How to create a Logo using Illustrator or Photoshop

This tutorial is completed in Illustrator but all the tools and techniques used are also available in Photoshop. The reason I am using Illustrator is that Illustrator is the best program (in my opinion) for creating vector graphics using the pen tool. Professional Logos are made as vector graphics, allowing them to be resized up or down without loss of quality.

Although this tutorial focuses on the actual production stage of the logo it is important to remember that the graphic design process should always be used. Therefore this stage should be preceded by analysis of any brief, research, brainstorming, and idea development (ideally through sketching). Alongside these design process stages you should also be considering the logo design principles. Ideally read the artcle in full before completing your own logo design but to recap quickly the principles state the logo should be...

• Simple

• Versatile

• Timeless

• Memorable

• Appropriate

For the purposes of this tutorial we will be creating a logo for a design company called 'Cut & Paste'. The design aims to reference the company name within the text styles and shapes used. Now lets begin.

1. Go to File-> New and create a canvas 700px wide and 500px tall. This is not a mandatory size, as the logo (once completed and exported) can be scaled up or down to any size. However, if you want to follow the tutorial exactly using the font sizes and other dimensions used then keep to 700px X 500px.

2. Open the layers window and rename the layer 'Shape 1'. Now use the rectangle shape tool to create a shape 610px x 125px. With the shape selected (with the path selection tool) open the stroke window and add a 5pt white stroke using the settings shown in the image below. Depending on how you clicked and dragged to create the shape the scissors arrow head on the stroke may appear in a different corner. To set the scissors to the position shown, go to Object-> Transform -> Reflect and edit the settings until you get it into the position shown.

3. Now, press the new layer button in the layers window and name the layer 'Shape 2'. With the new layer selected use the rectangle shape tool to create a shape 600px x 115px. Set the shape colour to white and add a uniform stroke of 5pt with the scissors arrowhead (the 5pt stroke all around should make the shape the same size as the previous shape). Position the shape directly on top of the first shape getting the scissors arrowheads to overlap as shown below. Once again go to Object-> Transform -> Reflect and edit the settings until you get the arrowheads into the position shown.

4. For the next shape we will once again create a new layer, call it 'Shape 3'. Use the pen tool to create a black coloured shape similar to the one shown below, remember to complete the shape by joining the last anchor point to the initial anchor point. Once completed you can move the anchor points of the shape into the exact form you want using the direct selection tool. Once again set a 5pt white stroke with a scissors arrowhead, the settings are shown alongside the shapes in the image below. That completes our work on the shapes.

5. Now we will add the text. You can add the text all on one layer but as we will be using 4 different fonts in 4 separate text boxes it is easier to create a new layer for each piece of text too. For the purposes of the tutorial we will create a new layer each time we add a new piece of text.

6. Firstly we will add the 'CUT' text. Create a new layer call it 'CUT' and use the text tool to click and drag out a text box roughly to size you want (you can resize it afterwards if needed) and type the word CUT in Arial Bold and with a font size 110pt

7. Highlight the text with the text tool and change the text colour to white and add a 2pt black stroke. Open the stroke window and tick the dashed line box and set the values to those shown in the image below.

8. Next, we will add the ampersand. Create a new layer for the ampersand, and create a text box on that layer. Type '&' in font style Arial Bold, in a font size of 72pt and set the text colour to white.

9. Now the 'Paste' text. Once again create and name a new layer, use the text tool to create a text box and type 'Paste'. The font used for the paste text is called 'Cut It Out' and is a free to download font available HERE. Set the font colour to Black and the font size to 90pt as shown in the image of the font settings tab below. Use the path selection tool to position the text as shown.

10. Finally the 'Design Company' text. As before, create and name a new layer, add a text box and type in 'Design Company'. The image below shows the text settings used.

11. The completed logo should now resemble the image below. You can continue to develop the logo by editing the colours of the text or shapes, trying out different font styles or adding effects from the 'Effect' tab in the top menu. You can easily create your own logo for new your company or a class project using the tools and techniques explained here but always remember to follow the previous steps of the design process as it is always easier and quicker to create the logo once you have a design sketch to follow. Trust me on that, you don't want to have to learn the hard way!

