BY Armin

In Brief: Why do you Sketch Logos?

Sketching Logos

Most designers will tell you that all logo designs must start as sketches, and this gospel has been passed from generation to generation. But, think about it, why do you sketch logos? How does it help you? What do you gain from it?

The reason we ask this question is to help us develop some bits of content for a very modest Brand New-branded product we will be putting for sale as soon as it’s, well, produced. Read on for further info.

— We will credit with name and URL or Twitter account those that we select (somewhere between 16 and 24).
— By posting on Brand New or on Twitter you grant us permission to use your comment only for this one time use; if we plan on using it on anything else we will contact you again.
— You will not receive money from us or from the proceeds of the sales, but we will send you one free sample of this mystery product.
— All proceeds help keep Brand New running. (And before you say “isn’t that what the ads are there for?” yes, that’s what they are there for but, trust us, things aren’t as chipper in the ad sales world as we would like).
— The product will be sold for a mere $5.00 (plus shipping), so it’s really more of a gesture than a get-rich-quick scheme
— In your answers be funny, be clever, be serious… any which way.

At Brand New we believe in the power of sketching logos and we hope to keep the tradition alive!

You can add your responses here and/or you can Twitter them with #whyisketchlogos

DATE: Jun.11.2009CATEGORY: In Brief 272 COMMENTS

Comments › Jump to Most Recent

drewdraws2’s comment is:

Because I'm still more talented with a pen than a mouse.

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:20 PM

nick irwin’s comment is:

the pencil and paper is the ignition to my creative engine

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:20 PM

Liz Rose’s comment is:

I sketch my logos as a way to brainstorm ideas without anything becoming too precious. Starting logos on the computer tends to make every concept look "finished" and makes it harder for me to spot and correct problems with the concepts.

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:24 PM

LAC’s comment is:

A friend of mine said this about a mouse: It's like pushing a potato around. So, I'll stick to my dexterity- it's slightly more reliable, eh?

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:24 PM

Dan O'Leary’s comment is:

The link between brain and hand has the path of least resistance. Put a mouse and a computer and you've already complicated it.

And when you sketch, there's more chance of a happy accident.

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:26 PM

Eric MacLeod’s comment is:

It helps to remind me that I am a genius.

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:28 PM

t t dudley’s comment is:

If I'm going to have to use a computer for 90% of the project, then I'm going to enjoy some well deserved analog time, dammit.
I also find it easier to version things on paper. Once the strokes are down in rich RGB, it feels more finished, even if the ideas aren't fully cooked. Sketching gives me a chance to exhaust all possibilities & make happy mistakes along the way.

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:31 PM

Greg Scraper’s comment is:

I sketch to get the bad ideas out, so I can make way for the good ones.

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:31 PM

Scooter’s comment is:

Because it would get awfully expensive to crumple up monitors and throw them into the trash.

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:33 PM

Char’s comment is:

One of the things I've found helpful through sketching is the "surprise factor". That little sketch you with a bad kerning, misspell or anything that actually gives you a great solution to a logo. Those happy errors become a blessing. Also, at the end you can contemplate how is your creative thought. maybe you go from simple to elaborate or viceversa, that can help you see how it's the most natural way to approach your sketching process.

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:33 PM

Sand’s comment is:

I sketch logos first to quickly rifle off a bunch of design ideas. It's easy to determine which concepts will or won't work before heading to the computer.

Just don't bother trying to explain that to your client, they'll tell you to skip that part since you know... why should they pay you just to doodle? hah!

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:34 PM

Justin’s comment is:

So that I can rid my head of bad ideas as quickly as possible.

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:34 PM

Doug Fuller’s comment is:

Because I can sketch logo ideas during a long, boring meeting and still look like I'm paying attention. Hard to do that with a mouse...

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:34 PM

Combatable’s comment is:

It's a lot easier to visualize your ideas without the constraints of a computer. With sketches, the only constraint is the two dimensional plane. Also it's easier to play with multiple ideas rather than spending a lot of time on one that might not be the best.

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:39 PM

Erik at Logo Critiques’s comment is:

Sketching allows me to explore ideas that I may not otherwise develop if I only worked with the mouse.

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:39 PM

Prescott Perez-Fox’s comment is:

Sketching allows me to quickly flesh out a concept without having to waste time at the computer. If a concept seems to be unbalanced, or otherwise ill-formed, it's no big deal; it's only a sketch, after all.

Also, it frees me from the computer in general. I can take my sketchbook outside, to the park, on the stoop, in the bathroom, or in a conference room with clients. I can glance back at it quickly and remind myself of the entire thought process that was at work in that particular instant.

Because I studied engineering and mathematics, I'm pretty good at drawing complex curves and shapes. Anything involving these organic shapes will be easier to sketch than it would be to comp up in Illustrator. If something starts to become viable, then I'll invest the time to make a computer model. So sketching saves time.

Many designers, myself included, are obsessive and when working on the computer, our first instinct is to make something that is "finished." With so many tools for measuring, aligning, centering, and rounding out, we can get carried away. But with a sketch, it's only going to be so perfect in pencil form. So it stops us from becoming OCD and allows us to continue to be productive.

So in conclusion, it saves time, allows us to be free, makes it easy to form complicated shapes, and gets us away from the computer.

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:40 PM

Lorraine’s comment is:

When sketching, you're already reducing the logo down into 2 flat colors: it helps me think about the form and technical issues before I make it "fancy."

Besides, for some reason, it's just easier to think with pen/paper...instant gratification maybe?

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:47 PM

michelle’s comment is:

it's faster.

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:48 PM

Quentin’s comment is:

Pen + Paper > Mouse + Computer

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:49 PM

Bebe’s comment is:

I'm in school for Graphic Design, so I love sketching logos all day long (you aren't always at a computer).

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:51 PM

VonK’s comment is:

Sketching lets me make valuable mistakes.

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:52 PM

Dale Campbell’s comment is:

I sketch because there's a fluidity between my thought and my sketch that I simply cannot reproduce on a computer.

Once I get a handful of sketches I like, I refine them.

Hopefully the end result is something the client loves.

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:53 PM

Jo Cartwright’s comment is:

For me it's just so much more intuitive that way - staring at a blank document on screen can seem desolate, where as looking down at a blank sheet of paper it feels like anything can happen, the good the bad and the ugly, it's a design journey I wouldn't have any other way. Plus it's always good to get a bit of ink on your fingers, a habit I've just never seemed to grow out of.

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:54 PM

William Herod’s comment is:

Sketching allows for instant action and reaction while developing concepts.

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:56 PM

awesomerobot’s comment is:

I will always have 8 more years experience in sketching than using a computer.

On Jun.11.2009 at 03:56 PM

Jeff’s comment is:

The monitor can't contain the random smudges, coffee stains, and accidental marks that lead to breakthroughs.

On Jun.11.2009 at 04:01 PM

Blake’s comment is:

Sketching makes me sexier.

On Jun.11.2009 at 04:08 PM

Tim Walker’s comment is:

When working on any design problem, experimenting with the problem, reframing it and looking at it from as many different angles as possible is critical. Using sketches is the fastest way for most designers to explore more ideas, more quickly. The more you develop to edit from, the better the solutions that arise. There are some who aren't comfortable drawing and manage to use the computer in a similar way, but they are the exception.

In our firm, we feel strongly that the basis of an idea should be worked out before moving it to a computer for execution. It's too easy to allow the limitations of a computer to influence your work too quickly. As the saying goes, if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

Finally, I really believe there is something about the tactility of pen or pencil to paper, the hand and the eye working together, that's deeply connected to our minds and our thinking processes. Perhaps it's learned, from the 1st grade days of using those giant pencils and grayish, chunky paper, or maybe it's God-given. Either way, there's something special there, and I believe the best works starts there.

On Jun.11.2009 at 04:10 PM

BJN’s comment is:

I don't, except rarely, sketch logos "analog". I have a tablet that's every bit as hand-eye responsive as pencil and paper, and that work is immediately useful with design and illustration tools.

I occasionally use facile drawing as showmanship, and the one thing I'll say in defense of presenting sketches is that a client is much more likely to see it as an abstract without getting mired down in the particulars of something that looks too polished and final. But I don't often have the time or budget for much of that.

And just what is "sketching" anyway? Pencil, colored pencil, markers? Those are the most common sketch tools, but if the logo calls for something like brushwork or another distinct medium, then pencil sketching isn't going to get you very far. For that matter, I've "sketched" in clay, styrofoam, and even beer puddles.

