Do you want to know how to make a logo for your online store? Maybe for your blog? Have you been asked for a project in which you have to present a logo and you have never done it before? You may think that making a logo is the easiest thing in the world, and that in just five minutes you can have it. But in reality there is a great science behind that "little picture" and, believe it or not, presenting a quality logo that makes an impact and you remember it is not easy to achieve.
Therefore, we are not only going to teach you here how to make a logo, but we are going to talk about everything you must take into account when creating it so that your design is the best of all.
What is a logo
The word logo is part of our vocabulary today, especially if you work in web design, or are involved in some work related to marketing, advertising ...
According to the RAE (Royal Spanish Academy), a logo, also called a logo, is a peculiar graphic symbol of a company, commemoration, brand or product. As well as a group of letters, abbreviations, figures, etc. fused into a single block to facilitate typesetting.
In other words, we are talking about a representative image of a brand, company, product, etc. that allows to identify that object or company with what it does or the name. For example, when we think of Coca-Cola, Nesquik, Nutella, McDonald's ... they are brands and companies, and logos come to our minds, which are what we identify them with.
To achieve this, the company and the idea that you want to create with the logo must be well evaluated. They can be abbreviations, a representative object, the full name ... The aim of this is to create trust and at the same time recognition, that is, that the person who sees that logo directly relates it to the company, product or brand that it has, in a way that differs from the competition.
There are different types of logos, from logos, which are the best known (where they basically use letters), to imagotype (with images or a mixture of image and letters), isotype (representations with images) or isologo (images and text mixed together) ).
Why a logo is so important
If you are wondering why you also have to dedicate time, effort and resources to a logo that is small, we ask you a question:
What would you tell us if you see a logo with a letter, as if they had done it with Paint without paying attention to the details? Most likely, you will consider that the company is not serious and that it does not pay attention to details. Would you trust them? For example, a lawyer, who has a poorly made logo with the initial of his name. It seems like a little boy did it, would you hire his services to represent you in court? Most likely not, because if you do that with a logo, how would you be "left" with your work?
Well, the same thing happens with the importance of a logo. These serve to give a feeling of something well done, that you pay attention to detail and that you strive to give it the essence of the company, brand or product.
What characteristics should a logo have
Now that you know more about logos and that you also know their importance, before we dive right into teaching you how to make a logo, you should take into account what characteristics they have to meet. Specific:
- Be simple. You don't need something flashy, just simple so that it can be easily remembered. In this sense, experts recommend not using more than 3 colors, choosing a good typeface and avoiding shadows or gradients.
- That goes according to what you want to show. That is, that people see it and relate it to the company and what it sells. Or if it is a product, with the objective of this.
- Be timeless. While logos can change over time, you need one that doesn't need to be changed every so often to be "on trend."
How to make a logo
And we come to the most practical part, how to make a logo. Today you have many options to do it. But before you start, it is convenient that you know the company, product or brand in depth, that you know what it wants to represent with the logo and what it wants to achieve with it. That way you can get the first sketches right and, thus, not have to work too hard on it.
Aspects about the logo style, colors, design, target audience, etc. are very important points before getting to work. If you have them already, let's move on to the 'graphic'.
With programs
Image editing programs are going to be the best to carry out this job. And you have both paid and free. There's no doubt Photoshop is a good program, but there are actually many others that can help you make a logo.
Of course, we recommend that the program you choose allows you to operate with layers. Why? Well, because it will make things easier for you since, in that way, each layer would treat a part of the logo (the background, the drawing, the text, etc.) and, thus, if something had to be changed, you would not have to redo it from scratch, but simply modify a part of it.
Normally, the process that follows is as follows:
- Create a blank (or transparent) image with the requested logo measurements.
- Open the image to be used in the program (if one is used).
- Write the text and change the typography based on the essence of the company and what you want to offer the client. Remember that it is not good that they have shadows or gradients.
How to make a logo online
Another possibility to make a logo is to use the Internet. And specifically the online pages that an editor allows you to create the logos you want with their templates.
Some are paid, not to use them, but to download the logo. Others are free and in this case you have those that are very basic and others that allow you to create medium quality designs.
However If what you are looking for is a professional logo that looks good, doing it with the programs is the best.
Can they be done with apps?
The rise of smartphones has made us increasingly use the mobile for everything. Included to edit photos or, as in this case, to learn how to make a logo. Because yes, it can be done.
Apps like Zyro Logo Maker, Logo Maker or Logaster are just some of those that you can find for free. And if you are looking for a more professional one, there is also a fee.
The problem with these is that they are "limited" in terms of images, types of fonts, and so on. (so we recommend the programs again).