Create a Cartoon Character

1. To create this cartoon character we will be using vector graphics created by the shape tool, pen tool and associated Photoshop tools and techniques. First create a new A4 canvas in Photoshop by going to File-> New and choosing international paper and then A4. You could choose any other size but if you wish to follow this tutorial exactly then you need to choose an A4 canvas size.

2. The first part of the character we will create is the body, represented by a simple circle. Use the elliptical shape tool to click and drag out an ellipse and then hold on the shift key (while still clicking and dragging) to get a perfect circle. You can resize the circle once you have released the mouse using Edit-> Transform-> Scale. Try to create a circle approximately half the width, and one third the height of the overall canvas. To change the colour of the circle double click on the Finally, in the layers window, right click on the layer, select layer properties and name the layer 'body'.

3. Next, while still on your 'body' layer, go to Layer-> Layer Styles-> Blending Options. In the window which opens select inner shadow and stroke and set the options to those shown in the image below.

4. Next we will create the eyes of our little character. Again we will use the ellipse shape tool to create two ellipses for the eyes. Set the colour to white, add a stroke of between 10pt and 20pt and name each layer 'right eye' and 'left eye'. Now to reshape the eyes into the shapes shown below; First use the add anchor point tool (within the pen tool) to add two anchor points either side of the bottom anchor point on the left eye. Next use the direct selection tool to move that bottom anchor point upwards slightly. For the right eye add two anchor points either side of the top anchor point and two either side of the bottom anchor point and , once again, use the direct selection tool to move the anchor points to obtain the desired shape. Don't be too particular though as the eyes or eyebrows may cover any wobbly looking lines.

5. Now to add the eyeballs; once again start by using the elliptical shape tool to create two ellipses for the eyes, colour these layers blue and name them 'left eyeball' and 'right eyeball'. Next add an inner shadow to the eyeballs using the options shown in the image below. If the eyeball appears below the eye just drag and drop its layer above the eye layer in the layers window.

6. The pupils of the eyes will once again be started by using the elliptical shape tool to create the shapes. Next colour the shapes layers black and name them 'left pupil' and 'right pupil'. To complete the pupils add a bevel and emboss as shown in the image below.

7. We will now complete the eyes by rotating the eyeballs and pupils slightly and positioning and resizing them as necessary to match the image below. Don’t worry that the right eyeball is out of the eye as the eyebrow will cover this.

8. To create the eyebrows we will be using the pen tool. Click and drag to create the curved line anchor points used to create the shape of the eyebrow. Don't be too particular about the shape to start just be sure to join the last anchor point to the initial anchor point to complete the shape. You can then use the direct selection tool to move the anchor points around to achieve a better shape. Finally colour the eyebrows orange.

9. To complete the face of our character we will use the pen tool to create a quizzical smirk and for a little detail use the elliptical shape tool to create cheeks. Colour the cheeks either one tone darker or lighter than the yellow of the face and colour the mouth the same orange as the eyebrows.

10. The last parts of our little cartoon character are the arm and hand. To keep the quizzical look going we want to have the arm and hand scratching the chin (if he had one!) of our character. Similar to the eyebrows, we will use the pen tool to create the arm and hand in three separate shapes. First the arm. Use the pen tool to click and drag creating curved line anchor points and complete the shape by joining the final anchor point to the initial anchor point. Tip: The fewer anchor points you can use the smoother the curve on the arm will be, 6 anchor points would be enough if you can manage it!

11. Finally the hand is made up of 2 shapes, a simple warped ellipse for the wrist and then a detailed shape representing a hand with thumb and fore finger stretched out with the other fingers closed; only showing knuckles. Take your time to create these shapes and remember to complete the shape by joining the final anchor point to the initial anchor point. Don't be too particular about getting the shape perfect the first time around as you can always use the direct selection tool to move the anchor points around or even add or remove anchor points using the appropriate tools.