On Jun.11.2009 at 04:25 PM

Austin’s comment is:

When sketching, you're not trying to be perfect, so you have more room to change how the logo looks. When I design a logo on the computer, it has to be perfect, but on paper, I'll go crazy and accentuate some areas while leaving others dull or incomplete. From there, my imagination takes the design to the next logo and eventually to the computer

On Jun.11.2009 at 04:29 PM

Mike’s comment is:

Pencil and paper make my ideas flow; the mouse clicks them into place. It just feels right.

On Jun.11.2009 at 04:31 PM

Altaf ’s comment is:

Because a sketched logo is better than a stretched logo.

On Jun.11.2009 at 04:34 PM

Aegir Hallmundur’s comment is:

I sketch because it helps me record ideas as I have them. I may have 10 ideas in quick succession, and if I was to go direct to screen with each one I'd forget ideas or discount them needlessly based on the effort involved.

Sketches are quick to do and are effective mnemonics. I can remember what I was thinking when sketching months or years later, and it's that thinking, the idea that's important.

On Jun.11.2009 at 04:37 PM

debbie millman’s comment is:

it is easier, it is more fun and you can create nuance without the ubiquitous iTunes-esque shadow/reflection thingy.

On Jun.11.2009 at 04:40 PM

Quentin’s comment is:

awesomerobot's post is awesome!

On Jun.11.2009 at 04:44 PM

Chris Raymond’s comment is:

So I can still throw out ideas when the power inevitably goes out in my apartment.

On Jun.11.2009 at 04:45 PM

Armando’s comment is:

Easier. Faster. No power/electricity needed (and because I like the sound of pen against paper).

On Jun.11.2009 at 04:49 PM

Holland’s comment is:

Even though I'm a poor artist, I'm not limited by my computer skills when I design and conceptualize on paper first.

On Jun.11.2009 at 04:50 PM

Juan Rivera’s comment is:

Designing before sketching is like doing before thinking.
You can end up messing up a good idea just 'cause on the screen everything is in shiny bright colors and it looks pretty nice but if theres no concept or background to it, you end up with an inconcistent deign.

On Jun.11.2009 at 04:53 PM

Lauren’s comment is:

To get the bad ideas out quick. The has-beens, the knock-offs, etc. Get the obvious solutions out of the system (they are never the best anyway).

I sketch most of my projects out first to avoid focusing on the "technical details" - to try and make the best work rather than the easiest to produce. If I go to the computer too fast I end up working within constraints (like easy-to-slice web designs) rather than making something awesome and worrying about particulars later.

On Jun.11.2009 at 04:55 PM

Jon Ashcroft’s comment is:

Because I can.

On Jun.11.2009 at 04:57 PM

Josh’s comment is:

My hands are the closest thing to my brain.

On Jun.11.2009 at 04:59 PM

Joe’s comment is:

Because I like using my disco stick a.k.a pencil.

On Jun.11.2009 at 05:01 PM

iancu’s comment is:

Sketching is great especially because the hand has a mind of it's own while holding a pencil, I never know for sure what it'll do next :)

On Jun.11.2009 at 05:09 PM

Evan MacDonald’s comment is:

There are a few reasons I sketch:

1st: I see the computer as a production tool. Logo design starts with the concept which is not production. Paper and pen lets me throw out tons of concepts and not have tons of time invested on a concept that is no good.

2nd: By submitting tight sketches to a client, they are apt to appreciate their logo more, to feel like it is being created by an artist and not some Logo button in Adobe Illustrator. It gives me the time to refine, refine, refine.

3rd: Bytes are strange foreign objects that make the computer a strange machine to me. I don't even really understand how it works. I know how a pencil works. I know how paper works and I can hold these things. I can't hold bytes.

Analog is the new digital.

On Jun.11.2009 at 05:20 PM

Mara’s comment is:

my drawing could be mistaken for my Creative Director's son's drawing. So no, sketches aren't as common in my logos.

On Jun.11.2009 at 05:31 PM

Nate Hook’s comment is:

Infecting paper with the random germs of my creative disease synthesizes the resistant strain, bearing a breed fit to serve my aims.

On Jun.11.2009 at 05:33 PM

Sneh | LBOI Blog’s comment is:

I don't always sketch!

But when I do, it is to mainly brainstorm on paper.

On Jun.11.2009 at 05:33 PM

angelique’s comment is:

I sketch because when it is all said and done - it eels great to look at the first scraps of paper and see just how far you've taken the project.

On Jun.11.2009 at 05:36 PM

Jerry Rosenblum’s comment is:

Pencil=design tool, computer=production tool.

On Jun.11.2009 at 05:43 PM

Luma Shihab-Eldin’s comment is:

Milton Glaser once said, Sketching (Drawing) is Thinking.

On Jun.11.2009 at 05:43 PM

EnergonCube’s comment is:

I'm a slave to the idea. Not the computer.

On Jun.11.2009 at 05:45 PM

Don G.’s comment is:

For me sketching is a liberating and unconscious flow of doodles, which eventually form something that can be tweaked in to a design. Sometimes.

On Jun.11.2009 at 05:46 PM

Naina Redhu’s comment is:

One hour of sketching is like ten hours with Bezier curves.

On Jun.11.2009 at 05:48 PM

Laura’s comment is:

I sketch a logo when I am is still in the conceptual phase because I find that it is easier to work with a client when the logo is still a "rough sketch". Clients tend to get focused on small details, and not the big picture. They don't like the color red, or don't like the typeface, etc. When a logo is a sketch, they are forced to focus on the concept, and not the details. It helps the creative process move along and can be much more efficient. You get a design on paper before you have to have to make all the little aesthetic changes.

On Jun.11.2009 at 05:49 PM

Naina Redhu’s comment is:

Because I dream about logos. It's like writing down my dreams. | I love the smell of paper - I sniff my Moleskine before I start sketching logos. Ink, paint, graphite, paper - swirling. | Helps me get rid of the cliched ideas quickly. | I don't know how else to design a logo. | Because not many other 'designers' do - gives me an edge ;) | Getting hands dirty with graphite on paper somehow enhances ideation during the logo design process. | Because it allows me to go through lots of logo design options without investing too much time in making them look pretty. | I don't like being stuck to my laptop with my tablet - I like the Moleskine, the coffee & the crowd while sketching logos. | Because it's almost like painting - better than directly doing plain vectors. The logo transforms into art - somewhat. | Because I like the sound of pencil scratching on paper. | Because it gives me practice for when the Software Apocalypse occurs. | Because I eventually hope to sell each logo sketch as a masterpiece painting.

On Jun.11.2009 at 05:51 PM

Andrew Klein’s comment is:

Sketching logos on paper does not have a technical advantage over a master of the pen tool. The craft of it depends on personal ability, taste, and appropriateness for the project. For instance, I sketch a lot less if I know the identity is going to be type based. If it's going to be a illustrative logo, I sketch a lot more. Either way has the potential to be "faster" depending on the project and designer also.

The advantage of a pencil sketch lies not with creating, but with analyzing and comparing concepts with clients, other designers, and even yourself . When you look at a pencil sketch, there is a lower level of visual scrutiny. The hand drawn sketch actually helps your mind's eye fill in the rest. The roughness lends some implied malleability to the sketch, it's really easy to draw more on a drawing, harder to draw on a computer comp (without it looking a little awkward). The ideas should be well thought out before moving to the computer. Like Stavros Cosmopulos said, "Make the layouts rough and the ideas fancy"

A computer generated comp implies a certain level of perfection and finality, even if you know, or you tell your client that it's just a "rough", it's still hard to break away and think of how it could change or be different from what it is.

On a similar note, designers tend to print out their logo comps in 100% black on white paper. While the logo does need to work like that in the end, it sometimes alters viewer perception to the weight and intensity the form, especially if you are using negative space to define a form. I try to present comps using a 40 - 60% grey... maybe lighter if I know it's probably going to be a light color in the end. The lower contrast just feels better visually and for some reason, a little less final.

On Jun.11.2009 at 06:01 PM

Proverbial Thought’s comment is:

Two reasons really:

1. I sketch my logos first because my brain is a muddled mess of ideas and a poor excuse for a draft pad. Usually I see several things all at the same time, and have a hard time making the transition from my mind to the computer screen without having a compiler or interpriter (that being the sketch pad) to break down all the encoded gibberish in my mind.

