If you’ve ever painted with watercolors, you know it’s a very different process from working with acrylics or oil paints and results in unique images you can’t create with other media. Achieving a perfectly layered watercolor image takes time, skill and dedication.
There’s something intimate about a watercolor image that comes from knowing that every piece of the image’s composition, every saturation point and each color overlay, was chosen to create the intricate mood you feel when you look at the image. That’s why watercolor logos are a great way to communicate attention to detail. If your goal is to show that a personal touch went into crafting your products, a watercolor logo can be a great choice to do so.
Brands that want to portray a soft, soothing persona are the perfect fit for using watercolor logos. Watercolor logos represent a gentle touch, which makes them ideal for companies that work in floral design, fashion, jewelry design and products targeted towards women—but they can be so much more. Take a look at some of the ways brands in a wide range of industries use watercolors to showcase their uniquely curated personalities. A watercolor logo can be a lot of things, but you won’t find a generic-looking one on our list!
Watercolors often feel feminine
—
Perhaps the first thing you’ll notice about watercolor logos is that a lot of them are aimed toward female consumers. It could be the softness of watercolor images or because many consider water to be a feminine element. It could also be a throwback to 19th century sensibilities, when watercolors were considered a “ladies’ medium” and became popular with female artists.
Whether watercolors feel feminine because of nature or nurture, there is an established precedent of using watercolor logos to appeal to female consumers. Women’s clothing designers and retailers, jewelry companies and any other brands positioned to cater primarily to female buyers often use watercolors to connect with their target audience.
Specifically, watercolors lend themselves well to maternal imagery
—
And since watercolor logos frequently have that feminine feel, it’s no surprise you’ll find many companies using them to connect with moms. These logos use watercolors and association with mothers to communicate that their brands are nurturers. These are the brands you can turn to when you need a soft spot to land or some home-cooked comfort food.
But that doesn’t mean they can’t appeal to guys
—
Don’t think watercolors are limited to woman-centric brands, though. Plenty of watercolor logos are designed to appeal to everybody, and you’ll even find some that skew masculine of center.
The watercolor logos that break out of the feminine stereotype do it by using darker colors, thicker lines and more masculine imagery than the typical watercolor logo. They keep the imprecise, artisan-crafted feel that every watercolor image has, but find ways to make it bolder.
Watercolors just feel natural
—
Nature isn’t straight lines and uniform colors. Mother Nature has curves. She’s washed out in some spots and has lush, juicy colors in others. With a watercolor logo, your brand can communicate that it’s in touch with nature and that like nature, it has its imperfections. Own your wabi sabi with a watercolor logo.
They’re also great for florals
—
Flowers are part of nature, so it follows that watercolor logos are also a great choice for companies that want to include floral imagery in their branding. Watercolors have been a popular way to depict flowers and plants for centuries, first with watercolor pencils like Albrecht Dürer—the master of watercolors—used, then with watercolor paints when they became available in the 18th century.
Watercolors are a great choice for florals because the splotchiness and tone variations that make watercolor images unique can easily capture the natural color and tone variations in a flower’s petal or a leaf.
And watercolor logos can be abstract
—
While watercolors can beautifully represent real things, they are fantastic choice for abstract logos too. Thanks to their interesting shades and effects, abstract watercolor shapes are fascinating to look at on their own and you can use them as a focal point in very simple, minimalistic designs. Additionally, their naturally flowy edges they can tone down the sharp edges of classic abstract logos. If you want to keep it simple and still make a statement with color, go for a simple shape or a random watercolor splotch in a vibrant color.
Do you find it hard to codense your brand into a specific image? You’re going to love an abstract watercolor logo.
Give your brand depth with a watercolor logo
—
Watercolors are hard to put in a box. They’re flowy, they’re inky, and although they often read as feminine, they aren’t just for women. Watercolors are for anybody who doesn’t want their logo constricted by harsh lines and saturated blocks of color.
