How to Make a Logo in Photoshop:
Ten easy steps to create a professional business logo in Photoshop.
Getting started.
Create a new Photoshop document.
Launch Photoshop, click on "File" in the main menu bar, and select "New... (Ctrl/Cmd + N)" from the drop-down menu.
Select a canvas.
Click on the "Art & Illustration" tab at the top of the pop-up window and select "1000 pixel grid."
You can also choose from a range of canvas templates or create a document with custom dimensions.
Name your document.
Give your document a title and click on "Create" in the bottom-right corner.
The resolution is set to 300 Pixels/Inch.
Color Mode is set to RGB Color, 8 bit.
Setting up your workspace.
Create a save file.
It's important to save your Photoshop document regularly to avoid losing any work.
Go to "File" in the main menu bar and select "Save As..." from the drop-down menu.
You can choose to "Save to cloud documents" or to "Save on your computer."
Click on "Save on your computer" and specify the file location.
Enable Smart Guides.
Smart Guides will help to automatically align elements in your document.
Click on "View" in the main menu bar, hover over "Show," and select "Smart Guides."
Next, go to "View" and click on "Snap" in the drop-down menu.
This will 'snap' your logo elements to the Smart Guides.
Use a grid.
A grid is another tool that will help guide and structure your design.
Click on "View" in the main menu bar, hover over "Show," and select "Grid."
Using shapes.
Pick a shape for your logo.
The shape will contain the icon and give your logo structure. Different shapes have various associations and can be used to create subconscious impressions on people and reinforce the nature of your brand.
Select the Shape Tool.
You'll find the "Shape Tool (U)" in the left menu bar. Right-click on the icon to select the type of shape. In this case, we're using the "Ellipse Tool."
Draw your shape.
While holding "Shift," click and drag your cursor to create the shape. This will produce a perfect circle.
For an oval shape, don't hold down "Shift."
You can resize your shape using the corner points of the shape box, holding down "Shift" to maintain the proportion.
Select the "Move Tool (V)" and center the shape using the Smart Guides.
Adding color.
Choose a color scheme for your logo.
Colors in logos play a vital role in branding and will give your business a strong visual identity and help communicate certain values and characteristics.
Set the stroke color.
Ensure that the shape layer is selected in the layers panel. Then, select the "Shape Tool (U)" and set the "Stroke" to "No Color" in the top-left of the menu bar.
You can add a color to give your shape an outline and change the thickness and style of the stroke in the top menu bar.
Set the fill color.
Change the color of the shape by clicking on the "Fill" icon in the top menu bar. You can choose a solid color or opt to use a gradient by clicking on the "Gradient" icon.
Select a gradient.
Next, you can select a gradient from a range of presets. In this case, we've selected one from the "Oranges" folder.
Refine the gradient.
You can customize the gradient colors by double-clicking on the small color blocks beneath the gradient slider on the left and right to assign colors, respectively.
Set the gradient angle to 45.
Add more shades to your gradient by clicking beneath the gradient slider.
To remove a gradient tone, click and drag the color block away from the slider.
You can adjust the fade between the various tones of your gradient by sliding the color blocks beneath the gradient slider.
Choose various gradient styles by selecting an option from the drop-down menu.
Creating an icon.
Decide on an icon for your logo.
An icon is an image or symbol that will give your business a brand identity. They can range from geometric designs to objects. In this example, we're going to create an icon of a bird.
Use a reference image.
Download a reference image to use as a guide for constructing the shape of the icon.
Drag the reference image from the containing folder on your computer into the Photoshop document.
This will automatically create a new layer.
With the reference image layer selected, set the opacity to 50%.
Resize and place the image within the ellipse, holding "Shift" when scaling to maintain the aspect ratio.
Create a new layer.
Add a new layer by clicking on the "+" button in the bottom-right corner beneath the layers panel.
You can rename your layers by double-clicking on the layer text.
Select the Pen Tool.
You'll find the "Pen Tool (P)" in the left menu bar. Ensure that the pen tool is set to "Shape" in the top menu bar.
Set the "Fill" and "Stroke" to "No Color."
Create a rough outline.
Pick a starting point and click to add an anchor point with the Pen Tool. When you click again, a straight line will automatically be generated and connect the two anchor points.
Click, hold, and drag the pen tool to create curved lines.
This will form an arch between the two anchor points.
Increase the amplitude and direction of the arch by moving your cursor away from the anchor point in the opposite direction of the desired curve.
Complete the shape by clicking back on the first anchor point.
Add color to the icon.
Now that the rough icon shape has been formed, you can fill it with a color. For now, set the "Fill" color to "White" and the "Stroke" to "No Color."
In the layers panel, click on the eye icon of the reference image layer to make it invisible.
Refining the icon.
Use the Direct Selection Tool.
