The Visual Voice of Your Brand: A Logo Design Guide

Creating a logo can be incredibly challenging. 😅

Even with numerous tools available, my journey hasn’t been easy. I previously set up shops on Etsy as a hobby, but now, as I’m older, I focus on building a business. 💼
Like many things, I tend to start backward and learn the hard way. 

Though I have tools to assist me, I still have a long way to go before getting my business off the ground.  Here’s one of my earlier logos. 🎨

I highly recommend developing your logo early on. Don't be like me and constantly change your logo across a million social media accounts, websites, and emails. 📱 It’s best to settle on one early in your business process.

**Developing My Brand**

I realized the importance of branding last year. 🌟 As I embarked on a new journey, coming out of addiction and starting a new life, I wanted my brand to reflect authenticity and honesty. For the first time, I felt like I truly knew myself, seeing both the good and the bad. Being real, kind, and open to lifelong learning became my highest values. ❤️

This is how I developed the brand "Real Talk by Kelli." I initially started my journey on Facebook and YouTube, eager to share how I emerged from darkness into light. 🌈 One day, my husband suggested I open an Etsy shop again. Remembering all the effort I put into it as a hobby made me hesitant, but I eventually recalled how much I loved designing. Thus, "Real Talk T-Shirts by Kelli" was born. 👕

Are you ready to see another logo? As you can see, it mentions nothing about T-shirts, demonstrating my learning curve. However, I was making progress. 💪

After discovering Canva and other design tools, I began brainstorming design ideas and felt I was getting closer! 🧠

**Maybe My Favorite Color is Blue**

I've always loved blue and yellow, and this time, I included “T-shirt” in the handle. 💙💛 Unfortunately, that logo lasted only a day because I realized it didn’t have an “s” at the end of “T-shirt.” My ADHD brain led me to search for another logo instead of simply adding the “s.” Such is the joy of having ADHD! 🤪

**I Created My Logo!**

Finally, today, I am happy with my logo. 🎉 I used contrasting colors (which I had to look up) and discovered that these are the same as complementary colors. I remember learning about the color wheel back in elementary school. If you look back, I believe you'll agree that my logos have improved over time. 👍

 **Another Tip!** Jot down the hex colors! 🖍️ I used #004360 for the blue.