If you ask any graphic designer about their process, each will have something different to offer you. It varies according to the skillset, experience and requirements of every project. In logo design for instance, the procedure from research to brainstorming and deliverables is quite extensive and goes through a lot of changes as well. This is one field of graphic design which keeps on evolving with time and it is important for designers to stay up to date on all the trends that come and go.

This brings us to the question, what exactly goes into the process before you can share the logo design deliverables with the client. Well, it begins with the design brief by the brand or business that communicates what it wants to achieve from the deliverables. For example, the clients can outline how the logo should position them as a leader in their niche and convey their values of dedication and commitment to the customers. So you have to make sure that the logo you deliver at the end is according to the requirements and represents the core message or values in the best way possible.

In logo design deliverables, there are quite a few things that can go wrong, particularly if you are a newbie. To avoid that, you need to bookmark this graphic design cheat sheet.

Logo Design Deliverables

Before we give you some crucial tips about deliverable formats, let’s give a brief insight into what they actually are. When we talk about logo design deliverables, it is to do with the source format and final designs such as JPG, PDF or SVG which you can share with the clients easily via Dropbox, Google Drive, WeTransfer, ZillionDesigns Platform or any other way.

It is also important to keep in mind that your brand identity design should be in a vector file so it’s scalable and versatile.

According to a report, people usually remember a logo after seeing it 5 to 7 times. This means that your final design should be able to make a strong impression on any print or digital material and help people remember the brand. It’s why the deliverable format for branding materials such as business cards, letterheads, website or social media accounts should be compatible.

These are a few things to consider.

Include JPEG or PNG Formats

With the basic and compressed files for logo design deliverables, you can use formats such as JPEG (JPG) or PNG.

• JPG

These are different from the standard vector or PDF format and should be handed over to the clients so they can use a clear image of their logos for branding on web pages, e-commerce platforms or stationery. They are also known as raster files or graphics and can be edited if required.

However, you need to keep in mind that with JPEGs, you might lose the quality or resolution at times. The image files that are compressed to a smaller size could end up losing some of the original elements of the design.

• PNG

This format may also have a low resolution but allows for edits easily and maintains the quality of the logo design.

What to Know: Both PNG and JPG allow the images to be compressed and used on solid color or transparent backgrounds.

• PDFs

This is one of the most commonly used and accepted formats for logo design deliverables. As a designer, your files should be stored and shared in PDFs which makes it very simple for clients to make changes and ask for edits as well. The format has been created by Adobe and allows you to create the logo in a vector program such as Adobe Illustrator.

The format is actually preferred by both clients and designers in graphic design as it is good for keeping the original quality of the logo and can be accessed anywhere. It also allows clients to share it with their team and scale the logo to their desired size.

What To Know: You can open the file on a mobile device or computer that has the Adobe reader or in the browser since most of them now support the format.

Add Only-Vector Graphics

These are basically the pure vector graphics that have no edits or changes made to them. They consist of the lines or curves and usually stored in SVG format (scalable vector graphics).

• SVG

The vector graphics are different from the raster ones as they are based on mathematics and geometrical shapes instead of pixels.

Once you share the vector graphics with the business or brand, they can easily use it for print branding on merchandise such as mugs and t-shirts, brochures or even some websites as long as they are supportive of the format.

What To Know: Only-vector graphics make it quite simple to adjust the size and create a scalable image quickly.

Use A Transparent or Monochrome Background

It is always a good idea to create a logo design deliverable in a transparent background so that they can use it immediately. You can also share a file in monochrome with either a white or black solid color which makes the design highly editable. Otherwise, if you are creating the graphics in illustrator, you have the option of storing the image in a PDF without any elements in the background.

This also helps the client determine if the logo is exactly according to their requirement or not. In case there are changes needed, you can simply incorporate them within the design.

What To Know: A transparent or white background is ideal for using in the final image of the logo design deliverable.

Share Print And Digital Color Variations

As a designer, you should know that there are different modes of colors for print and digital. The logo design deliverable needs to be created in both CMYK and RGB variations which will help make sure that their color quality does not get affected by the medium.

• CMYK

This allows for the logo design to be featured on print materials such as magazines, billboards, flyers and business cards.

• RGB

The variation works for mobile, computers and TV screens. Usually, there are options available in software such as the Adobe Illustrator which allow you to store files with the different color variations.

What To Know: For printable logo designs, you can use the EPS file format which allows vector graphics to easily maintain their high resolution on any surface. Designers also prefer to store deliverables in AI (.ai) format.

Share A Version Of The Logo In Black And White

It is important that you share a file with the client of a black and white logo so they can get an idea of the original draft and a monochrome variation as well. Sometimes, clients need to use their logo in black and white to save printing costs or for mediums such as stationery or business cards. Otherwise, branding on merchandise may also require a black and white version of the brand symbol.

Add A Favicon Or Lettermark For Digital Use

This is a specific file that you will add in your logo design deliverables which will allow the client to easily use their logos in small digital spaces. Share a favicon or lettermark that can be used in the URL and tab for the website. It is important for maintaining consistency with branding and can provide your client with a variety of options for use on digital mediums.

Include A Brand Guide

With the deliverables, you should add a brand guide that clearly tells the client about the colors and fonts to use on web or for print. It is important to include Pantone colors which can give them an idea of their logo design without full colors. You can specify in these guidelines how the client can use different codes or versions of the color on various materials and make sure that it matches the original one.

Create A Complete Logo Package

In order to make the process of sharing deliverables with your client, you can create a folder which is a full logo package. This will basically contain all the variations of design and color of the logo. It is created according to the brand’s guidelines and style brief, and you will have to make sure that the package has everything accordingly.

There are four types of variations which the logo package can include:

When it comes to the logo design deliverables in color variations, you should add the following ones:

Wrapping Up

This an important logo design deliverable cheat sheet that you need to bookmark. If you are a beginner or an experienced designer, this could help you make sure that the client gets what they asked for and make changes in real time. Nowadays, as technology progresses, there are different ways being introduced in the field of graphic design to make the process simpler and hassle free. So be it a colored file or monochromatic, you don’t have to worry about it losing the quality or resolution in any format.