Most logos make use of color. Logo designers creating a color logo will generally also create a black and white variation of the logo for the client to ensure the logo is readable and effective in black and white (in case a client needs to use the logo on black and white media).

Occasionally, designers go the other way and create the primary logo in black and white. And why not? These logos can be particularly striking, clean and memorable. The examples below show how removing color can actually make a logo stand-out!

Below are also examples of logo designs. You may wish to compare the logos below with logos from the following articles:

30 Negative Space Logos

50+ Unique and Inspiring Red Logo Designs

44 Examples of Unique and Inspiring Green Logos

40+ Cool Typographic Logo Designs

Culinary Zen Logo
Dot Monster Logo
Logo design
Act Research Logo
Sasha Powers Logo
Logo design Argentina
5 Locks Logo
Mo Sleep Logo
Silent Monkey Logo
Franklin Scott Salon Logo
Bird Love Logo
ChilliDog Logo
Indie Monki Logo
Edge Logo
Logo for Fashion Australia
Greentree Pictures Logo
Knoll Logo
Logo Design Thai Boxing
Film Logo Design
Northfields Tailors, Inc Logo
On Wine Logo
Panda Logo
Quick meals
Sushi Logo

Textura Logo
Williams, Ansoff and Adams Logo
Creative Pill Logo
Water Drop Logo
Logo for 'Human'
QS Logo Design
Magic Identity Logo
Urban Chick Logo

Conclusion

Next time you create a color logo for a client (and then its black and white equivalent) maybe you should stop and honestly ask yourself: “does the black and white version actually look better?” You might be surprised by the answer!

Alec Lynch

About the author: He is the Managing Director of DesignCrowd.com - an online marketplace for online logo design and other graphic design. You can contact Alec and DesignCrowd via Twitter Page.

39 comments

  1. Wow, some of them were just amazing. Really enjoyed Northfields tailors inc and panda communications.

  2. That’s an amazing showcase! I like almost all of them. It’s clear that basilar shapes designed in only black and white can help focalize on the meaning of the mark, instead of on the appearence of itself. Black and white logos are also ideal for some negative space play.

    Thanks for sharing Ronald!

  3. Some of the best logo’s are simple ones like these. Thanks for compiling them.

  4. once again an excellent list..and very inspiring!

    cheers

  5. Saw these logos hundreds of times in similar posts. Expecting something new next time, instead of seeing the repeated content.

  6. I think some of them are GREAT, but some are just plain ugly.

    K&M Kickboxing
    One Stop Films
    Creative Pill
    Magic Identity

    I can’t see why these should be on the list, to be honest.

  7. Everytime I see a logo. I try to visualize it in black and white. If it can’t be done.. I consider it an extreme flaw in the design.

  8. Single tone logo… my first preference. Thank for the pretty nice collection.

  9. Nice collection here! It is very important for a logo to look good in black and white.

  10. Panda is amazing… you don’t know where you see it, but you see it! Good collection!

  11. amazing black and white logos.

    I immensely like the urban chick and the greentree logos.

    very nice post.

  12. Love logos when they look great in B&W… Guess that’s a must for any identity…

  13. NORTHFIELDS TAILORS INC, i must say a WOW to the idea, and the combination of hat & tie is being well utilized.

  14. That was awesome post. I think i need to book mark this so that i will refer to it later when i get a job on logs. Thank you for search a wonderful post

  15. Nice logo…thanks for given me the inspiration

  16. great collecetion…thanks for sharing….when i looked at HUMAN logo i thought that why is this logo in this beautifull collection, coz it looked very simple to me, but when i saw the meaning of that, i was shocked, best of all logos i ever seen…

  17. Very sleek looking collection I enjoyed this post every much. Logo Lounge has a great collection of logos for inspiration as well.

  18. i have to admit: sometimes you just have to sit down and start thinking not about the logo, but about everything concerning the semantic field of what you’re talking about.

    in my first logos, i used to be afraid of timing, of logo itself.

    you just have to sit down, imaginate, connect, create.

  19. Woooow really are so creative and funny congratulations for this logos are amazing

  20. I’ve seen the chili dog logo on a few blogs, obviously because its REALLY GOOD! I’m always afraid to do black and white logos, just because I feel guilty for not adding colour (One Stop Films is an example, I did that logo in B&W, but quickly did a colour version because I thought the B&W didn’t cut it). Might come back here and look at these logos next time I think I must add colour 🙂

  21. Thanks for the inspiration. We found this article because we are looking at redoing our logo in just black and white.These look good.

  22. I love the Fashion Australia logo:)…very amazing

  23. These designs are freaking awesome and plus i read your article maintaining motivation in your business,..and that totally helped me in my studies and everything,thank you so much.keep on writing

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