How would I render an image or drawing via the computer (like a company logo or a cartoon)? Is there a software package designed just for this, or do artists draw a picture and then scan that in to their computer, to manipulate it with their favorite graphics program later?
I am trying to understand how a graphics design company can quickly come up with a number of different logos that can be used on the computer or be made into signs, or printed on shirts, mugs, etc. There must be a way to do this fairly quickly… My company is currently looking to change its logo, and a consultant company came back within a week with at least five options.
Does someone draw it, scan it in, and then save it as a .jpg or .gif or whatever, and manipulate/color it with the software package later?
If so, what are the software packages they use? Everyone can’t just use photoshop, can they?
Yes, most of the professional graphics designers do. Although many use Adobe Illustrator, because logos are generally preferred to be in vector format rather than pixel based graphics.
There are also freeware vector based graphics programs like www.inkscape.org
If the starting file is vector based, it’s easy to make alternate and similar versions of it for a client to pick their favorite.
Well, first of all, it wouldn’t be Photoshop that they would use; much more likely a vector graphics program like Illustrator. There are free vector drawing programs like Inkscape as well, although the pros probably use Illustrator.
Not only does a program like this allow them to create the logo, but vector graphics are far preferable to raster graphics for a task like this because they’re not composed of pixels in the same way that files like JPEGs and GIFs are. Vectors store their image information in a different way than raster files, meaning that they can be scaled up or down without losing quality, whereas raster images become visibly pixelated as they increase in size.
There are a bunch of sites of the internet that will explain in more detail the difference between vector and raster images.
Logos are generally created as “vector art”. The standard vector art package in the industry is Adobe Illustrator, not Photoshop. Photoshop is for “raster art”.
The main benefits of vector vs. raster art is that vector art is defined mathematically, so that it can be enlarged to any size without loss of quality. It also an easily hold spot color information.
The standard workflow is to do sketches of your ideas. This can be done on a physical piece of paper, or a Wacom tablet or Cintiq monitor that allows you to draw directly as a digital file. If you use paper, you need to scan it, obviously.
Then you create the file in Illustrator using the tools and end up with would would generally be an EPS file.
There is a whole lot of stuff you need to consider in order to generate a proper logo, colors and color variants, size, and most importantly, content. Logo design can go fairly quick, but it isn’t something that you’re likely to have a great deal of success with without a background in graphic design.
OK, so vector art is preferred to a raster file (which answers a big question for me, and that was scaleability - vectors scale much better, I assume. I know pixel-based files, like a jpg don’t scale very well.
For now, I’m not worried about color and content. I’m interested in making a logo that would be quick and scaleable. It sounds like illustrator would be the program to start with (or inkscape for a free version).
Thanks for the program advice all; Lobohan, you mention something called a “Wacom tablet or Cintiq monitor”. Are these things software/hardware packages that allow you to “draw” on a computer and then upload it into illustrator? The Cintiq monitor seems to be a device that creates a picture from my 2 dimensional drawing, correct?
Read this again. And again, and again, and again. Do you want your logo to look professional, or do you want it to look like it was done by an amateur? It’s obvious that you have no education or experience with logo design (for example, thinking that you’d draw something on paper, then scanning it). Most designers are art school graduates, and then have years of experience behind them. There are many logos that were obviously designed by amateurs who thought that all they needed was the right software, and they could come up with something professional looking. It doesn’t work that way. If you want a logo, hire a professional. The fact that the design company came up with five designs is an indication of their collective training and experience, not simply that they have the right software.
I understand this. And I think it’s a great point. I have always had a desire to try my hand at this, and I may be given an opportunity to do so because none of the submitted designs wowed anyone. I have an MBA in marketing, so I’ve studied and created logo designs for personal things (like the football team I play on); it’s important that it look professional, and the logo I’m thinking of creating must be professional, or it will get tossed. I have not, as has been pointed out, taken a graphic arts class or program. I would really like to, but I don’t have the time. Depending on how this current attempt goes, I might get the time, But the goal right now is to understand the process at a high enough level that I can create a logo or two fairly quickly.
