Logo Design Love: A Guide to Creating Iconic Brand Identities is a book that explores logos and branding identity through the eyes of David Airey.

About David Airey

I’ve been following David’s personal blog for quite a while. I love the personality and insight he shares in his postings about his logo design process. He is refreshingly open for discussion, and a genuinely nice fellow, as evidenced by all his thoughtful interactions in the comments section of his blog (which by the way he parlays into a chapter of the book). So when he asked me to take a look at his new book, I jumped at the opportunity.

Look and Feel

When I received my copy in the mail, one of the first things I noticed is that the book is the ideal size for holding and reading. This may sound like a trivial detail, but I like when a book just feels right. The cover sports an embossed logo and ample use of white space, it feels a bit flimsy, but holds up well enough.

Flipping through the book, you’ll quickly notice that a good amount of white space is used throughout. It’s a very quick read at just over 200 pages. The font may be a size too big for my liking, but I did enjoy the readability, and I loved the awesome examples that line the pages.

The Content

The book is separated into 3 logical sections.

• Importance of brand identity
• Process of design
• Keep the fires burning

All 3 sections are interesting and thoughtful, but the highlight for me was definitely the “Process of design” section.

David explains his entire process from brainstorming and research to delivering a finished product. He also shares invaluable advice about how to price and deliver your product. I especially enjoyed the techniques he shares about mind mapping and sketching. This part of the design process is crucial toward creating unique and lasting brand identities. When writing on the topic of sketching, David shares these thoughts.

You learned to draw before you learned how to use a computer. Why? Because it’s easier. It’s less restricting. And it’s more creative. You want a circle here? A stroke there? No problem. Just do it. Translating that same process to a computer requires unnecessary steps that hinder your creative flow.

The book is stacked with real world advice from a very credible voice in the world of design. It’s written in an extremely friendly, easy to read manner. Best of all, many of the discussions are backed by fitting examples that reinforce the principles being conveyed.

Final Verdict

Logo Design Love is a fast read, and an awesome addition to your design book library. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone looking to take their logo designs to the next level. David does a masterful job of explaining all the nuances, of what makes a timeless, iconic brand identity.

If you want to get a taste of the book before you buy it be sure to check out this free chapter. If you already have read through this book, I’d love to get your feedback, feel free to join the discussion below.