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How to Make a Logo in Illustrator:
Eleven easy steps to create a professional business logo in Illustrator.
Getting started.
Create a new Illustrator document.
Launch Illustrator, click on "File" in the top menu bar, and select "New... (Ctrl/Cmd + N)" from the drop-down menu.
Create a canvas.
For this example, we'll create a custom canvas, but you can choose from a range of templates.
Give your document a title.
Set the measurement to "Pixels."
Set the "Width" and "Height" to "1000 px."
The "Color Mode" is automatically set to "CMYK Color" as this is the color format intended for print.
"Raster Effects" is set to "High (300 ppi)" for optimal image resolution.
Setting up your workspace.
Switch your workspace.
Once you've created your document, select the "Painting" workspace from the drop-down menu of the "Switch Workspace" icon in the top-right corner.
Create a save file.
It's important to save your Illustrator 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.
Using shapes.
Pick a shape for your logo.
The shape will become the structure of the logo and contain the icon. Different shapes have various associations and can be used to communicate certain values and characteristics of your business.
Select the Shape Tool.
You'll find the "Shape Tool" in the left menu bar. Right-click on the icon to select the type of shape. In this case, we're using the "Rectangle Tool (M)."
Draw your shape.
Hold "Shift" and click and drag your cursor to create the shape. This will produce a perfect square.
For a custom rectangular shape, don't hold down "Shift."
You can center your shape by clicking on the "Horizontal" and "Vertical Align Center" icons in the top menu bar.
Soften the corners.
Click and drag the small circular handle inside the corners of the square toward the center of the shape until you're happy with the roundness of the corners.
Adding color.
Choose a color scheme for your logo.
Colors in logos play an important role in the branding of your business. Colors have certain psychological associations and effects on people and can help give your brand a defining character.
Set the stroke color.
In the top-left of the menu bar, set the "Stroke" color to "[None]."
You can add 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.
Create a gradient.
Click on the "Gradient" icon in the right menu bar to bring up the gradient options. Select the "White, Black" gradient option from the dop-down menu.
Choose various gradient styles by selecting a "Type" option.
Add shades to the gradient.
Once the gradient has been created, you can customize the colors using the gradient slider.
Set the gradient angle to "45°."
Double-click on the left white circle beneath the gradient slider and assign a color. In this case, we're selecting a light blue.
Do the same for the black circle on the right of the gradient slider, selecting a different color. We've selected a darker blue.
Add more shades to your gradient by clicking beneath the gradient slider.
To remove a gradient tone, click and drag the color circle away from the slider.
You can adjust the fade between the various tones of your gradient by sliding the color circles beneath the gradient slider.
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. Think of something that captures the nature and values of your business and gather some reference images. For this example, we're going to construct a cloud icon using various shapes.
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 shape tool.
Right-click on the shape icon in the left menu bar and select the "Ellipse Tool (L)."
Set the "Fill" to "White" and the "Stroke" to "[None]" in the top menu bar.
Create your shapes.
Hold down "Shift" and start creating circles of various sizes to create the basic impression of a cloud.
Complete the icon.
Click on the "Selection Tool (V)" icon on the left menu bar. Then, click on a shape to position and resize it.
Once you've created the bubbly top section of the cloud, switch to the "Rectangle Tool (M)" to construct a rectangle that will complete the bottom of the icon.
Position your cursor on the bottom-center anchor point of the leftmost circle and construct the rectangle without holding "Shift" until it joins with the bottom-center anchor point of the rightmost circle.
Hold down "Shift" when resizing shapes to maintain their proportions.
Use the pink "Smart Guides" to align the bottom edge of the lowest two circles in the cloud.
Refining the icon.
Select the shapes.
Ensure that the icon layer is selected. Then, use the "Selection Tool (M)" to select all the shapes in the icon by holding "Shift" and clicking on each shape.
Select the Shape Builder Tool.
You'll find the "Shape Builder Tool (Shift + M)" on the left menu bar.
Connect the shapes.
Use your cursor to connect the shapes by drawing a line over the overlapping sections of the shapes.
Repeat this process until all the shapes have been merged and you're left with just the outline of the cloud icon.
Adding detail.
Select the Pen Tool.
We can add a small amount of detail to make the icon really pop. In this case, we're going to create a shadow.
Create a new layer by clicking on the "+" button in the bottom-right corner beneath the layers panel.
Click on the "Pen Tool (P)" icon in the left menu bar.
Construct the shadow.
Switch to "Outline" mode by clicking on "View" and selecting "Outline (Ctrl/Cmd + Y)." This will display the fundamental vector lines that Illustrator uses to construct images.
Take the Pen Tool and click to add an anchor point on the left side of the cloud icon's outline.
Create a second anchor point outside the bottom-left of the square shape, holding down "Shift" to create a 45° angle.
Repeat this process, this time creating a new line at a 45° angle toward the bottom-right.
