Designing a great sermon series graphic can be tough. There’s a lot of pressure knowing that image will be on print media, stages, videos, etc. So obviously, designing a church logo is even more pressure. The church logo will be used everywhere. That four-inch image on your screen will translate to 10-feet very quickly when you turn it into a sign.
So how do you design a church logo effectively? How do you make it stand the test of time and reflect appropriately on your church? Here are a few elements of a good church logo to keep in mind as you start sketching out your plans.
A good church logo is:
Useable in different media.
While you’re probably going to be designing the church logo on a computer, it’ll be used far more places. You have to consider it in print, glowing on an architectural sign, and even on a dark background. Shadows, gradients, and complex color schemes can complicate the design. It might be best to eliminate those completely from the design process.
Memorable.
I don’t necessarily mean the logo will stick in people’s minds…that they’ll be dreaming about it at night. But it’s important, when people see the logo, that they can instantly connect the logo with your church. “Oh, that logo? That’s so-and-so church.”
Not too trendy.
Design trends come and go. Design principles stay. Design your church logo using principles, not trends. You don’t want your church logo to be outdated in a few short years. Churches who change their logos frequently lose out on the “memorable” factor.
Reflective of the church’s identity.
Is your church traditional? Maybe you don’t want to use the latest grunge font for the logo. Is your church edgy? Maybe you don’t want those rolling hills, streams, and dove incorporated into the logo. Make the church logo easily represent the church.
Simple.
Great logos have a strong concept. One concept. Singular. If you’re trying to make your logo the world, behind a cross, behind a dove, on top of a hill highlighted by a sunset…you’ll miss out on the “memorable” aspect of your logo. Great logos, and great church logos, are simple conceptually.
Hint at real life.
Great logos hint at real life. Nike is a check mark. Apple is an apple. AT&T is a world. But they are hints of those things. They’re simplified and modified to become unique. This makes them recognizable but also memorable. Not all logos require this hinting at real life, but it’s a great place to start when you don’t know where to go.
So those are our tips on designing a great church logo. What are your tips? Share them in a comment below.
