designing a logo

[shuffles]

I'm designing a logo. I've messed around on word and paint just to see wats it would look like but was wondering wat additional software or hardware I would need to make the logo look better. The tools in word and paint are very basic. Would something like a wacom tablet be good for this? I need something that gives me loads of options for colours, shapes, fonts etc.

Cheers

 

[neilhart]

Off the top, use Adobe Illustrator as a starting point.

Neil

 

[shuffles]

How much is that? Also, would a Wacom tablet be useful as well?

 

[SwiftLives]

For best results, you're going to want to design your logo as a scaleable vector image. That way, you can enlarge it as much as you want without it losing quality or crispness. If you design the logo as a raster image, the larger it gets, the more pixelated it will become.

Adobe Illustrator is the de facto standard for vector design. However, it usually sells for around $600 USD (unless you're a student, then you can get it for $200 USD). If that's not in your budget, there are many less-expensive options available to you such as Intaglio and Inkscape. (Haven't used either, so I can't really endorse them).

Before you drop big bucks on a tablet or some high-end software, keep in mind they're all just tools to help you with the execution of your logo. They won't do anything to improve your overall concept. Plenty of people out there regularly make legitimate logos using open-source or inexpensive software and a mouse.

If you'd like to share the work and concepts you've done, folks on this board will be happy to help critique it and give you pointers along the way. (Just don't ask this community to create the logo for you. That never ends well).

 

[Jim Campbell]

Seconded to everything Swiftlives said.

Also: a logo is likely to be primarily type and should be simple, clear and, well, graphic. Whilst a tablet is fantastic for photo-retouching and digital painting, the subtleties it offers are not really necessary for something like logo design.

Cheers!

Jim

 

[LeviG]

I'm designing a logo.

ok

I've messed around on word and paint just to see wats it would look like

not a good start

wondering wat additional software or hardware I would need to make the logo look better.

defacto is adobe software, illustrator, photoshop etc (£400+ each) although there are some new cheaper alternatives coming out such as pixelmator and lineform (note not tried either of them and $60/100 respectively) etc which should do a similar (albeit sometimes limited) job.

The tools in word and paint are very basic.

not exactly surprising considering they're not really designed for this type of work

Would something like a wacom tablet be good for this?

yes, once you are able to use it properly. A wacom tablet is not the easiest of things to get to grips with, it takes time to properly master it.

I need something that gives me loads of options for colours, shapes, fonts etc.

A tablet will not give these features as they are part of the software not the hardware, all of the above will give you most if not all of your features. Fonts need to be added to the system, you will need to source extra ones later.

Colours are great but as all of us will tell you, a logo really needs to be able to work in black and white as well as colour so most of us work in black and white until the finishing stages.

Now as an observation, I think you may be trying to run before you can walk from your post (sorry). With the easy access to programs which allow this sort of work (logo) to be done more and more people are thinking that its an easy thing to do - it isn't. A logo isn't just about being able to use the software, its about being able to portray the philosophy/character etc of the company, so I would suggest getting feedback on your design(s)

 

[Yr Blues]

Paper, pencils and pens. Maybe some colored pencils.

Computers are limiting when you're trying to be creative.

Then go for the software that'll translate your studies the best. I like Illustrator and Freehand.

 

[kingslod]

Or just hire a professional graphic designer...

 

[shuffles]

Cheers for all the replies! I don't think I'd spend a couple of hundred on adobe, if I'm to spend a fair bit I'll probably just hire a graphic designer. I was looking on the Apple site and I saw a program called ArtText so I bought it. It was only 45 euro so I figured if it was useless it didn't really matter. The program says that it is good for designing logos.

I figure that at the very least, it will help me design a logo good enough so that if I want to get it done professionally I will be able to show them exactly wat I'm looking for.

 

[VoR]

Did you try inkscape?

Often don't get what you pay for with software

 

[razorianfly]

I just posted this over here, but thought it applied here too.

Sometimes, I think when people are designing logos, they get lost in the fact of portraying everything the application does.
Fortunately, you don't have to. That's what your iTunes app description is for.

