JRN 302: Introduction to Graphics and Visual Communication- Logos, PS Demos: Custom Brush, Text, Scale, Color

Tuesday, 9/15/15

Class Objectives

Lecture Logos, Look at Logo Assignment Sheet, this lecture, AND

Grade Sheet PS Demos: Custom Brushes, Text, Scale, Color

Homework assignments Logo assignment due by the end of class, on Tuesday, 9/29/15

No late assignments will be accepted. Readings

http://justcreative.com/2008/01/08/how-to-design-a-logo/ http://www.cnet.com/news/google-updates-logo-saying-its-better-for-mobile/

#ftag=CAD590a51e

On our class webpage, tutorials page, 1 and 2 of the mp4 video files will help with logo assignment (optional)

Logo Assignment

Carefully follow Logo Assignment direction sheet on class website under homework

Logo Assignment Grade sheet is posted so you can see point allocation

You will design 1 logo, saved many ways. For a hypo company, a company you are associated with (have permission) or you/your brand. Who is target audience, what is product?

Logo Assignment

Look at other (competitor’s) logos (Google) Want to be different? Contrast with theirs Want to be similar? Use similar colors,

typefaces, layout/designs Look at good logo designs

Mainly simple in terms of what is in them Visually simple, not the same thing as simple

when constructing logo HUGE in terms of alignment http://justcreative.com/2008/01/08/how-to-design-a-log

o/

What is a good logo? Can scale/look good at any size

So don’t over complicate! Simple is OK! Will not include a photograph

Will somehow tie back into the company = appropriate Think of colors, typefaces

Will heavily use the principle of alignment Box it out!

Has a good use of negative space or secondary meanings

http://www.businessinsider.com/subliminal-messages-in-12-popular-logos-2013-5?op=1

Memorable over time, versatile

Logo Design

Ignore the backgrounds of these examples… what similarities do you see in each of them?

Logo

Can be many colors One color (think about what colored logo would look like

if faxed) Can be a symbol only Can be text only Can be both symbol and text Think about negative spacing (spacing

between all elements of logo)

Logo

Realize that your logo will be used both large (advertisement) and small (business card) From raster/vector lecture(s), which is better to

do Start with a large logo and decrease it? Start with a small logo and increase it?

Don’t design a logo that loses details when it shrinks in size

Logo options

Can use a TM symbol or not Can have a background color/texture or not

May want to do two versions of the logo One with background One without background

Most important design element in logos is alignment (goal is for everything to be lined up with something else) If you’re going to break the principle of alignment,

make sure it doesn’t look like a mistake

Logo assignment

We’re going to create it in Photoshop If you know Illustrator and would like to use that,

come talk to me If professionally done, would start in Illustrator

(why do you think?) How to start the file in Photoshop

Size it to be at least 4 inches wide AND tall Have to use all of the space (but does not have to be

a square design) Resolution has to be 300 ppi Color Mode is RGB

Logo assignment

You WILL start at the <File <New when you design your logo But you can use existing symbols/shapes (find

free CSH files- demo on next slide) Doing any of these will result in a 0/50 points

Right click and saving any other web files Using someone else’s logo Using part of someone else’s logo

PS Demo: Shapes

You will probably want a shape in your logo If simple (oval, rectangle), use the shape

button If more complicated, use custom shapes

Default custom shapes Search and install CSH files

For example, search “CSH Photoshop Free Giraffe” Look for the .CSH file (you’re on your own here) Download it and install it in PS

Look at the layer to see if it has the “shape” icon on it

PS Demo: Custom Shapes

You CAN scale (<Edit <Transform <Scale) up your shapes as long as they are shapes Do NOT scale up once they are rasterized Hold that shift button down!! NEVER adjust by moving middle handle!!

If, in you logo design, something is skewed, points will be deducted

So circles should be circles, people should be normal looking

Logo Assignment

You choose the typeface for your logo Be aware that fonts sit on each individual

computer, so if you travel to another computer lab, and your text is saved as a text layer, this second computer may not have your font installed on it

Either Rasterize your text layer or Take your font from 1 computer to other computers and

install it on them (problematic if lab computers)

Same issues apply with increasing/scaling up text as those that apply with shapes!

How to create your Logo

In PS (unless you know AI- then talk to prof), 4” x 4”, 300 ppi, RGB

Use as much space as you can Save multiple versions of your logo

With names that make sense Experiment!

But remember simple is good, alignment is mandatory

Pick your color scheme Can do randomly or (see next slide)

Picking colors (we will go over again) If this is not installed in PS already (and it would

be under <Window <Extensions <Kuler)… Go to https://www.adobe.com/ and search Kuler

(try to download/install) If not, go to

https://kuler.adobe.com/create/color-wheel/ Pick a color scheme under the “Explore” link* Click the “Edit” and make note of the RGB colors you

like Change your colors in PS to be these RGB value *Used to be a way to download the color scheme but I can’t find

it anymore