Creating a Logo in Picmonkey Using Shapes by Susan Silver
Brand identity is so crucial when you are marketing online. Your logo is going to become the physical representation of any content that you create. You’ll use it on everything from videos to stationary. If you are just starting out then you don’t have the money to sink into hiring a professional designer.
So what do you do?
Use online image application Picmonkey to create a logo that uses a simple design.
How to create a Logo in Pickmonkey
Picmonkey comes pre-loaded with some great fonts and basic shapes you can use for design. I used their geometric tool when I wanted to create a unique logo for my copywriting portfolio.
1. I like round shapes so I started with the circle tool on a blank white canvas square.
2. I wanted more than just a circle though — I wanted color too. I decided on a design of two overlapping circles.
The top circle is orange and the bottom is yellow. Together these colors invoke positive feelings. The circles are approximately the same diameter. To create the accent, right click on the circle you want to be on the bottom layer. Then move it around until you get the half-moon shape.
3. My logo needed an identity that made it unique. Since my first and last names start with the same letter, I decided to make the S stand out. I used a script type face to give it some flavor.
When this logo is used against a white background the S will appear as negative space. This makes the logo visually interesting and will draw attention to my name.
4. The last step is just to add the rest. I decided on a font called Quicksand.
This font reminded me of text you might see printed in a book. The letters are rounded which makes it easy to read on a computer or mobile device. Quicksand is also available from Google Fonts, which I then used as the type face for my website navigation. This kept the brand identity consistent.
Geometric Shapes Make Great Logos
The power of simple shapes is not lost even on modern designers. Twitter touted its new logo by showing how it could be made from three overlapping circles!
Another example is the Microsoft logo, which consists of four squares representing “windows” and some nice typography.
This type of simple design is not difficult to replicate. Here is a nice showcase of logos made with simple shapes for inspiration.
What companies have a recognizable brand identity from their logo?
This is a guest post by Susan Silver.