What you want is a globally recognised logo which symbolizes you and your application only.

The key to achieving this is simple. Complement colours, use fairly unique fonts, make stand out what you want to stand out, and most importantly, keep things simple.
Being in logo design for at least 3 years as a freelancer, I can't tell you the amount of stuff I have learnt just by watching other people and their experiences.

I've attached my web clip icon to give you a sense of the possible impact you need to create with your own logo.

Hope this helps.

R-Fly

 

[andrew050703]

I just posted this over here, but thought it applied here too.

Sometimes, I think when people are designing logos, they get lost in the fact of portraying everything the application does.
Fortunately, you don't have to. That's what your iTunes app description is for.

What you want is a globally recognised logo which symbolizes you and your application only.

The key to achieving this is simple. Complement colours, use fairly unique fonts, make stand out what you want to stand out, and most importantly, keep things simple.
Being in logo design for at least 3 years as a freelancer, I can't tell you the amount of stuff I have learnt just by watching other people and their experiences.

I've attached my web clip icon to give you a sense of the possible impact you need to create with your own logo.

Hope this helps.

R-Fly

yup -good advice if its for an iphone/pod app.

to OP: have you any scribbles of what you're after/where it'll be used etc - I'm sure people would be happy to comment/help

 

[shuffles]

I'll have something before the end of the week, I'll post up a sample idea then. I'd really appreciate it if u guys could provide some feedback.

 

[Muncher]

I'll have something before the end of the week, I'll post up a sample idea then. I'd really appreciate it if u guys could provide some feedback.

Do not, repeat, do not start with adobe software. It is counter intuitive and confusing. Try something free like Inkscape first.

 

[ezekielrage_99]

Or just hire a professional graphic designer...

Why am I tempted to think of this

 

[SwiftLives]

Do not, repeat, do not start with adobe software. It is counter intuitive and confusing. Try something free like Inkscape first.

I wouldn't go that far. They're not so much counterintuitive as they are complex, and not suited for beginners.

Heck - I got my start on Paint Shop Pro. And this is back in the day when I dismissed the Mac as nothing more than a "silly little toy machine."

 

[shuffles]

Not gonna use photoshop, gonna try ArtText first and see way that's like and then I'll take it from there. Wats the going rate for a graphic designer?

 

[stainlessliquid]

You dont have to buy anything for just one project. Adobe offers all its apps with 30 day trials. Thats more than enough time to create a logo and then uninstall it. Trials are fine for just short term stuff.

 

[shuffles]

Damn, well I suppose if this goes well I'll be doing a good bit more. Logo design etc!

 

[LeviG]

Wats the going rate for a graphic designer?

Out my way (norfolk england) its about £20+ an hour. Obviously this can go a lot higher with a big name company.

 

[Muncher]

I wouldn't go that far. They're not so much counterintuitive as they are complex, and not suited for beginners.

Heck - I got my start on Paint Shop Pro. And this is back in the day when I dismissed the Mac as nothing more than a "silly little toy machine."

I'll admit you could get used to adobe software, but when I took a six week course in graphic design, Illustrator did not make itself easy to figure out. And I'm a decent artist and good with computers, especially macs.

"...and not suited for beginners..."

We can both agree on that. If you don't have a pro looking over your shoulder like I did, you'll e overwhelmed.

I sort of taught myself to do graphic design a few years ago with GIMP. It's a good program, and free.

 

[shuffles]

Is GIMP a free download?

 

[SwiftLives]

I think a simple "yes" would have sufficed for the question as to whether or not GIMP is a free download.

Here's the link: http://www.gimp.org

 

[VoR]

How and where do I download gimp from swiftlives?

 

[wongulous]

To the poster: I'm not sure we can help you if you can't find the proper download links from a website and select a download mirror. You're also going to have to unpack the file, run an installer, open the application, as well as learn to use it to design this logo. Perhaps you should, as deliberated earlier on in the thread, take a community college class on how to start with graphic design basics (or web design basics), and hire a designer for this particular project.

I think a simple "yes" would have sufficed for the question as to whether or not GIMP is a free download.

Here's the link: http://www.gimp.org