How to make a logo construction grid

6 min read · Updated 5 November 2026

A construction grid is the drawing behind the drawing: the circles, guides and angles a mark is built on. Done well, it shows that every curve and gap was a decision. Done badly — circles thrown over a finished logo until something lines up — it looks like decoration, and experienced clients can tell.

This guide covers what a construction grid is for, how to build one honestly, and how to present it.

What a construction grid is for

Most marks are built on a small set of repeated measurements: one radius used for every curve, one stroke weight, one angle that recurs. The grid makes that system visible. It helps in three places:

• While designing, it keeps curves and terminals consistent, so the mark holds together at every size.
• In the pitch, it shows the client that the simple thing in front of them is the result of a process, not a lucky sketch.
• At handover, it becomes part of the brand's record, so the next designer or agency understands why the mark is the way it is.

How to build one by hand

1. Start from the outline. Work from a clean vector of the mark at a large size. Lock it on its own layer.
2. Find the main curves. For each bowl, arc or terminal, fit the largest circle that follows the curve, not just touches it. Note the radius.
3. Look for repeats. If three curves share a radius, that is your system. Keep those circles and drop the one-offs.
4. Add the axes. Draw the horizontal and vertical centre lines, the cap height or baseline for wordmarks, and the diagonals that strokes actually follow.
5. Measure the angles. Mark the key angles where strokes meet. A 60° that repeats across a monogram is worth showing; a random 37.4° usually isn't.
6. Dimension it. Add the overall width and height and any ratio between them that is real.
7. Edit ruthlessly. Remove anything that doesn't explain a decision. Ten honest guides beat forty decorative ones.

Mistakes that make grids look fake

• Retrofitting golden spirals. If you didn't design with one, don't draw one on afterwards. (More on that in our golden ratio guide.)
• Circles that don't follow the curve. A circle should hug a curve along its length, not cross it.
• Too many lines. If the client can't see the logo through the grid, the grid has failed.
• No numbers. Labelled radii and angles turn a pretty drawing into evidence.

How to show it to a client

Put the plain logo first, then the construction on the next slide, then the logo in use. Talk through two or three decisions the grid makes visible — "every curve uses the same radius, so it stays calm at small sizes" — rather than every line on it. Keep the original mark in view in a corner so the client never loses sight of what they are buying.

If you're pitching several routes, give each the same treatment. Consistent proof slides make the comparison about the ideas, not the presentation.