2. Some of my best ideas happen by mistake. It's hard to accidentally connect the back of one shap to the front of another shape either in your mind or on your computer screen. The paper and pad affords you a plethora of back ideas in crumbled pages, poorly erased marks on the page and my favorite, the accidental marks you make when moving your hand around with pencil in tow. It's a very different and more fluid process when drawing by hand, and that life often produces "ghosts in the machine" that would otherwise be lost forever with a press of the delet key, or the pitter patter of ctrl+z.

On Jun.11.2009 at 06:02 PM

evan@isthenewblack.com’s comment is:

A blank sheet of paper ensures that I start by thinking about the form of the brand, not the form of the letters.

On Jun.11.2009 at 06:10 PM

Brian Cassidy’s comment is:

I was really big into snowboarding when I was younger. My snowboard and school notebooks were covered with hand drawn logos of my favorite snowboarding companies. The logos I could draw the best slowly became my favorite brands. No matter what the logo is for I like to imagine someone will connect with it enough to draw it at least once.

I sketch logos first so I know someone else can as well.

On Jun.11.2009 at 06:28 PM

Hector JH’s comment is:

I have no internet in my sketchbook; i don't get distracted.

On Jun.11.2009 at 06:38 PM

Chris Michel’s comment is:

I sketch ideas because it purges the shit ideas from my head before I waste electricity at the computer.

On Jun.11.2009 at 06:47 PM

Andrew Harrison’s comment is:

Rapid ideation, wherever, whenever.

On Jun.11.2009 at 06:55 PM

Mattias Mackler’s comment is:

Computers can think, but they can't think creatively. If they did, we'd all be dead.

On Jun.11.2009 at 07:01 PM

Justen Hong’s comment is:

Because it's instantaneous, and I'm impatient.

On Jun.11.2009 at 07:12 PM

Derek’s comment is:

Logos are signatures, and I can't write my signature with a mouse.

On Jun.11.2009 at 07:21 PM

Paulo’s comment is:

We must keep using pencils.

On Jun.11.2009 at 07:26 PM

Sean DL’s comment is:

I don't sketch, I doodle. Out of those doodles sometimes come ideas, shapes, and other cool things I use that turn out to be great ideas and crappy ideas. But I doodle any chance I get, from school to boring meetings.

Adobe Illustrator can't replace that, but I'd love to have something that'll help me find a happy medium between the two, similar to the sketch web site applications out there now, also things they are.

On Jun.11.2009 at 07:27 PM

Natalie Schade’s comment is:

Because I can't exactly 'let loose' with the bezier curve.

On Jun.11.2009 at 07:30 PM

Willy Dang’s comment is:

let me sketch out my comment before i post

On Jun.11.2009 at 07:54 PM

Ty Halasz’s comment is:

Because there is a feeling I get from drawing on graph paper that can't be matched by my otherwise inclusive Mac. Perhaps I should have been an architect.

On Jun.11.2009 at 07:58 PM

Jason Grlicky’s comment is:

Because design without prototyping is just guessing.

On Jun.11.2009 at 08:03 PM

Morgan Smail’s comment is:

I "sketch" logo's in my mind first because it's quicker, easier to manipulate, and appears more glorious than it does on a sketch pad -

this last part is probably the most crucial because it gives me the closest sense of romance one experiences when seeing the final product for the first time.

On Jun.11.2009 at 08:11 PM

Breton’s comment is:

Using a computer activates the left brain. Using a pencil activates the right brain. The left brain is a terrible designer. The right brain's entire existance revolves around making rapid calculations about shapes, colors, textures, distances, relationships, lines and movement. When I sit down at a computer, the left brain is too loud and drowns out those calculations. Instead of thinking about the design, I'm thinking about the computer. The right brain cannot compete, because it is terrible at using a computer. When I sit down with a sketch pad, the right brain can act autonomously, directing my hands without suffering from the overbearingly tyranical and talentless judgements of the left brain. I can "think" verbally about completely unrelated subjects, letting my "mind" wander around in all kinds of directions, and the right brain operates in parallel, unhampered by such frivolities. It's better this way.

I do have to admit, that when I'm sketching, I do use one peice of computerised technology: A machine I had custom built by the finest electronics artist available to beep at intervals that I've set on the dials and switches upon it. This simple cue signals me to move on, and stop dwelling on my current sketch, and try a new fresh idea. Setting this machine to beep once every minute lets me try 60 ideas in an hour.

From there, it is a game of survival of the fittest. It's always a game of survival of the fittest in design. Given the choice I would rather select from a pool of 60 ideas from an artist than a pool of 3 from an accountant.

On Jun.11.2009 at 08:22 PM

Rob Russo’s comment is:

Putting pencil to paper is like a "stream-of-concious" breath of fresh air. It's easy to let you ideas flow and exciting to see what appears. Sometimes you might think one thing, but start doodling another that turns into a winning concept.

And just like my simple, stick-figure drawings can win over the Pictionary crowd (and help me win the game!) time and time again, you don't have to be an artist to sketch.

On Jun.11.2009 at 08:27 PM

Jeff Barkema’s comment is:

I feel it's quicker and more comfortable. The looseness keeps things from being too finished and also keeps the essence of what you are trying to convey at the forefront. When I've started on the computer I feel like I start worrying about the details too early.

On Jun.11.2009 at 08:32 PM

Alex Jones’s comment is:

It appears that you can actually brainstorm.

On Jun.11.2009 at 08:38 PM

Tory’s comment is:

Because the sketches look really cool in my portfolio.

On Jun.11.2009 at 09:22 PM

Vera Zeigler’s comment is:

Sketching is freedom! I can do it any and everywhere.

On Jun.11.2009 at 09:24 PM

Jake Beadenkopf’s comment is:

I sketch first because it gives a more viceral feel to the whole experience. I also find that I can much more easily feel the design that's coming and it flows much more easily thorugh the pen onto paper, than through the pen tool onto the screen. It's easier, it's quick, and it's solid, I can sketch wherever I have a pen and paper, whereever inspiration may strike.

On Jun.11.2009 at 09:31 PM

jb’s comment is:

Because old design instuctors who started before computers were common told me to:)

Seriously. Sometimes I sketch with a pencil, and sometimes I sketch with a pen tablet. I don't really buy the argument that the brain works any worse because it's in front of a computer screen. From what I have read it mainly comes down to how the hands are involved.

On Jun.11.2009 at 09:40 PM

jb’s comment is:

darn typo. "instructors" that is.

On Jun.11.2009 at 09:40 PM

Tymn’s comment is:

I sketch for many reasons but also for one very important reason:

I always show a client a sketch first because it helps them see the concept.
Clients can't help but see a "computer sketch" as a final product and will only focus on what it looks like, not the idea.

On Jun.11.2009 at 09:43 PM

Bill Dawson (XK9)’s comment is:

For me the experience of sketching is essential to the creative experience. It's as indispensable as thinking. Scribbling adds the primal sense of play that is key to the free flow of ideas that leads to surprise connections and, hopefully, creative solutions.

See also: Visceral Games.

On Jun.11.2009 at 09:51 PM

Bill Dawson (XK9)’s comment is:

...and "come up and see my JPEGs..." just doesn't work as a pick up line.

On Jun.11.2009 at 09:54 PM

Trish’s comment is:

Because ideas don't always happen when you are sitting at your computer.

Because life is not what is happening on your computer.

Sketching is the best of capturing ideas and life as it happens.

On Jun.11.2009 at 10:14 PM

Thomas Hooper’s comment is:

It makes me feel like an artiste

On Jun.11.2009 at 10:17 PM

Joe Moran’s comment is:

Several people have touched on this but I remember an article or radio piece about this topic, specifically: Digital movement (hands doodling or twiddling thumbs) stimulate higher brain activity. Couldn't find the exact article remembered. Also recall a college speech professor extolling the importance of sound and his theory that, "difference is the key to higher mental processes." In other words, if you can't hear stuff and tell the difference between words, you won't be as smart as someone who can. A slight digression, but another example of the science behind so many designers listening to music while working, no?

Here are some examples of the science behind the "doodling" activity:

1. Use Your Hands to Stimulate Your Brain

2. Study: Doodling Helps You Pay Attention

Again, apologies for not being able to reference the original article. If anyone can find it or remember it — please provide a link.

VR/

On Jun.11.2009 at 10:26 PM

Joe Moran’s comment is:

Apologies for the geekery, but here's another article relating to the subject: A Brain That Talks.

Toodle (doodle) — oo!! Woo Hoo!!! Ha!

VR/

On Jun.11.2009 at 10:42 PM

Kristen C.’s comment is:

I'm not generally someone who sketches but I tend to start logos, in particular, with sketches. Most logos are type-based and starting with handwritten letters helps me get an idea for the shapes of the letters and sparks ideas how they might be manipulated (kind of like how if you were figure drawing you start with large loose shapes).

