Adobe illustrator logo designer

Adobe Illustrator Logo Designer

Use this skill for app/software logo and icon systems built with Adobe Illustrator.

Also use adobe-illustrator-scripting when writing or debugging JSX/ExtendScript that manipulates Illustrator documents, layers, paths, text, symbols, artboards, swatches, or exports.

Required Inputs

Collect or infer:

• Brand/product name.
• Reference images or prompt direction.
• Intended uses: app icon, website, product UI, store listing, banner, merch, print, etc.
• Known colors, fonts, or brand constraints.
• Design-system status: existing system, partial system, or none.
• Required outputs: .ai, SVG, PNG sizes, PDF, app-store assets, Creative Cloud Library, usage notes.

If key inputs are missing, proceed with reasonable assumptions for exploration, then surface the assumptions with the first preview.

Initial User Onboarding

For a new logo engagement, start with a short process overview before implementation unless the user is asking for a small follow-up edit.

Use this shape:

I’ll run this like a real Illustrator logo build, not a one-off drawing.

Stages:
1. Direction + References: define target, constraints, audience, and formats.
2. Design System Draft: infer or ingest colors, swatches, typography, geometry, and variants.
3. Core Mark Build: construct the icon from editable vector primitives, compound paths, masks, and negative space.
4. Smoke Tests + Revisions: export timestamped previews and compare against references after meaningful changes.
5. Variant System: build app icons, colorways, banners, wordmarks, symbols/components, and linked swatches from one source.
6. Pre-Final QA: verify swatches, symbols, layers, exports, small-size readability, contrast, and platform dimensions.
7. Delivery: provide master Illustrator file, source tokens, exports, usage notes, and Creative Cloud Library setup/update if company-wide reuse is needed.

What I need from you now: references, brand/product name, must-use colors or fonts, and where the logo will be used first.

For direct revisions in an existing project, only state the active stage and next verification step.

Core Workflow

1. Identify the visual target and required deliverables.
2. Establish the design system before revision work:
   • If supplied, use the existing colors, swatches, typography, geometry, and variant rules.
   • If missing, infer a small initial system from references/prompt.
   • Present proposed tokens after initial generation and before the first revision.
3. Build the core mark first in one primary colorway.
4. Smoke-render the mark and compare against references.
5. Iterate geometry from the source, not from exported PNGs.
6. Once the mark is close, generate variants and banner/wordmark lockups from the canonical mark.
7. Package into Illustrator with named layers, symbols/components, artboards, and token-linked swatches.
8. Export platform assets and inspect the actual exported files.
9. Deliver the master file, token source, exports, smoke/contact sheets, and usage notes.

Phase Timing

• Initial generation: draft the design system, create local document swatches, build one canonical direction, create only enough variants to evaluate the system, smoke-test, and present tokens.
• Revision loop: refine geometry, color roles, typography, spacing, and variant mappings. Keep changes flowing through tokens, generators, symbols, and swatches.
• Pre-final: lock token names/roles, normalize naming across code/Illustrator/library/export folders, verify token and swatch updates, and create or refresh the Creative Cloud Library when company-wide reuse is needed.
• Final delivery: publish/update the Creative Cloud Library, export final assets, inspect files, and include usage notes.

Avoid early over-finalization: do not publish a shared Creative Cloud Library, optimize SVGs, freeze naming, or build every downstream asset before the core mark and palette have survived meaningful review unless collaboration requires it.

References

Load these only when relevant:

• references/design-system.md: token schema, swatches, Creative Cloud Library timing, and naming.
• references/vector-construction.md: Illustrator-native logo construction with primitives, Shape Builder, Pathfinder, masks, compound paths, negative space, and cleanup.
• references/illustrator-packaging.md: .ai packaging, symbols/components, artboards, layers, swatches, scripting, and linked variants.
• references/app-asset-targets.md: Apple, Google Play, Android adaptive, Expo, SVG/PNG/PDF export targets.
• references/smoke-testing.md: timestamped visual smoke tests, reference comparisons, dimension checks, and exported-file inspection.
• references/qa-checklist.md: professional logo QA, usage rules, clear space, contrast, small-size testing, and final handoff checks.

Output Format

During work, report:

• Current stage.
• Files or assets changed.
• Fresh smoke-test image paths.
• Open assumptions or decisions needing approval.

Final responses should include:

• What changed.
• Where the master/source/export files are.
• What was verified.
• Any remaining caveats or next steps.

Success Criteria

The skill is working when:

• The user sees a clear design process and knows where feedback fits.
• Colors, swatches, typography, geometry, and variants are tokenized or explicitly proposed.
• Illustrator artwork is built from editable vector primitives or clean generated paths, not untracked raster edits.
• Repeated marks use symbols/components or a documented sync mechanism.
• Variants derive from one canonical mark and token system.
• Smoke previews use unique filenames and reflect the current source.
• Exports match platform dimensions and are visually inspected.
• Company-wide tokens are prepared for a Creative Cloud Library when required.

Skill Self-Update

When a reusable logo-design workflow lesson emerges, update this skill or the relevant reference file. Add general rules, not one-off brand geometry or client-specific values.