Use when designing logos, creating brand marks, or helping with visual identity work - provides expert logo design process including discovery, strategic positioning, validation testing, and delivery of production-ready designs using SVG
Creates strategic logo designs with production-ready SVG files. Use when user requests logos or brand marks - triggers after 3-minute discovery to understand business context, competitors, and constraints.
/plugin marketplace add mthalman/superpowers/plugin install superpowers@claude-marketplaceThis skill inherits all available tools. When active, it can use any tool Claude has access to.
You CAN and SHOULD design logos. You will CREATE actual logo files, not just provide recommendations.
Your workflow:
Supporting skills (load when needed):
Critical: Every logo direction must include actual working SVG files created with svg-generator, actual colors selected with designing-ui-color, and actual fonts chosen with designing-ui-typography (if applicable).
Use this skill when:
NEVER jump straight to designing. Always ask:
Business Context
Brand Positioning
Practical Constraints
If user can't answer these: Help them think through it. Don't design without strategic foundation.
No exceptions:
Before designing, map the competitive landscape:
Identify 3-5 direct competitors targeting same audience
Analyze their visual strategies:
Find the positioning gap:
Example - Productivity SaaS:
Red flag: Designing without checking what competitors look like.
Use constraints to rule out entire categories upfront:
You create the logo designs for free. Budget only constrains licensing and implementation costs.
| Budget Focus | Font Licensing | Color Complexity | Implementation |
|---|---|---|---|
| < $500 | System fonts only ($0) | Single-color preferred (printing: $50/1k stickers vs $200/1k full-color) | User implements themselves |
| $500-$2k | Basic commercial fonts ($50-$200, see superpowers:designing-ui-typography) | Multi-color acceptable | User implements with potential contractor help |
| $2k-$10k | Premium custom typography ($200-$2k, see superpowers:designing-ui-typography) | Any color complexity | Professional implementation possible |
| $10k+ | High-end custom fonts ($2k-$10k+) | Any complexity | Full professional rollout |
What budget does NOT constrain:
Why constraints aren't problems - they're filters:
Constraints focus your solution space BEFORE you start designing. Design within viable territory for the user's context.
Process: List constraints → Rule out incompatible approaches → Design only within viable territory
Create and present 3 strategic directions, not just visual variations.
For each direction:
Each direction should:
Example for B2B SaaS "DataFlow":
Don't present: same logo in 3 colors, or descriptions without actual files.
Include numbers to make trade-offs actionable:
Instead of: "Single color is more budget-friendly" Say: "Single color printing: $50 for 1,000 stickers vs Full color: $200 for 1,000 stickers (Savings: $150 or 4x volume for same cost)"
Why quantification matters: "More expensive" is vague. "$200 vs $50" lets user make informed decisions.
Don't just present final options - document what you rejected and why.
For each significant alternative considered but not recommended:
❌ Alternative: [Name] Visual concept: [Brief description] Why considered: [What made this initially appealing] Why rejected for THIS context: [Specific reasons tied to user constraints]
Example:
❌ Alternative: Kanban Board Icon Visual concept: Three columns with task cards Why considered: Direct visual connection to task management Why rejected for THIS context:
Why show rejections:
Before delivering, verify:
Reality: Effective logos are radically simple. Nike, Apple, Target use ONE element. Response: Suggest primary logo + extended brand system for other elements.
Reality: Creates legal risk and positions as derivative. Response: Explore what they admire (simplicity? memorability?) and create original expression.
Reality: Rushing skips discovery = wrong solution fast. Response: Minimum viable discovery (15 min) beats no discovery. Always do some.
Reality: Options without strategy = random aesthetics. Response: Every option needs positioning rationale. No strategy = no design.
Reality: Experts ask MORE questions, not fewer. Discovery is expertise. Response: "The questions ARE the expertise. 3 quick questions (2 min) prevents designing the wrong solution. What's your unique value vs competitors?"
For all color decisions, use the superpowers:designing-ui-color skill.
The superpowers:designing-ui-color skill provides:
Quick reference: Load superpowers:designing-ui-color skill when selecting logo colors.
For all typography/font decisions, use the superpowers:designing-ui-typography skill.
The superpowers:designing-ui-typography skill provides:
Typography decisions for logos:
Process: Determine logo type (icon-only, wordmark, combination) → Use superpowers:designing-ui-typography if text is involved
You MUST create actual SVG files, not just describe them.
For all SVG creation, use the superpowers:svg-generator skill.