On Jun.11.2009 at 11:14 PM

Henry S.’s comment is:

sketching allow me to push my creativity wherever i am , instead of being chained up in front of some freaking lit up box by a fake rodent.

but seriously, sketching allows me to be more connected to the concept, even if its really only just a placebo effect.

On Jun.11.2009 at 11:30 PM

Brian Lindstrom’s comment is:

Because 'control Z' stops the creative process. The beauty of a sketch is the imperfection that leads you to your next, even more brilliant, idea.

On Jun.12.2009 at 12:18 AM

John Mindiola III’s comment is:

I'll show you my doodle if you show me yours.

On Jun.12.2009 at 12:27 AM

Von Glitschka’s comment is:

Our industry may be digitally driven but ideas are still best developed in analog form.

2B or not 2B, that is the pencil.

On Jun.12.2009 at 01:49 AM

Alec’s comment is:

All brand new design is start from sketch.

On Jun.12.2009 at 02:51 AM

FiveseveN’s comment is:

We sketch simply because it's currently the best prototyping tool for most graphical applications (be it logos, posters, signage, stationery, website layouts or whatever). It's fast, versatile and portable.

On Jun.12.2009 at 03:24 AM

Martin’s comment is:

Sketching is for me the best way to quickly get those first top of mind ideas out of the system. It also lets me focus on what's important at this stage; the concept of the logo, rather than the details. If I don't like the idea sketched on a piece of paper, I won't like it pimped in Illustrator either.

On Jun.12.2009 at 03:50 AM

Jean-Philippe’s comment is:

To have the pleasure to use Corel Painter with my Wacom tablet :-D

On Jun.12.2009 at 03:52 AM

Adam’s comment is:

I think that sketching uses the unconscious mind more than roughing out ideas on the computer, and forces you into more changes and more refinement. Cut and paste can mean you persist with ideas that you should have dropped a while ago, because they are more compelling on screen.

Although I have a couple of Moleskine sketchbooks, I produce better sketches in my line Red and Black notebook. Less expectation maybe.

On Jun.12.2009 at 04:00 AM

Gianluca Savini’s comment is:

I do not sketch my logos at all, I usally start with the blank new document in Illustrator

On Jun.12.2009 at 04:03 AM

Nisio’s comment is:

My imagination is bigger than my screen

On Jun.12.2009 at 04:08 AM

Guytamam’s comment is:

There is few reason why i sketch:

I sketch only to better express myself.

Sketching is the quotation of my imagination.

I sketch because i cant go wild with a mouse.

When your ideas run in 200mph the action of a "click" sound stupid.

think that when you shot a paper to the trash
everything stop and you get an alert say:
do you really want to throw this piece of paper?

and the last but not least
Is just that the distance between my brain to a paper is much shorter the my brain to the design software.
let me sketch that for you:

brain---->pencil------>paper.

brain---->mouse------->usb hub------>motherbord->
>010101001100110101010101010101010101101101001101
0110101010101010101010101011010101010100101010100>
lots of questions and few clicks------------> digital A4 document.

Its just dont make any sense.

On Jun.12.2009 at 04:40 AM

Marcin’s comment is:

It's in my nature.

I've sketched figures koncepts for games, now I sketch my logos. There always will be a place for pencil and a sheet of paper in my design.

On Jun.12.2009 at 05:06 AM

Bjørn Høydal’s comment is:

awesomerobot nailed it!

On Jun.12.2009 at 05:06 AM

AL’s comment is:

I sketch because my hand is part of ME.

I think, therefore I sketch.

On Jun.12.2009 at 05:27 AM

Aleksander Lenart’s comment is:

I sketch because my hand is part of ME.

I think, therefore I sketch.

(details edited :)

On Jun.12.2009 at 05:28 AM

David Airey’s comment is:

I was going to tell you, but there are much more eloquent answers already.

On Jun.12.2009 at 05:47 AM

Anonymous’s comment is:

Faster

On Jun.12.2009 at 05:54 AM

Toby stokes’s comment is:

As conceptual proof of concept.
If you can't see the idea in a single colour wobbly line, then there's not enough idea there yet.

On Jun.12.2009 at 05:57 AM

Toby stokes’s comment is:

On the other side of the paper, there aren't a million distractions like email, the internet, lots of irrelevant fonts, etc etc.

On Jun.12.2009 at 06:00 AM

William’s comment is:

it's a nice hop and a skip from mind to hand to graphite. instant gratification ( or, if the idea sucks, agony ).

On Jun.12.2009 at 06:08 AM

Razvan Pavel’s comment is:

because it is much easier to play with ideas on paper

On Jun.12.2009 at 06:08 AM

Russell Bishop’s comment is:

I almost never sketch a logo, unless I'm not near my computer when I have my hit of inspiration.

I find that I can effectively transfer my ideas to vector format, and cut out the middle man.

On Jun.12.2009 at 06:42 AM

Gyula Németh’s comment is:

I can have a paper and a pencil with me all the time...on the bus, on meetings, traveling, even in the bed...

On Jun.12.2009 at 07:05 AM

Tuuli’s comment is:

I sketch because sometimes my pencil slips and I mess up and a better idea comes out of it!

On Jun.12.2009 at 07:06 AM

Warren’s comment is:

Because I dont think in lists and toolbars. I think in emotions and gestures. If i have to change tool it interrupts my flow. Even when I work in illustrator I tend to work in clusters of ideas like on papaer, shift/alt dragging off coppies to change things and then comparing.

Sketchin is just the easiest barrier for me to break down to get my ideas out.

On Jun.12.2009 at 07:21 AM

Andrew Sabatier’s comment is:

A sketch is a shadow on the cave's wall.

On Jun.12.2009 at 08:44 AM

Liza Kelley’s comment is:

We sketch logos so we can get all of our crap ideas out of our brains and evolve to something elegant, sophisticated, clean, or whatever the style. Thinking is done through sketching. The final product evolves from and is a result of the mess and trashed ideas that we throw out on paper.

On Jun.12.2009 at 09:08 AM

Roby Fitzhenry’s comment is:

The best creative solutions are either an instantaneous urge of ideas or the result of extensive exploration. Having my lovely Dot Grid book and BIC mechanical handy allows me to take advantage of those immediate impulses. If additional exploration is required, which it always seems to be, the pencil and paper technique helps me dive in to my subconscious in search of something greater. Staring at a monitor with mouse in-hand doesn't seem to help me generate those ideas. The analog life is the only way.

On Jun.12.2009 at 09:13 AM

koyo’s comment is:

It's basic. First you daw a point, then you draw a Line. Your brain send the order to your hand to draw in lines the coolest ideas that you ever imagine.

On Jun.12.2009 at 09:19 AM

john’s comment is:

A sketch is a shadow on the cave's wall.

...huh?

On Jun.12.2009 at 09:30 AM

Daniel’s comment is:

Sketching, much like writing draft letters, is the best way to explore a project from as many angles as possible, informing yourself of the criteria, subject matter and relevancy of what you are needing to communicate. Often, along with graphic iteration, my sketches are riddled with a variation of correlative words, ideas for possible finishes, expansive thoughts, quotes, definitions, pitfalls and overlaps.

Sketching also offers a value to ourselves and to our clients as a way to explore a maximum amount of ideas in the least expensive format.

On Jun.12.2009 at 09:33 AM

Christopher Magruder | uneekGrafix’s comment is:

First off I can get more ideas down in a shorter period of time which helps the creative brainstorming process. Next it allows me to weed out good and bad ideas without having to even touch the computer. FInally it keep you fresh and loose with you concepts that allow you to design without too much thought. Kind of a "run and gun" type of mentality.

On Jun.12.2009 at 09:39 AM

EnergonCube’s comment is:

When we stop sketching, the terrorists win.

On Jun.12.2009 at 09:50 AM

rich b’s comment is:

sketch... we owe it to pencils

On Jun.12.2009 at 09:58 AM

Kevin Zwirble’s comment is:

When I start a logo assignment I usually try to come up with as many ideas as possible. Sketching allows me to rip those ideas out of my head quickly and get them into the light before I forget them and and they float into the dark matter around my head with all the other ideas I've never developed.

If I went straight to the computer it would take far too long and they would never be conceived.

On Jun.12.2009 at 10:00 AM

Jonny’s comment is:

When I put a design onscreen, I can get ahead of myself wanting to finish the design out, and maybe miss something I wouldn't if I were sketching.