Create a third anchor point at a 45° angle toward the top-right and use the smart guides to place it in line with the first anchor point.
Finally, complete the shape by clicking on the original anchor point.
Line up the paths.
The left shadow path is properly aligned, but we need to ensure that the right shadow path connects with the cloud icon.
Click on the "Direct Selection Tool (A)" icon in the left menu bar and click on the rightmost shadow path.
Drag the path so that it connects with the bottom-right corner of the cloud.
Zoom in to ensure that the lines meet up.
Add color to the shadow.
Exit the "Outline" view (Ctrl/Cmd + Y) and click on the "Selection Tool (V)" icon. Then, click on the shadow to select it.
In the top-right menu bar, change the "Fill" of the shadow to a dark blue and the "Stroke" to "[None]."
Change the transparency by adjusting the "Opacity" to 50% in the top menu bar.
Making elements fit.
Make the shadow fit into the shape.
In order to complete the shape of the shadow, we need to make it fit within the icon border and around the bottom of the cloud.
Click on the "Selection Tool (V)" icon in the left menu bar.
Select the blue square shape by clicking on the small circle to the right of the layer icon in the layers panel.
Click on "Edit" in the main menu bar and select "Copy" from the drop-down menu.
Select the shadow shape in the layers panel and click on "Edit" in the menu bar and click on "Paste in Back."
Hold down "Shift" and click on the shadow shape so that both objects are selected.
Finally, click on the "Pathfinder" icon in the right menu bar and select the "Intersect" option.
This will contain the shadow to the borders of the square icon.
Make the shadow fit around the icon.
In order to make the shadow fit the outline of the cloud, we will use a similar process.
Select the cloud layer, click on "Edit" in the main menu bar, and select "Copy" from the drop-down menu.
Select the shadow shape in the layers panel and click on "Edit" in the main menu bar and select "Paste in Front."
Hold down "Shift" and click on the shadow shape so that both objects are selected.
Click on the "Pathfinder" icon, and select "Minus Front."
Adding your business name.
Select the Type Tool.
Create a new layer by clicking on the "+" button in the bottom-right corner beneath the layers panel. Select the "Type Tool (T)" in the left menu bar.
Click on the canvas to create a text box and type in your business name.
Change the text color.
Click on the "Fill" icon in the top menu bar and select a color for your text.
Set the "Stroke" color to "[None]."
Change the font.
Adjust the look of your text by selecting a font from the drop-down menu. You'll find this in the middle of the top menu bar.
Position your text by selecting the "Selection Tool (V)" and dragging your text box into place.
You can adjust the text style, size, leading, kerning, and tracking parameters by clicking on "Character" in the top menu bar.
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 decision.
Create Artboards.
Click on the "Artboards Tool (Shift + O)" icon on the left menu bar and ensure that the "Move/Copy Artwork with Artboard" option is selected in the top menu bar. Then, hold "Alt" on Windows or "Option" on Mac and click and drag the canvas to create a copy of the logo on a new Artboard.
Repeat the process to create additional Artboards.
Experiment with colors, outlines, and compositional layouts to compare different versions of your design and help inform your final decision.
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..."
Specify the export destination on your computer.
Select a file format.
The benefit of Illustrator is that it creates vector files, which offer infinite resolution and can therefore scale perfectly for various applications. When you save an Illustrator project, it will save it as an "AI" document. This is also known as a "Working," "Source," or "Master" file that contains your workspace where edits can be made.
The pop-up window will show your different export options.
Choose a file type from the drop-down menu of the "Format" tab.
"EPS" and "SVG" formats are vector files that allow you to scale the images without quality loss. They are designed for print and web, respectively.
"PNG" and "JPG" files are pixel-based and will lose resolution when scaled up. The former allows for transparent backgrounds, while the latter does not.
How to Make a Logo in Photoshop
FAQs:
How do I create a logo in Adobe Illustrator?
You can create your own business logo using Illustrator by following our step-by-step guide.
Is Adobe Illustrator good for making logos?
Adobe Illustrator is the ideal application for making logos as it is a vector-based program that creates images with infinite resolution, meaning that your images can scale to any size.
How do I create a logo in Illustrator?
- Create a new Illustrator document.
- Set up your workspace.
- Create a basic shape.
- Add some color.
- Create an icon.
- Refine the icon.
- Add some detail.
- Make the elements fit.
- Add your business name.
- Create variations of your logo.
- Export your logo.
How do you make a modern logo in Illustrator?
The modern trend in logo design is minimalism. Use simple shapes, easily recognizable icons, and a refined color palette. Consider how your logo will be used in your business. For example, modern logos are often designed with app icons in mind, using circular forms and simple iconography that will read well on smartphones.
Should I make logos in Photoshop or Illustrator?
While Photoshop is more than capable of creating logos, Illustrator is definitely the better option due to its vector-based format, making it the best program for designing images for web applications and large-scale prints or signage.
