StockLogos Logo Designer Profile: Balazs Nagy

Balázs Nagy, a graphic designer based in Hungary, originally began contributing to StockLogos as Eidolon, and more recently as Senses. As with many StockLogos contributors, Balázs keeps busy with a wide variety of design projects. In fact, Senses is also the name of his own design firm, so in this profile you'll find examples of all three.

Could you please tell us about your background and how you got into logo design? What design and illustration qualifications and skills do you have?

I always liked to draw and was equally interested in the tech world. I started out as a programmer and in the last years of high school I fell in love with Photoshop 2.0, around 1994. Later I learned life drawing and other handcrafted areas of design, such as etching and linocut. In 1999 I graduated from a film school and that added new areas to my creative field.

GlorySound — uploaded to the marketplace as Senses

How long have you been active in freelance logo design work?

Since leaving ad agencies to start my own company in 2005.

EyeCandy — made as Eidolon for a brief at Stocklogos

Do you supplement your design income from StockLogos with other design work? If so, please tell us a bit about it.

StockLogos is not my main source of income. I run Senses Graphic Studio, a small design firm in Hungary.

21ers — logo for a Dutch city development startup

How do you manage the business side of your design career, such as keeping your books, figuring out taxes and deductions, and so on?

Usually with Google Apps and with my bookkeeper. Also my sister — who is the co-founder of our company — takes care of the business side, that helps me out a lot.

Travelpals — made as Eidolon for the StockLogos marketplace

What tools do you use for your logo creations?

I use quality pens and markers on paper, hand-drawing sketches then scanning them or just redrawing them in Illustrator.

Let Loose — logo for a business coach

Does your logo work have a unique look to it? How would you describe your design style?

I wouldn't say so. I always try to find a style that fits the client's needs. I also try to avoid trends and cliches. When a client needs something that can last more then two years, then the classic approach really pays off.

Soproni Rocks — logo for a music portal of the Soprani Hungarian beer company

Do you have particular sources for inspiration, such as the work of other designers, or general sources?

There are lots of sources of inspiration these days throughout the web but if I had to mention designers in particular that would be Von Glitschka, Gyula Nemeth and Zoltan Csordas. I also frequently visit Dribble and LogoPond for inspiration.

Do you have a favorite part of the logo design process?

Yes, the initial brainstorming part. I always find it interesting how a concept "clicks" together at the end of that.

CreativePro — portal for graphic design professionals

Without a client brief to work from, what are the secrets to creating a logo that sells in the public marketplace? How do you anticipate the needs of customers in this case?

I do not work without a client brief, which I find essential to kickstart my thoughts. I do research and ask quite a lot of questions.

EU Edge — software development company

Are your sales on StockLogos all from the public marketplace?

Yes, mostly.

If you are also participating in design briefs posted on the site, how does your process of logo creation for this differ from logos created for the marketplace?

Since most of the StockLogos briefs are not very detailed, it is hard to work on them. The lack of responses from clients makes it difficult to come up with something that truly fits their needs. For the marketplace I upload logos that I have created for clients who ultimately did not buy them, but which I think is still good work.

Insighting — business coaching

How important is the choice of font for the text elemetnt of the logo?

Crucial. Usually I tweak a typeface to fit the purpose. Often I design something completely new typographically.

How do you determine what price to charge for a logo?

On StockLogos I discount all of my work to make it more affordable. This is in contrast with the direct approach provided by my company, where we develop a detailed communication with the client.

Young & Burton — Dutch landscaping company

Is it common for those buying your logos on StockLogos to request changes? And what do these changes typically consist of?

Yes it is common to change colors and the textual part of the logo.

What advice would you give to someone who was thinking of creating logos for sale on StockLogos? Should they begin by participating in the design briefs or submit their work to the public marketplace first?

I think the design briefs are based to a great degree on luck. So if you are creating logos for fun, then it is better to go for the briefs.

More of Balázs' work can be seen in his Eidolon and Senses StockLogos portfolios, as well as on his Senses site..

Earlier Profiles:

Nancy Carter
Mourad Mokrane
Adrian Szejn