On Jun.12.2009 at 10:03 AM

Valerie from Studio Rose Flash’s comment is:

It shows that my skills in design surpasses my knowledge in software. Also, You can't put your mouse in your mouth to «help» you think while creating :)

On Jun.12.2009 at 10:03 AM

Zachary Schweitzer’s comment is:

my brain works better with a pencil in my hand.

On Jun.12.2009 at 10:22 AM

marnie’s comment is:

I sketch because it gives me an excuse to use all my office technology: the electric pencil sharpener, the sketch pads I buy compulsively, then later, the scanner that languishes unused most of the time, and my drawing tablet.

Also: nothing turns me on like the feel of a pencil on paper.

Sometimes I start right in with the vectors, but I find I'm better able to nail things with a pencil first, then work it out later with M. Bézier.

On Jun.12.2009 at 10:27 AM

obse.’s comment is:

I sketch logos 'cause I don't have someone to do it for me yet.

On Jun.12.2009 at 10:36 AM

Stephen Emlund’s comment is:

I sketch on paper rather than the computer because when I use a computer to generate ideas, even the bad comps look good since they are in a polished, clean state. I get a false-sense of completeness when I jump to the computer too quickly. Sketching your ideas on paper removes any false sense that that particular idea is good simply because it's in kerned nicely.

On Jun.12.2009 at 10:40 AM

Mokokoma Mokhonoana’s comment is:

Ever heard of an architect that just went straight from briefs to bricks? If so, I don't even want to lay my eyes on what they built. Crap makes me nausea.

On Jun.12.2009 at 10:41 AM

Ryan Paul’s comment is:

The process of sketching provides an element of spontaneity that enables me explore lots of ideas in a short period of time—and can't be matched by a computer.

One hour spent sketching on paper will generate 15-20 great logo concepts that I can refine later. One hour on the computer will generate 5-10 that are half-baked, at best.

The most important aspect is a great concept, not execution.

On Jun.12.2009 at 10:41 AM

Nathan Sarlow’s comment is:

I sketch to get ideas down quickly. i rarely sketch up full designs, mainly just rough scribbles. It can also be helpful to think without color in the early concept stages.

On Jun.12.2009 at 10:47 AM

Joseph Sims’s comment is:

With a writing implement it's a lot quicker to get a lot of unfiltered ideas out at once to riffle through afterward. Trying to sketch with a mouse is too slow. Also, sloppy vectors look sloppy while sloppy sketches look rough/unfinished and won't destroy the concept through lack of aesthetic goodness.

I could see sketching with a tablet instead of pen and paper being acceptable in the reasons stated above though.

There's just something visceral about Ink and Paper that can't be quantified.

On Jun.12.2009 at 10:49 AM

marcel’s comment is:

It freaks "designers" out.

On Jun.12.2009 at 10:51 AM

rhakalee’s comment is:

I just got my first design project ever really, and it is a logo. It's been a huge learning process for me, and most of my time was spent sketching the logos out first actually. It is definitely helpful in cranking out the good ideas from the bad. I think if you start immediately on the computer, it leaves too much room for the desire for perfection right away which can lead to much unneeded stress. Although, in my first experience, I think I spent too much time and stress on sketching. It's all a learning experience though, I suppose.

On Jun.12.2009 at 11:07 AM

Jason Laughlin’s comment is:

1.) When you're at the bar, pen to napkin should always be the medium of choice (and it's safer for your laptop)

2.) Happy accidents.

3.) I don't care how good you are with the bezier tool and a Wacom tablet, you cannot concept any faster or easier.

On Jun.12.2009 at 11:08 AM

Armin’s comment is:

@Blake: can you send me a valid e-mail address? The one you used bounced back as being disabled. armin /at/ underconsideration /dot/ com

On Jun.12.2009 at 11:13 AM

Igor Imbu’s comment is:

Sketches are quicker than actually developing a logo on the computer. When you are brainstorming and invisualizing the initial ideas for the logo, the sketches will help you with the direction you want to take.

On Jun.12.2009 at 11:21 AM

Carl Fox’s comment is:

There's something about the nature of a sketch... the whimsy, fluidity & animation... that releases the mind's tendency to concrete an idea.

During the logo development process, sketches seem to speak of the important things in a way computer-generated type/images can't. Those important things often lie in the subtitles of a sketch.

It's a beautiful thing when those sublime expressions blossom to become the very ethos of a brand.

On Jun.12.2009 at 11:31 AM

Jonathan Gala’s comment is:

I sketch because unfinished electronic designs look like clip art, while an unfinished sketch looks like an idea.

On Jun.12.2009 at 11:40 AM

D_rek’s comment is:

Always had a knack for illustration. Almost 100% of my work begins as a graphite/ink sketch of some sort - be it elaborate or rough. I couldn't imagine working any other way.

On Jun.12.2009 at 11:48 AM

Eric’s comment is:

Chicks dig it.

On Jun.12.2009 at 12:03 PM

Eric PopD’s comment is:

There are two reasons I sketch when starting on a branding/logo project:

1. Sketching, sometimes even with the client, is where we learn to communicate creatively. I am able to echo my own ideas or the client's ideas with a visual interpretation. It can feel like instant progress and give the client trust in my creative ability when they can see me draw.

2. Often my hand divines more clearly what my mind's eye sees. Somehow when pencil hits paper, things appear that I couldn't have anticipated until my hand gave input, improving and often orchestrate where the concept ends up.

On Jun.12.2009 at 12:09 PM

Eric PopD’s comment is:

There is a 3rd reason i sketch!

3. The sketch process allows the exploration of ideas to be quick and dirty. You're not invested, you can move on without hesitation but without losing anything. Later you can return to with analysis and additional insight.

On Jun.12.2009 at 12:13 PM

Ana’s comment is:

I haven't really tried designing logos, but I do work with Illustrator some, and sketching just helps me visualizes where lines/anchor points need to go. If I go straight to the computer, it takes a bit longer to figure everything out. I'm hoping that once I get more comfortable with it, I won't have to sketch unless I just need to remember an idea.

On Jun.12.2009 at 12:36 PM

Mario De Kauwe’s comment is:

Because you can flow freely with your hand than using the mouse. more natural

You can erase, scribble anything you like, cut chop, draw over and over.

Jonathan Gala’s comment above is perfect explanation:

"I sketch because unfinished electronic designs look like clip art, while an unfinished sketch looks like an idea."

On Jun.12.2009 at 12:37 PM

Jordan Dean’s comment is:

to make my computer jealous

On Jun.12.2009 at 12:43 PM

Paddy’s comment is:

I sketch so as to appease the design gods.

On Jun.12.2009 at 12:47 PM

theoxygenthief’s comment is:

Imperfect lines ignite creativity

On Jun.12.2009 at 01:03 PM

Bendy’s comment is:

Tactility. Computers don't have it.

There's a connection made when creating something physical that can't be translated into digital design... computers are a method of production, not of design.

On Jun.12.2009 at 01:04 PM

The Pencil’s comment is:

Because it is my DESTINY

On Jun.12.2009 at 01:26 PM

Topher’s comment is:

...Same reason Da Vinci did.

On Jun.12.2009 at 01:37 PM

Joey V’s comment is:

I get sick of looking at a computer screen all day. Sometimes I just wanna draw.

On Jun.12.2009 at 02:21 PM

Quality Vintage’s comment is:

It's so much easier and faster to sketch dripping blood, eyeballs, hot-rod flames, stabby knives, flintlock guns, skulls, chains and bullet holes on paper. All the best logos always have these elements anyway.

On Jun.12.2009 at 02:27 PM

Joachim’s comment is:

Sketching allows creativity to run wild.

On Jun.12.2009 at 02:41 PM

Tim’s comment is:

Most of the above, but also because I HATE Illustrator and the less time I have to use it, the better.

On Jun.12.2009 at 02:47 PM

Nikabrik’s comment is:

Smart-ass answer: Because I'm a sketchy character to begin with.

Deep-thought answer: Because all you need is a finger, then you can sketch in the sand, the snow, the steam on a window, etc.

Honest answer: Because it makes me feel like a kid again.

On Jun.12.2009 at 03:05 PM

Kyle O'Brien Caird’s comment is:

Think in ink. Screen what you mean.

On Jun.12.2009 at 03:16 PM

Haaski’s comment is:

I sketch because if i don't my pen will get upset at me and break in my pocket next time we go out and ruin my favorite shorts.