As far as drawing and scanning a logo in, I realize that was probably not the way to do it, but that’s why I’m here asking. If I need to buy new hardware/software to permit me to sketch freehand on a computer screen of some type, I’d like to know that, too.
Bolding mine. I think it might be worth pointing out that design packages like Adobe Illustrator are (a) very expensive (Illustrator alone is $599 and all designers use it in conjunction with Photoshop and InDesign at a bare minimum) and (b) very complex, taking many months to master. You honestly aren’t going to be able to open up the software and dash off a few logos. What’s more, just having the software at your disposal isn’t enough - it may be on computer but it still requires considerable artistic skill to actually be able to draw something using it. Illustrator doesn’t do thing for you, you should think of it as a complicated pencil.
You are probably going to get flack for what you’re proposing - graphic designers frequently come across people who think it’s easy and anyone can do it, something that would never be levelled at an Architect or a Product Designer, yet the skills involved in graphics are just as complex. The fact remains that design requires a considerable range of skills, from artistic ability**, years** of training, technical knowledge, understanding of brand strategy through to knowledge of production processes. Drawing a picture is really just the tip of a big brand iceberg.
By the way, a Wacom tablet is a flat device that looks a bit like a mousepad which you use with a special pen in order to draw directly onto the screen. I am using one right now - my mouse has been confined to the bin. That’s another piece of kit which takes quite some time to master.
I just wanted to make one more point. There’s nothing wrong with you wanting to have a go as a hobby and create logos for amateur sports teams and the like, but you really are not qualified to advise your company on branding. A brand can literally affect the success or failure of a business, which is why it’s vital to talk to experts - it’s not enough that you and your colleagues like whatever logo you come up with, it might not be right for your company and might not present the right image to your customers. You are not qualified to make this judgement. If you don’t like what the design company has done, you need to be talking to your design company…or finding another one. You wouldn’t toss an architect’s plans or a lawyer’s recommendations in the bin and think ‘I’ll have a go myself’.
If you’re a novice you’ll most likely find using it frustrating and tedious. Most find the pen tool (the most important one) difficult to master. Bezier curves take some time to become fluid using them.
creating aesthetically balanced and pleasing logos, identities, brands and such is a lengthy, iterative process that demands a talented eye, skilled hands and years of practiced experience.
there’s a whole replication side to graphics as well. Bone up on the various printing processes, color spaces (gamuts), and digital formats before you attack the logo, or you’re gonna be in for a rude awakening when you try to print it.
make sure, as it sounds like you’re an amateur, you really know what you’re getting into – for yourself and your company’s sake.
Thank you for the advice and wisdom, SanVito. I think I have made it perfectly clear that this is not my area of expertise (I think you can tell that by simply reading the questions I’ve posted), but I do have an interest in this particular field, so it’s not like I don’t understand some of the basic concepts either. When you are looking for a logo for a product, company, or whatever, there is one thing that everyone can state immediately when they look at an artist’s rendering of their concept: Whether they like it or not. I think we can agree to this one point.
Thanks for this info. I assumed that the tool would not exactly be straightforward, but I need to start somewhere. I’m also hopeful that the company will pick up the tab on the software, because I’m not going to! Which is why I appreciated the free suggestions.
Anyway, here’s the thing. I can draw a bit, and I’ve already drawn my idea(s) down on paper. I am an artist ( I sent away for one of those Art School aptitude tests and drew the profile of the dog with the hat and sent it in. I was told I have talent!)* The people who will make the final decision on the logo saw what I did and asked if I could make it better looking. I said I’d try, but I did tell them of my lack of experience in this particular area. Still, I’ve been asked to do this and I’m ok with it. If I have to sit down with the consultant at some point, I will. But I wanted to see what (if anything) I could create on my own with a tool designed for this purpose.
