ | | | +------------------------------------------------------------+ --- GEOMETRY RULES --- • Icon box: 120px x 120px (perfect square) • Gap between icon and text: 16px minimum (never less!) • Brand name: 48pt font size, Medium or Bold weight • Tagline: 16pt font size, Light or Regular weight • Tagline distance below brand name: 4px --- ICON DESIGN RULES (for the abstract shape) --- • Use 2-3 simple geometric shapes (circles, rounded rectangles, triangles) • Stick to 2 colors from your brand palette (Primary + Accent) • Every element should align to a 12px grid • Minimum clear space around entire logo: 40px on all sides --- CLEAR SPACE RULE --- • No text, image, or other element may appear closer than 40px to any edge of the logo. • Think of this as an invisible forcefield around your logo. --- MINIMUM SIZE --- • Print: never smaller than 1.5 inches (38mm) wide • Digital: never smaller than 120px wide • Below these sizes, use the icon-only submark instead --- FILE EXPORT CHECKLIST --- ☐ Full-color horizontal lockup → PNG (transparent bg), SVG ☐ Full-color stacked version → PNG (transparent bg), SVG ☐ Icon-only mark → PNG (transparent bg), SVG ☐ Single-color (black) version → PNG (transparent bg) ☐ Single-color (white) version → PNG (transparent bg)Practice exercise
Sketch ten logo ideas for a local business and check whether the best one still works in one colour and at a small size.
Key takeaways
- A logo is part of a wider identity
- Good logos are simple and scalable
- A style guide keeps the brand consistent
Free self-study lesson — no certificate. For the full instructor-led program, see registration options.