On Jun.12.2009 at 04:02 PM

VIbhu Norby’s comment is:

It's a time for me to feel like Picasso instead of the n00b Photoshop script-kiddie that I really am.

On Jun.12.2009 at 04:33 PM

Blake’s comment is:

@Armin

I st there any specific reason you need my email?
If there is i give it to you.

On Jun.12.2009 at 04:40 PM

Steff’s comment is:

I sketch, therefore I think.
I think therefore I sketch.

The pencil is definitely mightier than the mouse.

On Jun.12.2009 at 04:44 PM

Laurie Sanford’s comment is:

I sketch logos on paper because I'm an artist, not a machine

On Jun.12.2009 at 04:46 PM

Anthony H’s comment is:

All designers start with sketches, and there is a simple reason behind it. The first tool we were ever given was a pen or pencil, and through some natural or taught progression we began to make marks on paper. It's how we got the ideas out of our head from day 1, and as time progressed we still keep the fundamentally simple solution: imagination flows out my body and through the ink of my pen bringing ideas, solutions, and concepts to the world in a visual form. You can't replicate that, you can't replace it. It just is.

On Jun.12.2009 at 04:48 PM

Armin’s comment is:

Blake, e-mail me your mailing address to send you a free sample of the thing, and let me know if you want a URL or twitter account credited.

armin /at/ underconsideration /dot/ com

On Jun.12.2009 at 05:05 PM

Caesar Wong’s comment is:

Ultimately, we are physical beings in a material world. Brands are an idealistic abstraction of a physical form, therefore in creating a brand mark, the tactile experience of sketching it out is a vital process in bridging this gap.

On Jun.12.2009 at 08:43 PM

gacktsun’s comment is:

?????????????????????????

On Jun.12.2009 at 09:14 PM

Mongoose’s comment is:

Because sketchiness allows for rapid creation and destruction, of course! With a few quick dashes of a pencil or pen, a shape comes into being, can be refined, added too, taken away from, shaded, thickened.. The sketch allows the germ of an idea to first expand.

In short, because sketches are little and rough, they can become big and finished. Like so many ideas.

--Mongoose

On Jun.12.2009 at 11:16 PM

Bill Dawson (XK9)’s comment is:

@gacktsun, well said.

On Jun.12.2009 at 11:37 PM

Ramona’s comment is:

I sketch to brainstorm... and to make those serendipitous mistakes that turn out to be THE answer!

On Jun.12.2009 at 11:51 PM

Tombo’s comment is:

i sketch because it gives my ideas structure. oh, and makes the scary thoughts go away.

On Jun.13.2009 at 01:24 AM

David Goldstein’s comment is:

The bar I frequent doesn't have a computer.

On Jun.13.2009 at 01:34 AM

Jason’s comment is:

I wrote an article about this on my blog. You can use any portion of it you like. My name links directly to the article.

On Jun.13.2009 at 02:11 AM

Ralf Breninek’s comment is:

Curves are drawn faster than Beziers.

In fact I got the feeling that when Iam working on the first drafts the feedback between what I think about (in which direction the Logo or Layout may develop) and what I see scribbled on the paper is more direct and therefore feels more natural.

On Jun.13.2009 at 04:13 AM

Andy Malhan’s comment is:

I don't. I use illustrator and my wacom pen tablet to do my doodling...

On Jun.13.2009 at 09:08 AM

Joseph Maguire ’s comment is:

Among the many benefits of the standard pencil and paper over the mouse and keyboard are:

1. You can focus solely on concept with the ability to look at the world around you while sketching ( to get visual ideas ) versus looking at a desktop monitor, and in my opinion it becomes stifling if you focus on the monitor approach.

2. When sketching a mockup you can come up with in-my-experience a vast amount of new ideas with pencil and paper. You don't necessarily have the ability to come up with ideas as quickly or at all for most people using the mouse or wacom.

3. Lastly I think it's because drawing on a sketch pad is about the last place we can call our sanity as designers. Yes that's right a drawing pad is like sanity for designers because as we get stressed with deadlines, and frenetic budgets. We at least have a clean piece of paper that we can control & feel the texture of as we draw and sketch to come up with something pure, an idea.

On Jun.13.2009 at 10:04 AM

kirk’s comment is:

I dont sketch. its easier to steal typefaces with a computer.

On Jun.13.2009 at 03:01 PM

Gustavo Cadar’s comment is:

I sketch because it helps me to multiply my ideas. The process of sketching a single idea lasts time enough to make me notice new possibilities that each shape allows.

On Jun.13.2009 at 06:04 PM

akira’s comment is:

Because great, big ideas raises its head only after so many bad ideas pass by, and mouses+computers aren't for generating ideas.

On Jun.13.2009 at 09:15 PM

Marc Rapp’s comment is:

Our ideas and concepts about things remain abstractions until we've given them a form. We need a way to resolve and explore an idea prior to an initial iteration. I think we create what we need to validate the truths about these ideas and concepts faster while sketching. It is a pure and uninhibited extension of the ideation process.

On Jun.13.2009 at 09:46 PM

richard’s comment is:

Simply said. . .I sketch, therefore I am!

And that really is the truth! I sketch. I save my sketches. I refer to my sketches when I need inspiration. Sometimes they have direct relevence to what I am working on, other times it is simply a line or shape that I can use. Is Idid nt sketch, I would not have this vast area of marks on a page to use at my every whim!

On Jun.13.2009 at 11:24 PM

Joe moran’s comment is:

If you don't sketch, you're a pussy. 'Nuff said.

On Jun.13.2009 at 11:40 PM

Jacob Cass’s comment is:

To fill up my Moleskine.

On Jun.13.2009 at 11:49 PM

Noah Read’s comment is:

I'm much faster sketching lots of ideas down on paper whereas if I start on the computer I tend to get attached to my first couple ideas because it takes a little more time to get a raw idea out. Brain dumping doesn't work as well on the computer yet. Maybe with advancing tablets it will at some point, although digging through a sketchbook for ideas is a lot more inspiring than digging through a file tree.

On Jun.14.2009 at 05:39 AM

Gene Munro’s comment is:

Liz Rose got in first, but she is absoultely right. Work out mechanical elements of the concept first. This can only be done on paper.... If you do it in say, illustrator, it looks too polished and can trap you into falling in love with a crap idea.

On Jun.14.2009 at 09:10 AM

Michal’s comment is:

I sketch because there's nothing that blocks my creativity more than an empty canvas on Illustrator. With a pencil & paper I can sketch freely, and drop loads of ideas from my mind - I can do several pages, with at least 50 different ideas. With the computer I wouldn't be able to just drop whatever comes to my mind, I turn to the computer only when I have a clear idea in my head.

On Jun.14.2009 at 09:56 AM

davekuruc’s comment is:

My computer is but a tool - my hand and brain work together to make the magic happen. My computer helps bring it to life.

On Jun.14.2009 at 02:37 PM

Paul Ducco’s comment is:

I sketch because I don't think in pixels.

On Jun.14.2009 at 08:48 PM

Dan Harkins’s comment is:

Because in Soviet Russia logo designs you.

On Jun.14.2009 at 09:49 PM

MS’s comment is:

It's faster... much faster

On Jun.14.2009 at 11:45 PM

Joe Tornatzky’s comment is:

Tangible vs. Intangible

On Jun.15.2009 at 01:54 AM

Kelly’s comment is:

I think sketching has held onto its popularity throughout generations because it is instinctual for many designers. Even with the computer seemingly telling us we don't need it, we still do it. The urge can't be suppressed. It just feels right.

I had never felt it so strongly until recently someone told me I wasn't allowed to sketch; he said he didn't have that type of time for me to waste. My whole body felt ready to go into convulsions. I just wanted to scream, "What do you mean I can't sketch!? I have to sketch, you fool!" Please, never tell a designer they aren't allowed to sketch.

On Jun.15.2009 at 06:07 AM

eGe’s comment is:

Putting a pencil to paper can help remind me that I am human and capable of producing creative ideas without the use of technology. It allows me to create as fast as my thoughts can make my hands move. To put it simple; I am human, and not a machine.

On Jun.15.2009 at 10:16 AM

Tinpot Dictator’s comment is:

Sketching is my petri dish. Everything takes on a brief, random life of it's own. I can sketch anywhere, anytime, on any surface, go in any direction, start and stop in an instant. My computer, on the other hand, just helps me define what's what's left once the momentum has passed.

I tried sketching on my laptop once. My boss was pretty pissed that the pencil didn't wash off the case.

