What you will be able to do
- Explain what a visual identity includes and tell identity problems apart from strategy or consistency problems
- Translate three to five brand attributes into specific decisions about shape, colour, type and imagery
- Choose a logo type that fits your name and uses, and test it for simplicity and scalability
- Build a primary, secondary and neutral palette that meets WCAG contrast ratios, and pair typefaces into a clear hierarchy
- Check font and image licences, brief a designer, request the right files and publish a one-page brand guide
Who it is for
- Founders and freelancers creating or refreshing the look of a small business without an in-house designer
- Marketing and office staff who produce social posts, documents and web pages and need them to look consistent
- Beginners preparing to hire a designer who want to write a clear brief and judge the work with confidence
Before you start
- A business, side project or organisation to use as your course project, either existing or planned
- A free design or presentation tool, such as Canva, Figma, Penpot or Google Slides
- About two to three hours per week for four weeks
Curriculum
4 modules · 12 lessons · 3h 17m
Module 1Identity Foundations3 lessons · 45 min
Understand what a visual identity is and is not, turn your brand attributes into concrete visual decisions and audit every place your business shows up today.
- What a visual identity is (and isn’t)Define the parts of a visual identity, separate it from brand strategy and reputation, and recognise when a business needs consistency rather than a new logo.12 min · free preview · worked example · exercise
- From brand attributes to visual decisionsChoose three to five specific brand attributes and translate each into concrete choices about shape, colour, type and imagery.18 min · worked example · exercise
- Auditing your touchpoints and competitorsList every place your business appears, rate each for consistency and scan competitors so your new identity is distinct where it matters.15 min · worked example · exercise
- Module quiz4 questions with explanations
Module 2Logos That Work Everywhere3 lessons · 51 min
Choose the logo type that suits your name and uses, test it for simplicity and scalability, and brief a designer so you receive the right files in the right colour spaces.
- Logo types and when each fitsCompare wordmarks, lettermarks, symbols and combination marks, and choose the type that suits your name, budget and the places your logo must appear.16 min · worked example · exercise
- Simplicity and scalability testsRun a set of quick tests to check that a logo stays recognisable at small sizes, in one colour and in every arrangement you need.15 min · worked example · exercise
- Briefing a designer and getting the right filesWrite a clear design brief, run focused feedback rounds and request the file formats and colour spaces you need for screen and print.20 min · worked example · exercise
- Module quiz4 questions with explanations
Module 3Colour and Typography3 lessons · 54 min
Build a primary, secondary and neutral palette, check it against WCAG contrast ratios and pair typefaces into a clear hierarchy for screens and print.
- Building a colour palette: primary, secondary and neutralStructure your palette into primary, secondary and neutral colours, decide proportions and define every colour in the codes you need.18 min · worked example · exercise
- Contrast and accessible colourApply the WCAG contrast ratios to text, buttons and graphics, and adjust brand colours so they stay recognisable and readable.16 min · worked example · exercise
- Typography: pairing typefaces and building hierarchyChoose one or two typefaces, pair them for contrast without conflict, and set a simple type scale for headings, body text and captions.20 min · worked example · exercise
- Module quiz4 questions with explanations
Module 4Licensing, Brand Guide and Rollout3 lessons · 47 min
Check font and image licences before you rely on them, capture your identity in a one-page brand guide and apply it consistently to your website, social channels and documents.
- Licensing basics for fonts and imagesUnderstand what font and image licences allow, why free does not mean unlimited, and how to keep a simple licence record.15 min · worked example · exercise
- Building a one-page brand guideCapture the essential rules of your identity on a single page that anyone in the business can follow without asking you.14 min · worked example · exercise
- Applying the identity to website, social and documentsRoll out the identity in priority order, using templates and checks so your website, social channels and documents stay consistent.18 min · worked example · exercise
- Module quiz4 questions with explanations