You'll find the "Direct Selection Tool (A)" in the left menu bar. This will reveal the anchor points and outline paths of the icon.
Adjust the anchor points and curves.
You can move the anchor points to sculpt the shape. Use the directional lines perpendicular to the curved anchor points to change the amplitude of the arches.
You can add new anchor points for more detail by right-clicking on the "Pen Tool" icon and selecting the "Add Anchor Point Tool."
If you need to delete an anchor point, switch to the "Delete Anchor Point Tool."
Keep adjusting the anchor points until you are happy with the shape of your icon.
Hide the grid by going to "View" in the main menu bar, hovering over "Show," and clicking on "Grid."
Position the icon.
Go to "Edit" in the main menu bar and select "Free Transform Path (Ctrl/Cmd + T)" from the drop-down menu.
Resize the icon by holding down "Shift" and dragging the corner points of the transform box.
Allow the tail to extend beyond the border of the ellipse.
When you're happy with the size and position of the icon, hit "Enter."
Create a Clipping Mask.
In the layers panel, click and drag the reference image layer below the ellipse layer. Right-click on the icon layer and select "Create Clipping Mask" from the pop-up menu.
This will contain the icon's shape to the borders of the ellipse.
Adding detail.
Add another shape.
Add more shapes to create detail in your logo. In this case, we'll use the "Ellipse Tool (U)" to give the bird icon an eye.
Create a new layer by clicking on the "+" button in the bottom-right corner of the layers panel.
Follow the process in step 3.3 to construct a circle.
You can repeat this process to add more detail to your icon.
Experiment with colors and outlines in the top menu bar.
Follow the process in step 4.5 to add a gradient to the ellipse.
Link your layers.
Once you're happy with the design, you can link your layers so that they stay together and in proportion.
Select the ellipse, icon, and eye layers by holding "Shift" and clicking on the layers. Right-click and select "Link Layers" from the pop-up menu.
You can now resize and move the elements of your logo together.
Adding your business name.
Select the Type Tool.
Create a new layer by clicking on the "+" button in the bottom-right corner of the layers panel. You'll find the "Horizontal Type Tool (T)" in the left menu bar.
Click on the canvas to add your business name.
Change the text color.
Change the color of your text in the right menu bar.
Change the font.
Adjust the look of your text by selecting a font from the drop-down menu. You'll find this in the right menu bar under the "Character" heading.
You can also adjust the text style, size, leading, kerning, and tracking parameters here.
Position your text by selecting the "Move Tool (V)" and dragging your text box into place.
Creating variations of your logo.
Compare different styles of your design.
Once you've completed the general structure of your logo, you can start to play with the details.
Try different background colors, shape outlines, fonts, and arrangements to refine the look of your logo.
This will help you picture what your logo will look like in different contexts and help you make a final decision.
Set up Artboards.
Right-click on the lock icon of the "Background" layer and select "Artboard from Layers..." Then, click on "OK."
Create a new Artboard.
Make a copy of your logo by right-clicking on the Artboard in the layers panel and selecting "Duplicate Artboard..." Then, click on "OK."
This will create a new version of your logo that you can experiment with.
You can create as many Artboards as you like for as many different versions of your logo that you would like to experiment with.
Finishing up.
Export your logo.
Once you're happy with your logo design, you can export it in various file formats.
Click on "File" in the main menu bar, hover over "Export," and select "Export As..."
Select a file format
The pop-up window will show your different export options. Select a file format from the "Format" drop-down menu.
"PNG" and "GIF" are high-resolution formats and will keep the background of your logo transparent.
A "JPG" uses algorithms to compress the image for a smaller file size and will keep a solid background.
Once you've adjusted the settings, click on "Export" in the bottom-right corner and select a file destination on your computer.
How to Make a Logo in Illustrator
FAQs:
How can I create my own logo in Photoshop?
You can create your own logo using Photoshop by following our step-by-step guide.
Is Photoshop good for logo design?
While Photoshop is a capable option for designing a logo, the application is designed primarily for photo editing and image manipulations. Professionals tend to use vector-based applications like Adobe Illustrator to create logos as the software can produce designs that can be enlarged and scaled more easily.
How do you make a unique logo in Photoshop?
- Create a new Photoshop document.
- Set up your workspace.
- Create a basic shape.
- Add some color.
- Create an icon.
- Refine the icon.
- Add some detail.
- Add your business name.
- Create variations of your logo.
- Export your logo.
Is it bad to make a logo in Photoshop?
In a professional context, Photoshop is not the best program for designing logos as the software does not produce vector files. Adobe Illustrator is the preferred application as it works with vector files and allows for infinite resolution and better scaling options.
Can you use Photoshop for logos?
Yes, Photoshop is a powerful design application that you can use to create logos. While software programs such as Adobe Illustrator are the industry standard for logo designs, Photoshop is a good alternative for creating logos.