On Jun.15.2009 at 10:26 AM

lydia’s comment is:

Sketching is more portable (think back of hand or napkin), has fewer constraints (no computery things to bog you down or limit your thoughts), and produces a more tangible time line so you can look back and see how much your idea improved (or worsened as the case may be).

On Jun.15.2009 at 12:22 PM

Lane’s comment is:

AUTHOR: Lane
EMAIL: lmeadowcroft@viewdesign.net
IP: 64.5.15.246
URL:
DATE: 06/15/2009 01:17:23 PM

On Jun.15.2009 at 01:17 PM

Fatknuckle’s comment is:

Because I like playing with my pencil.

On Jun.15.2009 at 01:29 PM

Chris Monro DeLorenzo’s comment is:

A great logo is the ethos and the personality of a company minimized to a simple graphic solution. On that note, my computer does not have much of a personality and it didn't speak with the client about it's brand so the only way to come up with something original is to ask myself

The computer always shows you whats been done, it is a purveyor of the past. A unique logo, unhindered by the limitations of a computer, will always come from my hand fervently scribbling with a pencil.

Computers are impediments for ideas and sketching is liberating.

On Jun.15.2009 at 01:31 PM

Chris Cox’s comment is:

I sketch logos 'cause theres nothing organic and free-flowing about a mouse, keyboard, and monitor.

On Jun.15.2009 at 01:33 PM

gjuro’s comment is:

sketching gives my logos friction

On Jun.15.2009 at 01:56 PM

Whaleroot’s comment is:

I like to draw all the ones the client won't pick.

On Jun.15.2009 at 02:09 PM

Rommel Miraflores’s comment is:

I sketch my logo ideas first, because:

1) Time saving. I don't have to fire up my laptop and applications in order to translate my thoughts into visuals.

2) I get an idea of how the lines and curves should feel, how hard and sharp the corners will be and, the pressure of my pencil gives me a guide as to how I want the strokes to be shaped and weighted.

Once I have this, I can use the sketches as a guide when developing and finalizing the design in digital format.

On Jun.15.2009 at 02:34 PM

Diana’s comment is:

Because my head steers the mouse, but my heart steers the marker

On Jun.15.2009 at 02:56 PM

James Re’s comment is:

I sketch logos because the simplicity of a pencil on paper lets me focus on the composition and balance for the letterforms/logomark. This creates a freedom to make it look like whatever comes out of the brain without being constrained by software tools, available fonts or crashing computers.

Its about the freedom to create without constraint.

On Jun.15.2009 at 03:04 PM

carly’s comment is:

I sketch because too often a half-idea falsely resembles a fully-formed one in Adobe Illustrator. It is much harder to create a concept that works with pencil and paper than it is to create something with digital bells and whistles that appears "finished". More often than not, logos created when software does any share of the work lack any true strength as a mark.

On Jun.15.2009 at 04:17 PM

Mike Kennedy’s comment is:

I sketch because it feels like an act of exploration versus using a mouse which feels like an act of intention.

Also, it's easier to recline.

On Jun.15.2009 at 04:17 PM

elCash’s comment is:

(Chicken)sketching logos enables my unintentional crooked baselines to evolve into thoughtful dynamic layers.

On Jun.15.2009 at 05:08 PM

Bora Nikolic’s comment is:

Given the choice between virtual vs. tangible ideation, one should try to steer clear from the visually imposed bias of the virtual production tool. Be it the over powering influence of the operating system chrome, or the behavioural influence of the tool at hand. Sketching solves this problem by letting us (the designers) diffuse the virtual noise and get back to what's important. The ideas.

On Jun.15.2009 at 05:59 PM

Adam’s comment is:

I sketch because there is no undo button when using a pen and paper. Keeps things more honest.

On Jun.15.2009 at 07:50 PM

Shon’s comment is:

I sketch, therefore I am.

On Jun.15.2009 at 09:24 PM

Diego Sanz Salas’s comment is:

Because it gives me the illusion I don't depend on a machine to design a logo.

On Jun.15.2009 at 09:49 PM

Randy Matheson’s comment is:

I sketch because it forces me to not to take the design too far, too soon. Sketching allows time for exploration, for play... I can lay my paper out on the floor, walk around it, look at from different angles. Sketching allows me to use my hands directly connected to the device, the pencil, the pen. Sketching forces me not to get distracted by emails, by twitter, IM, etc.

On Jun.15.2009 at 10:05 PM

Myles Dumas’s comment is:

Come on, who doesn't love lounging on a couch with a sketch pad and pencil. Its the best part of designing a logo. Plus, the original sketch usually looks pretty kick ass next to the finished design.

On Jun.15.2009 at 11:18 PM

Natalie’s comment is:

I sketch things out first because I feel way more comfortable with a pen or pencil and my newborn ideas. Also, it's a way of managing the clients' expectations - it's pretty easy to make things look deceptively polished to an untrained eye, so if it looks a bit like a dog's breakfast it's easier for the client to think of it as "in development" not "nearly finished"!

(and scrolling up, I see other designers feel the same way. At least I'm not disappointed in my seeming unoriginality, haha!)

On Jun.16.2009 at 02:59 AM

Sualeha’s comment is:

Because sketching logos on paper make us more creative and skillful....It is also a way of brain storming.

On Jun.16.2009 at 04:14 AM

Ross Ferguson’s comment is:

..Because Da Vinci didn't need a computer

On Jun.16.2009 at 05:00 AM

Ross Ferguson’s comment is:

'Starting from Sketch'

On Jun.16.2009 at 05:02 AM

WORK’s comment is:

Thinking on paper.

On Jun.16.2009 at 06:22 AM

Brad Plogsted’s comment is:

I'm easily distracted in a design program with things like manual kerning, seeing the subtle differences between similar typefaces, and the drawing precision the program allows. On paper, I can whip out what's in my head, do it three more times with some bigger differences, then draw another option entirely. All faster than you can say "hang that punctuation."

On Jun.16.2009 at 11:21 AM

dan’s comment is:

so i can enter this contest.

On Jun.16.2009 at 12:15 PM

JoshuaNTaylor’s comment is:

For me, the computer is there to make a product. The pad of paper is there to make an idea. Ideas are what I'm looking for.

On Jun.16.2009 at 01:29 PM

bryan Layne’s comment is:

Paul Rand didn't have no mouse!

On Jun.16.2009 at 01:37 PM

pnk’s comment is:

As a child of the eighties, I've been sketching logos almost my whole life... starting with KISS and AC/DC, then moving to the Dead Kennedys and Hüsker Dü, then umpteen logos for my own crappy bands...

Sketching is fun, so why would I stop?

On Jun.16.2009 at 01:41 PM

jimmywags’s comment is:

Sketching is faster. More concepts recorded on paper in less time. Then, refine the better ones by hand. Fewer concepts, more time on each. Take the best of those, then add color, and maybe start with the computer. Even fewer ideas, considerably more time on each.
It's a distillation process, really. Filtering the bad ideas out to find the best idea.

On Jun.16.2009 at 03:59 PM

Tony Neary’s comment is:

Tons of great answers already, many of which I agree with completely.

For me, simply - it's still fun.

On Jun.16.2009 at 04:28 PM

James B’s comment is:

You can separate the idea from the execution.

On Jun.16.2009 at 05:01 PM

Glenn Sakamoto’s comment is:

Because it feels good.

On Jun.16.2009 at 06:08 PM

Shane’s comment is:

I don't I just go straight to the computer. I used to start out with a pencil, only because it felt more comfortable, and I wasn't as familiar with illustrator. The more familiar I became with illustrator the less time I spent with a pencil and paper.

Now I can't remember the last time I used pencil and paper to design a logo. This could be bad, you can take a look at my logos and be the judge.

It always seemed like a waste of time, especially since I would spend more time trying to imitate a font on paper, when I could just be using and manipulating the actual font on the computer.

On Jun.17.2009 at 12:02 AM

Sandeep’s comment is:

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? The answer is: Sketch

On Jun.17.2009 at 03:56 AM

Sharon Lee’s comment is:

I sketch logos first to solve the problem, not create a style.

On Jun.17.2009 at 09:10 AM

Mr. T’s comment is:

Because the pencil is mightier than the mouse.

On Jun.17.2009 at 01:18 PM

Mr. T’s comment is:

Because in the beginning there was paper and pen. And the designer said "Let there be a concept." And the designer saw that the concept was good. And the designer put pen to paper, and result was an idea. The designer saw that the idea was good. And the designer called the idea a sketch.

On Jun.17.2009 at 01:29 PM

Mr. T’s comment is:

A small sketch keeps me focused on the big picture.

