We all know that a logo design needs to be unique and that is makes it stand out. What most people do not know is that the concept of uniqueness also plays out within the logo design itself.
To attain a meaning, we need to highlight some parts of the logo. This highlighting is done using the concept of visual weight and this is what constitutes the context of this blog.
So, the question is how to make some parts of the logo more prominent than others. This is done by varying the visual weight of different parts of a logo.
How to work with visual weight?
First thing to understand here is that visual weight cannot be measured on a scale. There is no unit (like grams and lbs) to measure or quantify visual weight. Visual weight is a comparative analysis which is measured in terms of less or more than its comparator.
There are three ways we can vary the visual weight of a logo design – colour, contrast and size.
Colour: The first factor that affects visual weight is colour. Black colour carries more visual weight than brown colour. And red colour carries more visual weight than black colour.
Contrast: The second factor that affects visual weight is contrast. This contrast of background colour can alter the visual weight provided by the colour of individual element.
An example is Red and Yellow with a contrasting colour of black. In this case, though red has greater visual weight than yellow, but the presence of a black background reduces the contrast between red and black, while it increases the contrast between black and yellow, eventually highlighting the yellow part.
Size: The third and final element affecting the visual weight is the size of an element in logo design. Visual weight increases with increase in size of the element. The element to be highlighted is usually increased in size to give it a bold look. However, in case of a higher contrast, even a smaller size element gets highlighted more than everything else. This is called the inverse effect of size.
Designers use visual weight to create a visual hierarchy that helps define the character of a logo design or any graphic design. Designs with a well-balanced visual hierarchy are more attractive and aptly convey the message to the viewer.
Recommended reading: 7 Logo Design Mistakes To Avoid
Recommended reading: Gudelines To Help You Design The Right Logo
Recommended reading: Logo Design: A conversion of thoughts
