How to Create a Free Sports Logo
While original art and professional design can make a sports logo look sharp and unique, this is not always an affordable option. Taking the do-it-yourself route is possible and requires only a few simple steps, as well as the appropriate graphics programs. The logo can then be used in publicity, on T-shirts, in display advertising and on websites.
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Instructions
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Plan your design. What words and images will be included? Make a simple sketch of all the words and graphics you want to include. Try a few different ideas to see what works best. Remember that more complicated images, larger images or full-color images will cost more to reproduce on publicity materials. If you are designing a sports logo for a club or a school, ask them if they have the Pantone Matching System (PMS) numbers for their team colors; this will make the color-matching accurate. If the numbers are not available, try scanning an existing item with the team colors into Adobe Photoshop. Use the eyedropper icon to sample the color and the color finder dialog box to find out its PMS number. Any printer will know about PMS colors and should be able to match them.
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Set up a new file for your graphic and name it. It is best to size your file large, as the design can always be reduced for use on various items. If the graphics are very simple, it is possible to create them in Microsoft Word. If they are more complex, you'll need to use a program with more advanced features.
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Import any photograph or illustration elements into the file, if you are using them. Many programs come with a clip art file, although the selection can be limited and the style generic. There is plenty of clip art available on the web. You can also create your own illustration and scan it in, or create an illustration in a program such as Adobe Illustrator or Openoffice.org Draw. Sports logos tend to be large, although size is partially determined by the end use of the logo. The image and type should be bold and easily read from a distance.
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Set the type for any words that will be part of the design. Play with your type, trying different sizes, fonts and colors. The typography used in sports logos tends to be a custom typeface rather than a standard font. Adobe Illustrator offers the most options for manipulating type. You can convert the type to outlines and treat each letter as a separate graphic entity. This technique can also allow you to use a standard font and customize the type for a sports logo. Many programs will allow setting type in a circular or oval path.
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Play with your type and photo (or illustration) until you find the most aesthetically pleasing results. Place the elements in different relationships to each other until they look balanced. Many programs will allow type elements to be placed over the photo or illustration.
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Tips & Warnings
An iconic black-and-white logo can deliver great impact.
You cannot use licensed symbols or copyrighted material without permission. Using licensed material triggers a fee.
