Making Your Own Logo? Read This Before You Open Canva
Let’s be honest. The thought has crossed your mind.
The budget is tight. You have a dozen other fires to put out. You consider yourself to have a “good eye” for design. And those online logo makers? They look so simple. Type in your company name, pick an icon, and voilà, a professional logo in five minutes.
It’s a tempting narrative.
This guide isn't here to sell you a fantasy. It’s a dose of reality about what making your logo entails. It's for the entrepreneur who needs to understand the risks, the real work involved, and the point where DIY becomes a dangerous liability.
- DIY logos often fail due to lack of strategy—design for your target customer, not personal taste.
- Avoid generic stock icons and template clichés; distinctiveness is essential for memorability.
- Use vector formats (AI, EPS, SVG) not raster (JPG, PNG) to ensure scalability and print quality.
- Know when to hire a pro—competitive markets, investment-seeking businesses, or inability to produce vectors.
The Allure of the DIY Logo: Why We All Think We Can Do It
The temptation to design your logo isn't born from ego but from necessity. Every new business owner feels the pressure from three specific angles.
The “Good Enough” Mindset When you're starting, everything is about reaching the “Minimum Viable Product.” The website is “good enough,” the business cards are “good enough.” The logo often falls into this category—a box to be ticked rather than a strategic asset to be developed.
The Promise of Instant Results (The Logo Generator Myth) Websites like Canva and various AI logo generators market a powerful dream: professional branding with a few clicks. They present a catalogue of slick icons and modern fonts, making you feel like a seasoned designer. This illusion of ease is their entire business model.
The Budget Imperative. This is the big one. When you're bootstrapping, every pound, dollar, and euro counts. Spending several hundred or thousands on a “picture” seems insane when that money could go to inventory or marketing. The DIY route feels like the only financially prudent choice.
But prudence and cheapness are not the same thing.
The Brutal Truth: 4 Reasons Most DIY Logos Fail Miserably
The difference between a professional logo and an amateur one isn't talent; it's strategy and technical knowledge. Most DIY attempts fail before placing a single pixel because they skip the foundational work.
Mistake #1: Designing in a Vacuum (No Strategy)
The most common error is designing a logo you personally like.
A logo is not for you. It's a communication tool aimed squarely at your target customer. It needs to convey your industry, price point, and brand's personality in less than a second.
Professionals start with a brief. They research your competitors, define your target audience, and map your market position. Is your brand premium or budget-friendly? Modern or traditional? Playful or serious? Every design choice flows from these strategic answers. Choosing your favourite colour is irrelevant if it alienates your ideal customer.
Mistake #2: The Cliché Catalogue (Generic & Forgettable)
That brilliant idea you had for a logo? The swoosh to show dynamism, the globe for your international reach, the lightbulb for innovation?
A logo generator has sold that same “unique” idea thousands of times.
Relying on stock icons or generic shapes is a death sentence for your brand's memorability. A great logo is distinctive. It stands apart. Using clichés guarantees you'll blend into a sea of sameness, making your brand invisible and instantly forgettable.
Mistake #3: The Raster Disaster (The Technical Trap)
This is the single biggest technical blunder that separates amateurs from pros. It's the concept of Vector versus Raster.
Most DIY tools (like phone apps or basic image editors) produce raster files (JPG, PNG, GIF). These are grids of pixels. They look fine on a screen, but they become a blurry, pixelated mess when you try to enlarge them.
Professionals work exclusively with vector files (AI, EPS, SVG). These are built with mathematical formulas, not pixels. This means a vector logo can be scaled to any size—from a tiny website favicon to the side of a building—with zero loss of quality.
| Feature | Vector (Professional Standard) | Raster (Amateur Trap) |
| File Types | .AI, .EPS, .SVG | .JPG, .PNG, .GIF |
| Built With | Mathematical Paths | Pixels |
| Scalability | Infinitely scalable | Loses quality when enlarged |
| Best For | Logos, illustrations, printing | Photos, complex web images |
| Result | Crisp, clean lines at any size | Blurry, jagged edges when scaled |
You don't have a professional logo if your “logo” only exists as a PNG file. You have a picture that will cause endless headaches the first time you need to print anything larger than a business card.
