How to Make a Nature Logo in Photoshop

Logos that use circles and the color green are good choices for nature logos.

Creating nature logos in Photoshop is moderately challenging, because Photoshop's native file format is a raster image, or bitmap. Logos created as a bitmap graphic can have jagged edges when they are enlarged, and the logo will not look good when it is printed. However, by using Photoshop's path creation tools, this problem can be reduced or even eliminated. Using the path tool takes some practice, but paths can be adjusted after they are drawn. The best way to create a nature logo in Photoshop is to think about using simple shapes and avoid photographs or overly-complex images.

Things You'll Need

• Any version of Photoshop or Photoshop Elements

Instructions

1. Think about what the logo is for before you start to design it. Determine whether the logo will be used only on the Internet, such as a header for a blog or web page, or if it will be printed.

2. Create a new Photoshop document. Make your document at least 8 inches by 8 inches. Select 300 dpi for your "Resolution" and make the "Color Mode" CMYK. Select "OK."

3. Open the "Swatches" palette. Click on the triangle at the upper right, and choose "PANTONE solid coated." Click on "OK" when Photoshop asks if you want to replace the current color swatches.

4. Draw your logo using Photoshop's tools. Create a circle using the marquee tool. Hold down the shift key, press the left mouse button, and drag to create a marquee. Fill the circle with your color. Go to the "Select" menu and choose "Deselect."

5. Look through your font library and select a typeface that will work for your logo. Select the type tool from Photoshop's tool palette and click on the document to start typing. Select the type, then choose a font from the menu. Change other font attributes as desired.

6. Select the path tool, which looks like an old-fashioned nib pen, from Photoshop's tool palette. Click and drag the mouse to draw a curve. Click once, move the mouse and click a second time to draw a straight line. Close the path by clicking on the first point again when you are done drawing the entire path. In the "Paths" palette, click on the triangle at the top right and select "Save Path." Give your path a name and click "OK." Save your file.

Tips & Warnings

• Always work with spot colors to design your logo. The best logos use only one or two spot colors.

• Green, blue and white are excellent color choices for nature logos.

• Do not use the RGB color space to create logos that will be printed. Do not use CMYK colors to create logos or they will be expensive to print.

References

• Planet Photoshop: Working with Spot Color Channels
• University of Wisconsin: Adobe Photoshop CS2: Using the Pen Tools
• Photoshop Lab: Photoshop Tool Basics

Resources

• Color Wheel Pro: Color Meaning
• The Marsid-M&M Group: How and Why to Select Pantone Colors for Commercial Printing
• Planet Photoshop: How to Combine Two Paths into One