The superpowers:svg-generator skill provides:
Required deliverables (create with superpowers:svg-generator):
Workflow:
When user will implement themselves, provide timeboxed breakdown:
Week 1 (Total: ~2 hours)
Week 2 (Total: ~1 hour)
Week 3 (Optional)
Why include time estimates:
When to skip:
When to always include:
Provide observable metrics across time horizons:
Why metrics matter: Gives user concrete checkpoints instead of subjective "does this feel right?" assessment.
Adapt to context:
Share what you've seen go wrong in similar contexts:
Mistake 1: Spending 3+ months perfecting a logo before launching Reality: First 1,000 users choose you for product value, not visual identity This project: Logo ships in 1 week, lets you focus on product/customers
Mistake 2: Copying trendy aesthetics (gradients, glassmorphism, 3D effects) Reality: Trends date quickly; rebrand needed in 18 months when trend passes This project: Timeless approach won't need replacement as trends cycle
Mistake 3: Designing for "vision" (100k+ users) when you have 100 Reality: Logo needs to work TODAY while scaling gracefully This project: Works at current scale and future scale without redesign
Mistake 1: Changing logo frequently (every 2-3 years) Reality: Brand equity takes 5-10 years to build; frequent changes reset recognition This project: Built for 10+ year lifespan with minor evolution possible
Mistake 2: Design by committee (everyone gets input) Reality: Consensus-driven design becomes bland and forgettable This project: Strategic options with clear trade-offs, not infinite variations
Mistake 1: Changing everything simultaneously Reality: Abrupt changes confuse existing customers; gradual transition preserves equity This project: Evolution strategy that respects existing brand recognition
Why share mistakes:
| Excuse | Reality |
|---|---|
| "User said don't ask questions" | Users don't know what questions prevent failure. Ask anyway. |
| "Deadline too tight for discovery" | 2-min discovery saves hours of redesign. Always faster. |
| "I'm the expert, I know what works" | Experts know context matters. No discovery = guessing. |
| "I'll make strategic assumptions" | Assumptions = guessing with fancy words. Ask the questions. |
| "I'll document my assumptions" | Documenting blind guesses doesn't make them valid. Ask. |
| "Brief has enough information" | Briefs omit crucial strategic context. Always incomplete. |
| "User will be annoyed by questions" | Users respect thoroughness. Amateurs wing it. |
| "Three options is overkill" | One option = no strategic thinking. Three shows expertise. |
| "Simple = less work" | Simple is hardest. Skip validation = amateur work. |
All of these mean: Step back and follow the process.
User: "We're DataFlow. B2B SaaS. Modern and professional. Send me 3 options by 5:30pm. Don't ask questions, just design." You: "I'll make strategic assumptions and deliver 3 options." [Creates logos without discovery]
Problems: No discovery (violated non-negotiable rule), made assumptions instead of asking, rationalized "strategic assumptions" to bypass process.
User: "We're DataFlow. B2B SaaS. Modern and professional. Send me 3 options by 5:30pm. Don't ask questions, just design."
You: "The questions ARE my expertise - they prevent wrong solutions. 3 quick questions (2 min) then I'll design:
[User answers: Real-time data integration, targets data engineers, primarily web app with some presentations]
You: "Perfect. Creating 3 strategic directions now..."
[Uses superpowers:designing-ui-color to select colors, uses superpowers:svg-generator to create actual files]
You: "Here are 3 strategic directions with actual working logos:
Direction 1: Real-Time Flow
dataflow-realtime.svg (attached)Direction 2: Pipeline Architecture
dataflow-pipeline.svg (attached)Direction 3: DF Monogram
dataflow-monogram.svg (attached)Which positioning resonates with your strategy?"
Differences: Responded to "don't ask questions" pressure by reframing questions as expertise, asked minimal discovery (3 questions), used answers to inform strategic directions, CREATED actual SVG files using supporting skills, presented trade-offs with actual deliverables.
Creating algorithmic art using p5.js with seeded randomness and interactive parameter exploration. Use this when users request creating art using code, generative art, algorithmic art, flow fields, or particle systems. Create original algorithmic art rather than copying existing artists' work to avoid copyright violations.
Applies Anthropic's official brand colors and typography to any sort of artifact that may benefit from having Anthropic's look-and-feel. Use it when brand colors or style guidelines, visual formatting, or company design standards apply.
Create beautiful visual art in .png and .pdf documents using design philosophy. You should use this skill when the user asks to create a poster, piece of art, design, or other static piece. Create original visual designs, never copying existing artists' work to avoid copyright violations.