Mistake #4: Font Illiteracy & Colour Chaos
Typography is a language. The fonts you choose say something. A heavy, industrial sans-serif shouts “strength and stability,” while a delicate serif whispers “elegance and tradition.” Selecting a font because it looks “cool” on your screen, without understanding its personality and readability, is a classic DIY mistake.
The same goes for colour. Amateurs often pick too many colours, creating visual noise. Or they choose colours based on screen appearance (RGB) without realising that those vibrant hues can look dull and different when printed (CMYK). Colour psychology is real; blue instils trust, red creates urgency, and green signals health or nature. A professional choice is strategic, not random.
Core Principles the Pros Use (And You Should Steal)
You don't need a design degree to appreciate the principles that make a logo effective. If you insist on the DIY path, measure your work against these four professional benchmarks.
Simplicity is King
The world's most iconic logos are brutally simple. The Nike swoosh is a checkmark. The Apple logo is a piece of fruit with a bite taken out. The Target logo is, well, a target. They are clean, uncluttered, and easy to process.
The ultimate test? Try to draw your logo from memory in five seconds. If you can't, it's too complicated.
Make it Relevant
A logo must feel appropriate for the industry it represents. You wouldn't use a gothic, death-metal font for a children's daycare or bubbly, crayon-style lettering for a corporate law firm. The design cues must align with customer expectations.
Aim for Timelessness, Not Trends
Design trends come and go. Remember the gradients and drop shadows of the early 2000s? A solid logo should feel as relevant in ten years as today. Chasing the latest fad is a surefire way to make your brand look dated in 18 months. Focus on strong, simple forms, not fleeting gimmicks.
Build in Versatility
A great logo works everywhere. Before you finalise anything, ask these questions:
- How does it look in a single colour (black and white)?
- How does it look as a tiny 16×16 pixel favicon for a browser tab?
- How would it look embroidered on a shirt?
- Is it legible if reversed out (e.g., white on a black background)?
The FedEx logo is a masterclass in versatility. It's a simple wordmark that works in any colour combination and contains a hidden arrow in the negative space—a clever nod to its business of movement and delivery.
A Pragmatic Look at Your DIY Toolkit
If you're going to attempt surgery, it helps to know the difference between a scalpel and a butter knife. The same is true for design software.
The Pro Standard: Adobe Illustrator
There's a reason this is the industry standard. Illustrator is built from the ground up to create vector graphics. It gives you absolute control over every line, curve, and point. This precision is non-negotiable for professional logo design. The downside? It has a notoriously steep learning curve and comes with a subscription fee.
The Accessible Contenders: Canva & Figma
Canva is fantastic for creating social media posts, presentations, and quick mockups. You can make a logo in Canva and download it as an SVG (in vector format). However, its vector editing tools are minimal compared to Illustrator, restricting your ability to create something custom.
Figma is a more powerful, vector-based tool popular for UI/UX design, but it can also be used for logos. It's more complex than Canva but more accessible than Illustrator, offering a decent middle ground for those willing to learn.
The “Avoid at All Costs” Category: Logo Generators & Phone Apps
These tools are the fast food of the design world. They churn out generic, non-exclusive designs. You risk building your brand on an icon your competitor can also purchase. Worse, you often don't have full copyright ownership, and they rarely provide the full suite of professional file formats you'll eventually need.
When to Abandon Ship and Hire a Pro
The DIY path has a clear endpoint. You should immediately stop and seek professional help if any of these are true:
- You can't create an actual vector file. Your logo is a dead end if you don't know how to create and export an EPS or AI file.
- You're in a competitive market. If you're up against established players, an amateur brand identity will get you laughed out of the room.
- You plan to seek investment. Investors fund serious businesses, and a DIY logo screams “hobby,” not “high-growth venture.
- Your “quick logo” has devoured 20+ hours of your time. Your time is your most valuable asset. The hours you've sunk into wrestling with Canva could have been spent on sales or product development. Your time has a cost.
- You realise your business deserves a proper foundation. A logo is the face of your company. It’s the very first thing a potential customer sees. Giving it a professional, strategic foundation isn’t a cost; it’s an investment.
If you've reached this point, it might be time to see what professional logo design can do for your brand.
So, You Still Want to Do It Yourself? A Final Checklist.
Treat this as your final pre-flight check if you’re determined to press on. Do not launch your brand without ticking every one of these boxes.
