Recommended
Install with skills CLI
One command installs ppp-logo-test for Cursor and other
supported agents via
skills.sh.
npx skills add incrhst/ppp-logo-adviser@ppp-logo-test -y
PPP Logo Test by Incrementic
Pencil. Pen. Pigment.
An effective logo beats a pretty one. Use the PPP Test to judge whether a mark still works when drawn, shrunk, and reduced to a single colour.
01
The PPP Test
Three quick checks. If a logo fails these, simplify the structure before you fall in love with the decoration.
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01
Pencil Test
It should be easy to draw
Could a non-designer sketch it from memory in a few strokes? Simple geometry and clear letterforms pass. Fine gradients, tiny ornaments, and photorealism fail.
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02
Pen Test
It should be recognisable on the side of a pen
Would it still read at roughly 10–15mm wide—on a pen barrel, favicon, embroidery, or app icon? Strong silhouette wins; crowded lockups turn to mush.
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03
Pigment Test
It should be recognisable as a single colour
Does the mark work in one flat colour? Shape must carry the identity. If meaning only exists through multicolour or gradients, it fails.
02
Resources
Everything you need to run the PPP Test with an AI agent—or install it as a Cursor skill.
Cursor skill
ppp-logo-test
Manual install: drop into .cursor/skills/ppp-logo-test/
or use the zip below.
Pasteable prompt
Agent prompt
No install required. Copy this into ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, or any agent, then paste your logo.
03
Beyond the three tests
PPP is the filter. These keep the mark alive across real brand use.
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Start with a wordmark
For most young companies, the name is the asset. Add a symbol later—once recognition earns it.
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Dark and light
Ship reversed versions or a badge so the mark holds on any background.
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Printable colour
Design for CMYK and thread limits, not only RGB screen colour.
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Ship variations
Full-color, one-color, monochrome, reversed, simplified, stacked, and icon versions.
You may have already committed to a logo which doesn’t pass the PPP-test. Don’t worry—many billion-dollar brands got their start with a “non-PPP” logo. Build something people pay for. You can update the mark later.