A logo is the visual representation of a company. At a glance, a logo tells potential customers the company’s purpose, what products or services are offered, or what type of experience they can expect. That’s a lot to cover in a few well-deigned pixels.

But remember: every brilliant logo design once started off as a simple logo drawing.

The long-term goal of any logo design is recognition. Use these brainstorming techniques to develop ideas and drawings for a logo that is unforgettable.

Plan for Creativity

Although brainstorming is an exercise in spontaneity, preparation is a key element to success.

The first step is to set aside a dedicated block of time specifically for the brainstorming session. Planning ahead helps minimize distractions — studies have shown it can take over 20 minutes to get back on track after an interruption.

Advanced planning also allows for playlist orchestration. Music is a powerful tool when it comes to creativity and choosing the right type of music is important. Instrumental music is highly recommended for maintaining focus on a creative task. Stay away from music with lyrics (it tends to block concentration).

Open the Observatory of Your Mind

Be as a student at all times. What shines bright and really catches the eye? Creating a list or file of logos, drawings, and designs that are intriguing and effective help spur creativity. Include notes about what makes each logo unique, describe the emotions evoked by the image and what makes it memorable. Evernote and Pinterest are great for keeping track of likes (and even dislikes).

Get Back to Nature

There is overwhelming evidence that exposure to nature not only promotes calmness but has a positive impact on creativity.

Images from nature have been the inspiration for the logos of many well-known brands (think Apple and Twitter), as well as companies with products or services that have nothing to do with nature.

A quiet bench in a neighborhood park, a sling chair on a pier, a wildlife viewing area off the interstate, or any serene location with trees and vegetation is a potential destination. The shapes, textures, sounds and even smells from natural surroundings will bring out the inner visionary, and hopefully some excellent logo drawings.

Go “Shopping” for Logo Drawing

Fortunately, this brainstorming adventure does not require a credit card. A stroll through the mall, an hour of window shopping along the boulevard or even a trek through the aisles at a local grocery store offers a wide range of logos and design ideas.

The selection of colors and designs, sizes and shapes, fonts and images are excellent ways to inspire multiple logo drawings. A smartphone camera is a perfect way to record styles and designs that jump out to get noticed.

Go with the Flow

Being aware of current trends is important to any creative process.

The latest styles in fashion design offer suggestions for use of patterns and insight for well-chosen color schemes.

Keep track of new and innovative font styles and experiment with various fonts when sketching logo drawings. Different fonts may stimulate even more ideas.

And, of course, always be in touch with what is trending in logo design itself.

A Final Note

Judgment and analysis of the ideas created during brainstorming should be left until the end of the session. Do not block creativity by critiquing.

When brainstorming is finished the best strategy is to close the sketchbook of logo drawings and take a break. Revisit a day or two later for a fresh perspective. Once the inspiration hits, don’t hesitate to get to work creating your new logo.