Logo Design Love

Originally published 2010. Updated March 2026.

David Airey is one of the most widely read voices in logo design. His blog, logodesignlove.com, has been a go-to reference for designers since 2007 — a carefully curated space that takes identity design seriously without taking itself too seriously.

His book, Logo Design Love, distils that same sensibility into a practical, readable guide to the design process. It is now in its second edition (2015), and it holds up.

What Reviewers Say

“I’m going to buy a handful of copies and every time I start a new identity design I will supply the client with this book as a cornerstone of education and communication on the topic. If you like the idea of having a smoother client-designer relationship, you’d be smart to do the same.”

Christopher W. Taylor, Amazon

“A great read for both designers and clients, as it shares valuable insights and discusses the importance of brand identity all the way down to the process from start to finish.”

Brian Hoff, The Design Cubicle

“A very useful resource for designers who want to specialise in logo design.”

Fabio Sasso, Abduzeedo

“A must-read for anyone who wants to make their living in the graphic design industry, especially those who want to specialise in the fiercely competitive logo design niche.”

Steve Douglas, The Logo Factory

What’s striking about these reviews is that they span both designers and clients — which tells you something about the book’s approach. Airey does not write in the jargon of the studio; he writes for anyone who has a stake in what a logo does and why.

From Pencil to PDF

The book’s central chapter walks through the full design process for a real project. The section headings alone are worth reading as a checklist:

• Mind-mapping
• The fundamental necessity of the sketchpad
• The Tenth Commandment
• Pinning the map
• Internationally recognised
• No set time
• Dress for success
• Black and white before colour
• Where Photoshop comes into play
• The pen is mightier than the mouse

The emphasis on process over software is the book’s greatest strength. The sketchpad section, in particular, is a counterweight to the tendency of newer designers to open Illustrator before they have a solid concept. The hand-drawn stage is not a step you skip when you get faster — it is the stage where the thinking happens.

A Second Edition Worth Having

The 2015 second edition adds new case studies and expands the client management sections. If you already own the first edition, the additional material makes an upgrade worthwhile. If you are buying for the first time, go straight to the second.

David Airey continues to write at logodesignlove.com — the blog remains an excellent companion to the book, with ongoing coverage of identity projects and brand work.

Mind Mapping as a Design Tool

One of the themes Airey returns to throughout the book is the value of mind-mapping in the early stages of a project. If you want to explore that technique further, we have a detailed post on mind mapping for graphic design idea generation.

Further Reading

If you are building your logo design knowledge, this book pairs well with a few other resources:

• Our visual history of 26 logos and their design evolution — context for understanding why marks change over time
• 6 things to keep in mind when designing a logo — a practical principles checklist
• Logo trends and galleries — a curated collection of inspiration resources

At The Graphic Design School, we teach logo and identity design as part of our Certificate IV in Graphic Design. The process Airey describes — research, mind-mapping, sketching, refining, presenting — is the same process our students work through with experienced industry tutors. Good books point you in the right direction. Good teaching gets you there.