The Business of Logo Design - History of the Logo Design Business

“One can imagine the force of the impact which this first artistic experience had on primitive humans, whose innocent eyes were unaccustomed to visual forms outside nature itself.” (The Artchive)

The history of the the logo design business is a fasinating subject, its roots planted tens of thousands of years ago. From the beginning of time, art has moved mankind in a mystical way that cannot be quantified, and it remains to do so to this date.  And with thousands of years of history seperating modern business logo design and the early cave paintings, it is hardly a stretch to say that the same unmistakable mystical quality still moves us today.

The Internet Revolution

As with many products and services, the internet has had a large impact in the way the design industry operates. With literally hundreds of thousands of logo design competitors online, an ocean of competitors a world apart are now available in the office, at the fingertips of savvy business professionals.  This has brought an immediate change to the logo design business, and will inevitably continue to mold the future of logo design.

Around 1998 there existed no more than 5-10 dedicated, successful logo design sites on the internet - we know because we were one of them.  Just a few years later, the marketplace is all but flooded with options. This growth has brought increased competition, and a larger variety of styles and price ranges - and has created a great place for professionals to research the logo design business. In less than ten years the design industry has transformed from a mom and pop, kinkos dominated market, to a world wide full fledged business.

Never in the past was it even possible for one to consider various logo design options - however now a company can spend an afternoon on the web researching thousands of options, and picking the logo design business that moves them.

With so many options now available, the opportunity to choose an unqualified design company is now greater than ever.  The lucrative online market suddently has everyone claiming that logos are their forte. In this environment it is best to stick with a company that specializes in business logo design, not one that offers the corporate identity as an add on. In the end, It is impossible for an unqualified logo design company to hide behind their portfolio, and it is important to spend time analyzing an artists portfolio before making a decision.

With the wave of technology over the past decade, it is no longer neccessary true that your logo design artist will be an artist at all - at least not in the traditional sense. The vast majority of artwork in this age is created with the help of popular (often expensive) imaging software such as Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, or 3d Studio Max - and requires as much technical skill in manipulating the software as it does design skills. However, by viewing portfolios on the web and througout the industry, it is aparent that far too many designers are merely software operators. This is easily be seen by viewing an artists portfolio. 

Are the designs simple and creative? Do you see many concepts that are repeated throughout the designs - or even throughout other companies portfolios? It is easy to spot those artists that take the easy way out, and rely on premade clip art packages.  As the logo design business continues to rely on improving computer technology, it is important that we do not lose those qualities that constitute great artwork - there is no such thing as art without the artist.

... Oh, and I need it by tomorrow. Unlike the times of the past, current business professionals do not accept ‘next week’ as an option.  Instead of weeks to present the initial logo designs, consumers are demanding them as fast as is humanly possible - and the web is the perfect place to look. Companies across the internet are offering turnaround times  within days. Consumers are also demanding that they are not held responsible when their designer does not meet their needs. When employees are given the assignment to research a new logo design, they will inevitably choose a company that has a satisfaction guarantee - as it is not a popular thing to tell your boss that you just lost $300, and have nothing to show for it.

The internet has changed the face of the logo design business forever. With thousands of companies competing for your dollar, there is now a larger variety of prices, styles, and packages to choose from - all within reach of your computer screen.  However, with the flood of companies available online, it is important to choose one that is truly great at what they do.  With a history spanning more than 30,000 years, the artwork of our world is constantly evolving.  Make sure that you choose a company that evolves along with it - Tidalworks Logo Design.

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The Beginnings

Modern History of Art and the Logo Design Business