12. For added detail add an inner shadow to the hand and wrist shape using the options show in the image below.

The completed emoticon style cartoon character should now look something like this. Hope you enjoyed the tutorial, now how about trying to create different emoticon cartoons.

Create your own Angry Bird using Illustrator or Photoshop

This tutorial is completed in Illustrator but all the tools and techniques used are also available in Photoshop. The reason I am using Illustrator is that Illustrator is the best program (in my opinion) for creating vector graphics using the pen tool. Logos and cartoons are normally made with the pen tool so they are created as vector graphics, allowing them to be resized up or down without loss of quality, therefore this image will be created using the pen tool. Now that that is cleared up, let's begin.

1. Go to File-> New and create a canvas 700px wide and 500px tall.

2. Go to the layers window and rename the base layer 'Body'. Select the ellipse shape tool and create a circle, set the colour of the circle to red and put a 7px black stroke on the circle.

3. Use the direct selection tool to move the top and left anchor points slightly, as seen in the image below.

4. Now use the add anchor point tool (within the pen tool) to add 6 anchor points across the top of the body, don’t be too particular about the placement as we will be moving them soon anyway. See the image below.

5. Next select the direct selection tool and drag the 2nd and 4th anchor points upwards and the use the handles on each anchor point until the shape resembles the image below. (If there are no handles on the anchor points it is possible they are straight line anchor points, use the convert anchor point tool and click and drag slightly on each point to convert them to curved line anchor points.)

6. Now open the layers window and click the button circled in the image below and create a new layer, call it 'belly'.

7. Next, while on the belly layer, use the ellipse shape tool to create the rough shape of the belly, colour the shape in white and set the stroke to 0pt. Then zoom in and use the direct selection tool to move the anchor points and their handles into a shape similar to the image below.

8. Open the layers window again and click the new layer button and create a new layer, call it 'eyes'. If it is not the top layer, move it to the top. Use the ellipse tool to create two circles for the eyes, each circle should be white with a 3pt stroke. To overlap one eye over the other as show in the image below, right click on one eye and select move to front.

9. Next create a new layer, call it 'eyeballs'. Use the ellipse tool to create two small black circles without any stroke. Position the eyeballs as shown in the image below.

10. Again create a new layer, call it 'eyebrow' and ensure it is the top layer. Use the Pen tool and click (do not click and drag) one at a time creating new straight line anchor points in the shape shown below remembering to join the last anchor point to the original point.

11. The final part of the image is the nose. Create a new layer, call it 'nose' and once again ensure it is the top layer. Use the pen tool to create the rough shape of the nose, remembering to join the last anchor point to the original anchor point. Give the shape a yellow colour and a 3pt stroke. To edit and refine the shape of the nose use the direct selection tool to move the anchor points and their handles around. You may also need to use the convert point tool as the nose shape uses both curved line and straight line anchor points. The image below shows the completed image alongside the layers used to create it.

The pen tool can be difficult but remember practice makes perfect so after completing this tutorial perhaps try creating the rest of the angry bird family or other cartoon images.

Create a Simple Space Scene Using Adobe Photoshop

1. Create a new file by going to File-> New and set the file size to 700 pixels wide and 500 pixels high (other sizes can be used).

2. Use the paint bucket tool to fill in the canvas layer in black.

3. Next create a new layer by going to Layer-> New-> Layer, call the layer 'Planet'. The layer will appear in the layers window above the background layer.

4. With the planet layer still selected use the elliptical marquee tool to create a circular selection (hold down shift for a perfect circle).

5. Now use the paint bucket tool to fill in the selection, any colour is fine, I used yellow. When the circle is filled deselect by going to Select-> Deselect or hold Ctrl + D.

6. With the planet layer still selected, go to Layer-> Layer Styles-> Blending Options. Select Bevel & Emboss and tick Contour on. Set the Depth to 100%, the size to 250px and Soften to 16px (Other values can be tried out). Move the angle setting closer to the centre, as in the image below.

7. Now click on outer glow and set the blend mode to normal, the colour to a light yellow, the spread to 5 and the size to 150px as in the image below (again, other values can be tried out). Click OK to confirm the changes. That will complete our work on the planet layer for now.