I can take the flack. I’m not trying to take myself too seriously. But I think you are either confused about what I’m trying to do or you are taking your profession WAY too seriously.
Look, I understand it takes a whole bunch of talent to even draw or paint without lines or numbers to guide you. But I also know that some people are born with the talent to draw, whereas others can’t draw a stick figure for all the rice in China. Comparing this to being an architect of a building is just way off. Drawing something that will be built for people to live and work in is a hell of a lot harder to do than what I’m trying to do here. I don’t know the local, state, and federal building codes and regulations for one thing, and I would have no idea if I put a load-bearing wall in the correct spot or not. That’s a lot different than choosing blue over red for my font color.
If you don’t think I understand brand strategy and lifecycle, for example, you’d be wrong. I mentioned I have my MBA and focused in marketing, so many of the ideas you are referring to are not new to me. Technically, I don’t need a license to create a logo, and someone could not only buy it, but they could incorporate it and use it if they like it. If they did that with my architectual plans for my apartment building, I think some people would go to jail, and others to the morgue.
I’m not trying to insult you. I’m just trying to put this in perspective. I am very aware of my limitations, and if at the end of the day my idea/design/drawing is flushed, I will not take it personally. (I am now wondering what the poor consultant felt when he got the feedback from his first attempt?)
Thank you. I imagine this will take some time to master, but at least I know what one is now.
I’m not “qualified” as an ASE certified technician either, but I’ve been changing brakes, rotors, oil, and whatnot on my cars since I was a teenager.
It’s interesting to hear your point of view, though. It is part of the consultant’s manifesto to provide “expert” opinion. That way, if their concept sucks and the company goes belly up, we can all point to the consultant, who sent us down the wrong path with their bad logo design. The company had to file for chapter 11 because the consultant chose the wrong logo. “It wasn’t our fault! It was them! Consultant XYZ chose that bad logo and brand image! (What can brown do for you? That personally makes me think of crap.)”
My point is that mistakes are made all the time in this area. And although you are right in that choosing the right one is sometimes critical for success, I can’t recall anyone who died after a bad graphic design choice. Choosing a home office architect plan may have bad consequences, however!
just kidding. I never drew the dog. I think it was a turtle!
Well, I’m not going to debate the merits of what it takes to be a sucessful graphic designer, but don’t be too hasty to wave away the technical and artistic skills involved.
I get what you’re attempting to do. I’ve been a designer for almost 20 years and in my time have encountered many who balk at my fees, or have called me a “glorified key-liner”. No matter.
And I’ve said many times, thank god no lives were at stake, because if my experiences in my career were as fraught with as much responsibilty as a heart surgeon, I’d keep a few cemetaries in business.
Like others have already said, inherent talent to “draw” does not a designer make. It’s quite akin to saying, “I’ve made some impressive structures with Legos, so using AutoCAD should come to me rather intuitively.”
And I’m not saying it can’t be done, just… as most of us, we started out rather young, and even those of us who have had formal education, it takes years to not only conceive of a logo, but to execute it across the board artistically and technically, read the minds of your clients, not get burnt out on the 12th iteration, because you used Pantone 174 here, and your boss’s wife hates burgundy, and can you use a font that’s less “pointy”? Do you know about spot colors vs. process colors, and when to use what? Preparing your art for separations? Oh, the boss though it would be awesome to make some tees, can you send this to the silkscreener? Shit, you used gradients, gonna have to convert those areas to halftones. Well, now he wants it embroidered. And we also need letterhead, business cards, envelopes, but in 2-color, not process. Also, Joan in HR wants to use your logo in MS Word. Can you set that up? Because she tried importing it, but it’s too big and it prints funny, and it’s not centered right. Would you mind fixing that for her? Also, Robert in sales wants to use it in his Power Point presentation. Oh, by the way, the printer called and is having some issues with separating your logo, the two colors that are butting up need to be trapped, and you should probably come down for a presscheck at 10:30 pm… Etc…
And that’s the tip of the iceberg, my friend. Happy swimming!
