It goes without saying that well-designed logos are an important part of any company’s branding. Not only do they help make the organization more recognizable, but unique logos also prevent confusion between similar companies.
But we get it, creating your own logo might seem like an overwhelming task, especially if you don’t have experience with digital design. However, with the help of modern software such as Photoshop, anyone can develop their own eye-catching, professional-looking logo. So, are you ready to give it a try? Great! Then keep reading to learn all you need to know about Photoshop and how to create your own logo.
Brainstorm a Logo Idea
First of all, any artist or designer will begin their project by brainstorming a couple of ideas. Our advice is to create a sketch or write out a few notes about the elements of your dream logo.
Remember that this step is necessary and will help you avoid starting over countless times during the creation process. Therefore, you should always have these notes and sketches nearby and consult them whenever you run into a hiccup. That’s because they will act as points of reference and aid you in keeping your mind on the final product at all times!
Purchase and Install Photoshop
Naturally, you’ll need to install Photoshop before creating your digital logo. Luckily, Adobe’s website makes matters much easier. All you need to do is create an account and then purchase a Photoshop subscription. Or, you can get the Creative Cloud subscription, as it includes multiple design software such as Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. Alternatively, if you can’t afford this program, you can apply for an educational seven-day free trial, which should give you plenty of time to create your logo.
After getting your license, you’ll need to download the software from your account and install it. Fortunately, Photoshop has an intuitive interface that streamlines the installation process. In other words, you only need to follow the onscreen instructions.
You can also read this article: Grey Dress Pants
Create a New Document
Have you managed to install Photoshop? That means you’re ready to start making your own design! First, open the program and choose File and then New to create a document. You’ll notice that a dialogue box just opened giving you a bunch of settings. Most logos feature a rectangular shape, you’ll want to choose a standard size, such as 1000 px width by 600 px height. But you don’t have to worry about the canvas size too much because you can adjust it later.
Next, set the background to transparent and the resolution to 300. Lastly, you’ll have to decide on a color mode. If you want to use the logo in social or other digital marketing environments, you should choose RGB Color 8 Bit. However, if you are going to place it on promotional gifts such as T-shirts, you’ll want to pick CMYK. Afterwards, you can click OK, and you’ll end up with a blank document that’s ready to house your logo.
Start With Layers
When it comes to Photoshop, you need to understand that it’s best to place each design element of your art into its own layer. That will make it easier to fix any mistakes without having to redo the entire design. To do that, you can either choose add new layer from the Layer Panel on your right or press Shift + Ctrl + N.
Are you going to use a pre-defined background or texture as part of your logo? Then make sure to add it now by dragging and dropping the file from any folder in your computer onto the canvas to automatically place it in a new layer. Or, you can open your image in a separate Photoshop tab. Then press Ctrl + A to select it, Ctrl + C to copy it and Ctrl + V onto your existing canvas to paste the image onto an empty layer.
Adding or Creating Your Artwork
People who are new to logo design might find it hard to create artwork that doesn’t look overly simplistic. That’s why, it’s best to start with a text-only logo or use existing design elements from free online sources and combine them. But don’t feel bad about only relying on text, as many large companies also don’t use images in their logos.
If you still want to give it a shot, you can use the left-side menu to add shapes to your canvas. Although it might initially look confusing, you can also use the search function by pressing Ctrl + F to find anything you’re looking for, such as a Rectangle Tool or a Select Tool.
Alternatively, if you already have a design that you’ve found on the internet or hired someone to create, you can just add it as its own layer and place text around it. Just remember to keep the artwork layer above any background and below the text layers.
Furthermore, you can also adjust appearance by turning up the brightness or saturation to make it stand out. For that, you’ll have to select the artwork, click on Layer, then New Adjustment Layer and choose the preferred filter, such as Hue/Saturation. You’ll then be able to use the right-side Adjustments panel to modify all aspects of your artwork. However, be careful when using these layers, as you can easily muddy up the image if you don’t have enough experience in Photoshop.
Include Text to Your Logo
Whether you want to add artwork or not, including text in your design is usually a must. But first, decide on what font or fonts you want to use for the letters. If you want to include multiple fonts to create a hybrid font, you’ll need to add them as separate layers that can be adjusted individually.
Fortunately, Photoshop makes this task very easy with its Type Tool. Select the T-shaped icon on the left panel and then click anywhere on your canvas. Once you notice a blinking cursor, you’re free to type out your text. You can also change the default font by using the upper field.
Then, choose the Selection Tool from the upper part of the Tool Bar or just press Ctrl + V to automatically switch to it. That allows you to move the text around the canvas and position it however you want. But if you want to re-edit the text, you can just double-click it you’ll switch to the Type Tool.
Edit Your Text Colour
If you want to change the colour of your text, you need to highlight it using the Type Tool and click on the Font Colour Box right above the canvas. You’ll notice a dialogue box that prompts you to pick from Pantone swatches in the Colour Libraries or by clicking on a colour field. The latter option features millions of colours ranging from black on the bottom left to white on the top left, with dark and light versions of any colour between them. During this step, we recommend you experiment with multiple colours and see which one fits your vision better.
Using Drop Shadows
Drop shadows are a visual effect that makes an object or text appear as if it’s raised above other layers. To use it, you’ll need to right-click on your text layer and choose Blending Options. There, you’ll see Drop Shadow, which allows you to pick from a variety of options that allow you to adjust the look and feel of this effect.
In order to provide the boldest-looking shadow, you’ll have to check the Use Global Light option before choosing Multiple or Hard Light as the Blend Mode. Then, you can adjust the shadow’s direction by entering a numerical degree or by clicking the Angle dial, which will set the light source’s angle. Play around with these settings and see the change in real time by checking the Preview box and pressing OK.
Try Other Text Effects
One of the main features of Photoshop is its impressive visual effect gallery. From Outer Glow to Emboss and Contour, you’ll never run out of options! However, you should use them sparingly, as combining multiple effects can make your design look cheap and amateurish.
Still, you should at least give each one a try since they can improve the appearance of your design. For instance, Outer Glow adds a stunning glow around the outside of your text without affecting its interior. Similarly, you can make your text appear 3D by choosing Bevel and Emboss to highlight the edges of your text. Or, if you want to outline your text, you can use the Stroke option and alter the colour and width. All of these options are available in the Blending Options section and can be integrated into each individual layer to enhance your design.
Export Your Logo
Are you happy with your design? Then it’s time to export it to a usable format! One way to do that is to open the File menu, press Export and then select Quick Export As. There, you’ll be able to choose your preferred format, such as PNG or JPG, and adjust further parameters. As an example, for PNG files, you can specify the transparency level, while JPG files allow you to set the export quality.
Remember that there’s no such thing as the best format and your choice should depend on your specific situation. For instance, JPG files are great for online uploads. However, some custom promotional product manufacturers might want a PNG file or the Photoshop project itself.
So, What’s Next?
Now that you’ve designed and exported your logo, it’s time to use it. From adding it to certificates to incorporating it into promotional materials, the sky’s the limit. So put your creativity to the test and find as many uses for your new artwork as you can!