Although I believe that there are no strict rules in design, there are certain aesthetic visual properties—like colors and their harmony or the balance of geometric shapes—that should be taken into consideration. For example, I follow a simple step where I make most of the logos I create pass through a simple stage or rule, which is: the rule of balancing the logo.
But before I continue and explain the meaning, I must point out that this is not a fixed scientific rule. I am not authorized to invent rules, nor did I derive it from a book or a reference in the design world. It’s merely a personal opinion, so it may be wrong, and significantly so, but it might also be worth considering “if you are convinced of its effectiveness” on the logos you work on.
What does logo balance mean?
Imagine that while working, you place the shape you’ve reached on a balance scale—certainly not the electronic kind, but let’s imagine it as a small wooden piece with a triangle in the middle that keeps it balanced and in perfect harmony, like this:
Then, I place the shape I’ve reached on this balance scale and ask myself: will it remain balanced, or will it lean to one side?
Look at this example:
Did you feel that it is visually balanced? I don’t think so. Don’t you feel that this scale would lean slightly to the left?
Yes! The bottom left part of it, when aligned with the right side, carries additional elements, making it heavier… and causing the logo and the scale to be unbalanced, leaning towards the left.
Okay, the shape above is nice and not that bad; it could be adopted, and it would still look good. Any ordinary person who sees it will like it, but they might feel that there is something wrong without knowing exactly what it is. An expert might recognize the problem, or they might not, but this simple point is worth considering and paying attention to.
Let’s make a simple adjustment
Since this shape represents a stone, removing the bottom left part wouldn’t be an issue, and it would actually be good. Simplicity is what we seek, and creating a logo in its simplest form is the primary goal we pursue.
We have another issue: the company name. The letter “g” at the beginning of the word disrupts the balance of the word, causing the company name to lean left. The solution here is quite simple: adding the slogan in the middle or coming up with another idea to achieve balance, like “changing the font – using a capital letter at the beginning of each word… etc.”
Let’s test some logos and try some examples for clarification:
So far, things are good and balanced, but not all logos follow the same method. For example, these models:
Applying them to the balance scale might not give the same result as discussed earlier, but at the same time, they are great and not visually disturbing. So, I reiterate what I mentioned earlier:
What I discussed is not an absolute rule and not a standard approach to be followed, but it is an observation worth considering and reflecting upon, something I wanted to share with you because I am convinced of its effectiveness 🙂.