On Jun.17.2009 at 01:31 PM

Mark Stuckert’s comment is:

Because Alan Fletcher.

On Jun.17.2009 at 02:30 PM

Anonymous’s comment is:

sketching by hand leads to more mistakes, and more mistakes undeniably lead to better ideas

On Jun.17.2009 at 03:59 PM

Gilligan’s comment is:

The only time I sketch on paper is when I am away from my mac and I need to get the idea down. I am much more comfortable with sketching on the computer. It allows me to make several versions quickly. So I guess I can get even more "happy mistakes" than with paper.

On Jun.18.2009 at 12:41 AM

abdul wahab’s comment is:

i sketch to keep "paper" and "pencil" manufacturing companies alive.

On Jun.18.2009 at 11:59 AM

Diana Howard’s comment is:

I like Joshua's answer.

When you're in the initial phases of a logo design project, it's important not to get too tight. You can easily get a concept across with a rough sketch because the mind fills in what is implied—often opening up even more possibilities.

But once you commit to digital art, you automatically narrow your options—sometimes it takes a very painstaking execution to express a concept successfully, and it's not a good idea to waste your time at the beginning going down what may end up as a dead end.

By separating the sketch phase from the execution phase you can really crank out a ton of ideas, which is how it should be in the concept phase.
.

On Jun.18.2009 at 05:39 PM

degarden’s comment is:

Do not underestimate the value of a blank sheet of paper!

On Jun.18.2009 at 06:56 PM

Sean’s comment is:

because a few pages of thumbnails is way better than having 50 .ai files...and not knowing which is the final...is it the one that says "finalfinal2"?

On Jun.18.2009 at 11:09 PM

Bruce’s comment is:

I sketch logos because:
• The development process is much faster
• Sketching often allows serendipity to play a part
• On more than one occasion, my sketch ended up being better than the "finished" piece, so we used the sketch!

On Jun.18.2009 at 11:19 PM

Kimberly McGuire’s comment is:

Sketching is a very crucial part of the process in designing a logo. It allows one to get many ideas out on paper quickly. Sketching exercises the brain, without this step, ideas and concepts may be unexplored or overseen. One mark may make a complete difference. It's an exploration of a feeling in order to convey.

On Jun.19.2009 at 10:51 AM

waldo pancake’s comment is:

i sketch all my ideas on the backs of napkins. apart from when i'm designing napkins. i wouldn't like to risk the irony.

On Jun.19.2009 at 11:07 AM

Tymn’s comment is:

According to their Twitter account, they have already
chosen 30 comments.
I'd like to know when they are gonna post the results.

On Jun.19.2009 at 11:19 AM

Armin’s comment is:

Tymn, we'll post them when the thing is ready to ship. Should be a couple of weeks.

On Jun.19.2009 at 11:23 AM

lauren g’s comment is:

I sketch as part of brainstorming. It helps me get ideas down quickly without getting caught up in details that shouldn't be addressed in this stage.

I do believe that some people CAN sketch on a computer (especially if they have a tablet). Most of the time I find people get too caught up in details to start with a computer.

On Jun.19.2009 at 12:01 PM

Nadia Aamer’s comment is:

Once again, I am reminded of a place and time when things were done differently. And just by switching to sketching by hand, I begin to perceive things in manner that I don't otherwise. Being constantly surrounded by technology and gadgets, I love coming back to the familiar, to feel what it is like to form a shape by hand and think simultaneously. A natural flow of activity that I had always been accustomed to. Almost like visiting an old friend, the new ones may know you a little but your old best friend knows you the best.

On Jun.21.2009 at 08:16 AM

J’s comment is:

sketching logos sketching life

On Jun.21.2009 at 09:06 AM

matchstick’s comment is:

For progression. With the pen you can quickly move on to a new idea again and again, while the program slows you down and makes you hesitant to change the structure.

On Jun.21.2009 at 09:33 PM

Michael Braley’s comment is:

My pen never crashes and my sketchbook is always version 1.0.

On Jun.22.2009 at 06:46 PM

Dave Bland’s comment is:

I can be vague enough to cheat with a sketch and get excited first. Excited enough to sit for hours at a computer making my dumb-ass cheat actually work.

On Jun.23.2009 at 02:28 AM

Michelle Hoopes’s comment is:

I don’t have the patience for screen first -sketching gives me the opportunity to see it quick and dirty!

On Jun.23.2009 at 02:14 PM

Brad Thomas’s comment is:

Because my Sharpie® beckons me.

On Jun.23.2009 at 02:49 PM

Michael Welch’s comment is:

I sketch first because I can usually get through several ideas and make decisions (good and bad) before I move to the computer.

Generally I focus a lot of sketching on interplay of letterforms or any ornamentation I might want to try out in letterforms or logo. I then move to computer and work through those ideas digitally, moving good ideas to a new file, etc etc until I'm pretty close, so digital sketching I guess (I generically called them art boards or AB's). In this process, a lot of sketching next to my computer is going on as well.

All of this keeps Moleskine in business, I'd imagine.

m welch

On Jun.29.2009 at 12:46 AM

Darrel ’s comment is:

Because I loved Macromedia Freehand but it's gone and Adobe Illustrator just sucks compared to a pencil.

On Jun.29.2009 at 11:14 PM

seulgi ’s comment is:

as because.. when I jump to the computer directly without note & pencil stage, I would think what I can do this logo for with this machine rather than how I can do the logo with concept.
I guess it's more familiar for my brain playing with my pencil & paper than the pen mouse & monitor. hahaha-

On Jul.07.2009 at 04:02 PM

Olaus Linn’s comment is:

It's not sketching without the eraser boogers.

On Jul.10.2009 at 04:34 PM

Kuhao Zane’s comment is:

I don't sketch.... I envision the sketch process in my head then move to the computer or if there is raw element process's needed....

Then when it comes to process presentation time to the client..... I do a quick sketch to back up what I already had in my mind.

I think that sketches have an aspirational/inspirational value to the designer and even more to the client... it adds to the story... gives a tangible effort that the client can feel.

Kuhao

On Aug.10.2009 at 05:58 PM

mertz’s comment is:

i put pen/pencil to paper and make conceptual ideas more concrete then i edit edit and edit.

i love drawing because i can feel my thoughts unwind. i can make my ideas clear. i can make my ideas anything i want to. i can build build and build everything with a sketch on papaer of everything i dream up in my mind. it's a positive process and i'm glad for it.

sketching is my brain, my thoughts, on paper.

i've started projects without ever putting my ideas to paper and although i finish some of the projects, i still look at them and feel unfinished because i know i didn't sketch out my ideas. and i think about some of the ideas that flitted into my mind that i didn't capture.

now when i think of a song or a melody i can just record it on my cellphone. if i didn't sketch out my ideas how would i insta capture them? have they invented something that will scan my brain and make sense of my thoughts in images? no.

On Aug.22.2009 at 03:09 AM

mertz’s comment is:

oh i forgot about the time saver. i kinda covered it in the whole feeling unfinished even when you've completed a project without a sketching.

sometimes you can sketch and sketch and sketch and feel like you're getting nowhere, but the point is that you are getting somewhere because you ABSOLUTELY know that you are going NOWHERE.

sketching allows for change.

sketching ultimately saves you time that you didn't think you needed for a project. it's a lifesaver, maybe without the refined sugar :).

On Aug.22.2009 at 03:14 AM

Jasho Salazar’s comment is:

Sometimes I sketch, sometimes I do not. I love to sketch because I can explore so delicious shapes I can't trace on a vector-based software. I do not sketch sometimes because many ideas need to come more quickly and I already have a very close idea for the project... I love geometry so it could be sketched direct from the vector software.

sorry for my english... :P

On Aug.26.2009 at 10:17 AM

Johns George’s comment is:

i think more than binary!

On Aug.28.2009 at 05:01 AM

Hussein hussein’s comment is:

ideas can come any time any where.
what you need is to pick your sketch and the river goes on.
thanks.
Note: best brands starts with sketches.

On Oct.11.2009 at 04:03 AM

Douglas Bonneville’s comment is:

Drawing affords the path of least resistance from the conceptual visual idea to objective visual media. It has the least possible amount of psychological and physical overhead weighing down on and in on one's inner muse.

On Oct.11.2009 at 10:23 PM

Ester’s comment is:

I sketch to rid off useless ideas that can became useful ones in another occasion. In addition, a company logo is all inside lines and paper because it need to be printed to be real. You focus an idea on paper and refine it on your computer and you gain both the digital and analogical result.