There seem to be a couple different issues at play here:
The actual artistic design/composition/idea behind the logo. These are the balance, proper color, different iterations, etc. objections. You’ve rebutted these with “I know I’m not a graphic designer, and so does my company.” That’s fine. A friend of mine has me do graphic design work for him though I don’t do it full-time professionally (my field is related and my full-time job requires me to do general design and production work occasionally) – he pays me less than what a pro would ask, but in return he’s not getting my full-time attention or the expertise a pro would provide. But we both know the situation. And probably more importantly, he mostly needs production, not branding.
The production of the logo. These are the “Illustrator is HARD” objections. And it is – to do it well. Of course it heavily depends on the complexity of the logo, but even sometimes the simplest-looking logos are a pain to get looking good in a vector program, especially if you don’t work with the program all day every day. It’s the difference between sketching a scene on paper and executing it in oils. Or making a Play-Doh bust and then deciding to make a bronze. Really. You’ll probably be able to turn out something that resembles what you started from, but not the quality you’re hoping for.
I don’t think anyone’s telling you not to try – here’s Inkscape for free: http://inkscape.org/download/ – just that you seem to be vastly underestimating how difficult the production step is for someone starting from scratch. How much is your time worth?
That bitch! She’s always throwing a fly in the ointment. Well the hell with her and her requirements. If she can’t figure out how to import the damn thing, she’ll just have to wait until I get around to making a template for her. Or maybe retire.
Joan. What a piece of work.
**cymk **- Seriously, thank for the advice. The truth is, I really don’t have any idea of what I’m getting myself in for. But I think you made a good analogy in your second posted note, which I unfortunately erased. When you mentioned autoCAD, that’s a very good way to put it. I know some CAD… and it’s NOT easy to learn, even if I know the concepts. It will take quite a long time to master that program, and I believe this to be a fair analogy to the learning curve on a program like illustrator. I’m sure I’ll get stuck, do it the best I can, and call it a day. I’m not naive enough to think that I’ll not only be able to do this on the first shot, but I’ll be able to find the correct help files to point me in the right direction.
I hope folks realize that (most of) my answers to **SanVito **were made tongue in cheek. I’m just trying to keep things loose. If I get too uptight, I’ll probably choke on the attempt this weekend and that will be that.
I hope someday I can see some of your and **SanVito’s **work, just to get an idea of how good you think you are.
Or CorelDraw. Reasons why?
[ol]
[li]It’s cheaper.[/li][li]The spline tools are a lot easier to use.[/li][li]It is not part of a vastly expensive suite, giving the supplier every reason to leave out features that are in other packages in the suite.[/li][/ol]
Hell, I’ve been doing graphics for 30 years, and I find Illustrator frustrating and tedious. I’ll avoid it unless I am forced to use it, creating in CorelDraw and exporting .ai files.
I’m not gonna dis Corel. Last time I used it was when I was cutting my teeth at a pre-press house in the early 90s.
Then there was the whole Freehand vs. Illustrator war. Ahh, those were the days. I’m quite fond of Illustrator, but that’s probably just my bias.
And, I hear ya Stink Fish. I got out of doing primarily print and graphic design about 5 years ago, to jump into another circle of hell known as CG animation. But, I lean heavily on my graphic design experience.
There’s a link to my somewhat outdated gallery in my profile, if’n you’re interested.
Anyhow, good luck in your graphic endeavors… I actually encourage you. And youtube is a treasure trove of tutorials, so mine that for all its pixels. Godspeed.
Or worse: I once had a client who demanded that I actually design the logo in Word . . . so she could make changes in it now and then. I could not convince her that this was a bad idea, and had to turn down the job.
On the other hand: I once designed a cardiology text book. The author/editor was a world-renowned cardiovascular surgeon. At some point in a long meeting dealing with design decisions, he said: “I don’t know how you designers can know so much about so many things.” I could have kissed him.