- Get Unbiased Feedback: Ask people in your target demographic, not your mum. Don't ask “Do you like it?” Ask “What does this company do?” and “What do you think they charge?”
- Test for Scalability: Put your design into a tiny square and a long rectangle. Does it still work?
- Create a Black & White Version: Ensure the design is strong enough to work without colour.
- Save the Right Files: At a minimum, you need your final logo in SVG, EPS, PDF, and PNG formats.
- Create a Simple Brand Guide: Define your exact colours (HEX, RGB, and CMYK codes) and fonts so you can use them consistently.
The Real Cost of a “Free” Logo
There's no such thing as a free logo.
The cost is just deferred. You pay for it when a printer rejects your low-resolution file. You pay for it when customers choose a more professional-looking competitor. You pay for it when you have to spend thousands on a complete rebrand two years down the line because the “quick fix” couldn't scale with your success.
Making your own logo can feel empowering, but it's crucial to go in with your eyes open. Understand the principles, respect the technical requirements, and know when to call in an expert. Your brand is your legacy; give it the strong start it deserves. If you're ready to build that foundation correctly from day one, it might be time to request a quote and see what's possible.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best software for making your own logo?
For professional, scalable results, Adobe Illustrator is the industry standard. It's a true vector-based editor. For simpler needs and easier learning, Figma is a powerful alternative. Canva can work for initial ideas, but has significant limitations when creating a final, professional logo package.
Can I legally use a logo I made on Canva?
Yes, you can use a logo you create on Canva for commercial purposes. However, if you use their stock elements (icons, graphics), you cannot trademark the logo because you don't have exclusive rights. Other Canva users can use the same graphics.
What's the difference between a vector and a raster logo?
A vector logo (SVG, EPS, AI) has mathematical paths and can be scaled to any size without losing quality. A raster logo (JPG, PNG) is made of pixels and will become blurry and jagged when enlarged. Professional logos must be in a vector format.
How many colours should a logo have?
Sticking to a limited colour palette, typically 1-3 colours, is best. This ensures the logo is versatile, memorable, and cost-effective to reproduce in print. A great logo should always be designed to work in a single colour first.
What is the biggest mistake people make when designing their logo?
The biggest mistake is a lack of strategy. This includes designing based on personal taste rather than audience appeal, using generic cliché icons, and not understanding the technical requirements, like vector file formats.
Is it better to have a logomark (icon) or a logotype (wordmark)?
It depends on the business name and goals. If you have a short, unique name (like Google or FedEx), a logotype (wordmark) can be mighty. A distinctive logomark (icon) can help with recognition if your name is long or generic. Many brands use a combination of both.
Can I just use a font for my logo?
Absolutely. A logo that consists only of the company name set in a specific font is called a logotype or wordmark. Brands like Coca-Cola, Google, and Visa use this approach effectively. The key is choosing a font that reflects your brand's personality and is highly legible.
How do I choose the right colours for my logo?
Research colour psychology (e.g., blue for trust, green for nature/health, red for energy/urgency). Look at your competitors' logos—do you want to fit in or stand out? Finally, ensure your chosen colours work well together and can be reproduced accurately in digital (RGB) and print (CMYK) formats.
Can I trademark a DIY logo?
You can only trademark a logo that is unique and original. If you used familiar stock icons or generic templates from a logo maker, it will likely be rejected for a trademark because it is not sufficiently distinctive, and the elements are not exclusive to you.
How much does a professional logo design cost?
Costs vary widely. A logo from a freelancer on a platform like Fiverr might cost under £100, while working with a professional design agency can range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of pounds. The price reflects the depth of strategy, research, creative exploration, and experience.
Why do I need so many different logo file types?
Other applications require different formats. You'll need vector files (SVG, EPS) for large-scale printing and editing, and raster files (PNG with a transparent background) for websites and social media. A professional designer provides a complete package for any possible use case.
Should my logo explain what my company does?
Not necessarily. The Apple logo doesn't show a computer, and the Nike logo doesn't show a shoe. A logo's primary job is to be a unique identifier for your brand. Its meaning and association are built over time through marketing and customer experience.
If you've read this and realised your brand is too important for a DIY experiment, that’s not a failure—it's a strategic business decision. Building a powerful brand identity is one of the most effective investments.
Explore our logo design services to see how a professional, strategic approach can set you apart, or browse more of our branding insights on the Inkbot Design blog.
