As a brand identity designer for the last 20 years, I’ve developed several techniques that improve concept work. One method I find particularly valuable involves inverting designs when judging letter spacing (kerning).
Turning work upside down provides a simple yet effective cognitive advantage. When I view text upside down, my brain temporarily stops reading words as complete phrases, allowing me to see individual letter shapes and the spaces between them more clearly. This perspective shift helps me identify inconsistencies in spacing and alignment that might be overlooked when viewing text normally.
Take the example below. The monochrome wordmark looks great, but let’s look deeper...
When I invert the design, I can immediately see an issue with the spacing. Can you spot it too?
Here’s the issue highlighted:
The H and M are too close together. Not only this, but because the stems of both the H and the M are adjacent, there’s now too much density in the centre of the logo, creating an unbalanced appearance. This is particularly relevant in this case, since the logo is almost symmetrical.
Now look at the corrected version side by side with the original. Does the improvement seem more obvious now?
Attention to detail matters immensely in brand identity design. While these adjustments might seem minor, these tiny details significantly influence the overall impression of a logo device. It’s vital to refine these details once the core idea is finalised, as you can see in the completed example below.
Take a moment to examine your own brand logo. Is there room for improvement? Even subtle updates can substantially enhance the professionalism of your visual identity. These small refinements often make the difference between good design and truly exceptional branding that stands the test of time.
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