Negative space is the empty space around the subject of an image. Some brands cleverly use negative space to their advantage in logo design by forming visuals with dual purposes and hidden meanings. Another benefit is being able to include additional design elements without the need of an additional color.

Take a look at the different logos below and see if you can spot the negative space images or hidden meanings!

This logo uses the space between the page elements to give the appearance of more pages, as though it is a magazine with it's pages fanned out. But if you picture looking at this straight on, it also looks like a circus tent.

Much like the previous logo, repeating faces can be seen in this iconic icon above, putting even more emphasis on who they're talking about right in the logo.

This logo is extremely unique and a testament to the designers who created it. It takes advantage of the organic shape of the tree to style it like animal faces on either side of the trunk.

This logo takes some creative licensing to superimpose Africa into the empty space between the front and back legs of the elephant.

This brand has a hidden animal in it's logo which isn't as apparent as the previous two logos we've seen. Think you can spot what it is? Here's a hint: look at the biggest white space in the center. Still can't see it? The mountain that makes up the majority of this logo is inspired by the Matterhorn located in the Swiss city of Bern, which is associated with...wait for it...bears!

Yet another chocolate company makes our list with a hidden element in their logo. The famously unique shape of the Hershey's Kiss can be seen rotated 90 degrees between the letters 'K' and 'I' of the logo. See it now?

Probably one of the most subtle and effective implementations of negative space on our list is Microsoft's Mouse logo. Can you spot the mouse? Microsoft uses a simple curve cut out to define the shape of the body of the mouse and uses the color pink on the letter 'O' to define the ear of the creature. However, the most clever element of design was placing the copyright symbol under the 'O' to create the eye of the mouse!

Although there are no hidden creatures to be found in this logo, USA effectively makes their logo more fun and interesting by creating the 'S' out of negative space.

This one personifies the idea of 'My' by turning the two letter forms into a hand. Can't see it? Try covering up 'Fonts' and just looking at the beginning of their logo.

Last but not least, this unique design combines two ideas into one logo. Try and spot them both before we give it away! Can't figure it out? Looking closely, we see someone who has just finished their golf swing with lines depicting the arc that the club took. If we take a step back and look at the image as a whole, we can make out a face looking to the right wearing a Spartan helmet, cleverly playing on their name.

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An important tool of typography is establishing a hierarchy of where on the page you want your viewer to look first. Creating a hierarchy of type helps to organize your data on the page, allowing your viewer to easily navigate through your design by directing their eye using different techniques such as font size, weight, color, position, and contrast. See a few examples of what we mean below!

Size: The simplest way to establish importance. Bigger = more important.

Weight: Changing text to a heavier or bolder weight will catch the eye first.

Color: Warmer colors stand out more and draw more attention than cooler colors.

Position: Simple changes in the positioning or layout of the design can determine hierarchy.

Contrast: Even using contrasting typefaces can effectively focus the first point of interest.

The next time you're working on a design and you run into a roadblock, try playing around with the size, weight, color, position, or contrast of your fonts. Simple changes like these can alter the overall perception of your design!

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In today's age, we are bombarded with hundreds of logos every day - we see them on everything including packaging, clothing, advertisements, television, emails, and more. They've become embedded in our culture, they influence the way we make our decisions, and in some cases they can even represent a perceived value.

Nowadays, with the level of influence that logos have, have you ever thought about why a logo (or your logo) looks the way it does? Understanding the anatomy of a logo might give you a greater appreciation of the effort and planning that goes into creating these everyday symbols. One of the easiest ways to learn more about the anatomy of a logo and when to use different versions of your logo is to familiarize yourself with the terminology that surrounds logo creation and generation. Take a look below at some of the different types of logos and when to use them:

Logo: In the simplest terms, a logo is a graphic representation of an organization. The goal of a logo is to be a recognizable and memorable identity of your brand.


Wordmark or Logotype: Logos that are made up only of text.
Examples: FedEx, Coca-Cola, Disney


Brandmark or Logomark: These are normally icon or symbol-based logos. Typically, companies that utilize only a Brandmark are well established in their industries to the point that they can remove the company name and still be represented and recognized by just their icon or symbol.
Examples: Nike, Apple, Starbucks


Lettermark or Monogram Logos: Text based logos made up of the company's initials.
Examples: IBM, NASA, CNN
Lockup: A Lockup is the final form of a logo with all the bells and whistles. The elements above are combined in a certain layout and sizing that is not to be altered. There can be multiple brand approved lockups such as horizontal or stacked, and with or without a tagline.

Special Consideration For Small Logos: Sometimes, logos don't scale all that well at smaller sizes and special consideration needs to be taken to ensure that your brand is still recognizable under these circumstances. In most cases, this is accomplished by only using your brandmark or even removing your brandmark and only using your wordmark. (read our post about Dynamic Logos).

No matter what the situation is, the NorthPoint Design Team is here to help. We can assist with creating new logos, setting up different logo types, or even just suggesting which logo you should use for your upcoming campaign. Reach out to the NorthPoint Design Team today to find out if your logo is optimized for every situation!