8. Next create a new layer by going to Layer-> New-> Layer. Call this layer 'Rings'. The layer should be the top layer in the layers window but if not, select it and drag and drop it to the top.

9. Now use the elliptical marquee tool to make an elliptical shape across the planet, don’t try to be too accurate it can be easily moved and resized afterwards. While still on the elliptical marquee tool switch the setting to subtract from selection. See the image below.

10. Next use the paint bucket tools to fill in the selection. Any colour can be used, I chose brown. Now deselect the rings, move them into a position you are happy with using the move tool and even rotate, resize, stretch or shrink them by going to Edit-> Free Transform. I slightly rotated my rings.

11. Next use the Eraser tool to remove the back section of the rings to make it appear as though it is going behind the planet, as shown in the image below. To add some style to the rings you can add a gradient overlay by going to Layer-> Layer Styles-> Blending Options. In the pop up window select gradient overlay and choose any colours and options you like the look of, I chose a brown to light brown linear gradient. That completes our work on the rings layer.

12. Next we are going to use the Lens Flare tool on each layer. First I used it on the planet layer to add a highlight to the planet suggesting light is emerging from behind it, as seen in the first image below. Next I used it in a different way on the background layer to create the appearance of distance stars. Try out different sizes and different placements in your image.

 

13. For a little touch use the smudge tool to drag a 'tail' on one of the small lens flares creating a shooting star effect.

14. If you are happy you can leave it at that but for some extra detail you can duplicate the planet layer by selecting it and going to Layer-> Duplicate Layer and then move it and resize it using Edit-> Free Transform. You can then change the colour easily by going to Image-> Adjustments-> Hue and Saturation and changing the Hue.

Create a Post-Apocalyptic Image using Photoshop

1. Choose a selection of images that you would like to work with. The images should ideally be old, worn or aged or derelict in appearance or of broken or old objects. I have chosen the pictures below.

2. Open all the images in Photoshop by going to file-> open and navigating to where the images are saved.

3. We will be using the image of the derelict house as our base image. Firstly we are going to remove the existing sky from the image. To do this first unlock the image layer by double clicking on the lock icon beside it in the layers window and choose ok in the subsequent pop up window. Next use the quick selection tool from the toolbar (may be under the magic wand) to select the sky, once selected press backspace.

4. Now use the move tool to drag and drop the sky image from its layer window into the derelict house image (you can also import it directly if it is not already open using file-> import). Use Edit-> Transform-> Scale to resize the image to a size that looks realistic within the scene. Place the sky image on a layer beneath the derelict house, this can be done by dragging and dropping it up or down in the layers window.

5. The next stage is to start adding the post-apocalyptic atmosphere using Hue and Saturation. Go to Image-> Adjustments-> Hue and Saturation. Try out different values to achieve different colours; I used Hue -30 and Saturation +30.

6. We now start to cut out the car from its background, similar to cutting the sky from the house image. Check that the layer is unlocked and then use the quick selection tool to select the area you want to remove the press backspace or delete. Once the background is removed use the move tool to drag and drop the car image into the scene. Use Edit-> Transform-> Scale to resize the image to a size that looks realistic within the scene. Use the move tool to position it where you want it and edit the Hue and Saturation values to get the car to blend better with the overall image.

7. The next step is basically a repeat of the previous step only using the rubble image this time. The one main difference is that I mirrored the rubble image so I could position it on the left side of the image. To mirror the image, go to Edit-> Transform-> Flip Horizontal. Now edit the Hue and Saturation values to get the rubble to blend better.

8. The final part of the image is the lightning, once again use the move tool to drag and drop the lightning into the scene and position the lightning layer above the sky layer but below the other layers. In order to blend the lightning into the sky we must select the lightning layer and go to Layer-> Layer Styles-> Blending Options. With the blending window open choose the multiplyoption and reduce the opacity to a value that looks good, I used 40%. If you want you can also edit the Hue and Saturation values of the lightning and sky layers to get them to blend better.

And that's it. Here's the completed apocalyptic scene.