How to Create a Trademark Logo

Logos have become familiar sights, emblazoned on everything from T-shirts to book covers to laptops. A logo may be anything from a picture (such as a teddy bear) to initials (as in a monogram) to something completely abstract. Some of the more familiar logos do double duty--they convey a meaning and symbolize something is legally protected. One of these logos, the trademark, is easily replicated on a number of computer graphics programs.

Things You'll Need

• Windows Paint
• Adobe Photoshop
• Microsoft Publisher

Instructions

Using Paint

1. Open Paint, click the Paint button in the top-left corner of the screen and select "Properties." Type the logo's dimensions into the "Width" and "Height" boxes, such as "3" for each. Select the "Inches" option and click the "OK" button.

2. Select a colored square from the "Colors" section of the ribbon/toolbar to serve as the main trademark color. Leave the default black or choose something else.

3. Select the "A" in the "Tools" section. Choose a font and select a text size. Type the letters "TM."

4. Click the Paint button. Select "Save As." Type a name for the logo, select "GIF" as the "Save as type" and save the file to the computer.

Using Photoshop

1. Open Photoshop, click the "File" menu and select "New." Type "TrademarkLogo" into the "Name" box. Type the dimensions, such as "3" into the "Width" box and "5" into the "Height" box. Pull down the dimensions drop-downs and select "inches" for both. Pull down the "Background Contents" menu and select "Transparent." Click "OK" and a gray checkerboard box opens on the screen.

2. Right-click the shape tool, which may look like a solid gray star, gray rectangle, gray circle or gray line near the bottom of the "Tools" palette on the left side of the screen. Choose "Custom Shape Tool."

3. Pull down the "Shape" menu on the toolbar at the top of the screen. Select the "TM" option. Double-click the "Color" box and select a color for the trademark.

4. Position the cursor on the "TrademarkLogo" box, click and drag the cursor to form the "TM."

5. Click the "File" menu and select "Save As." Choose "GIF" as the "Format" and save the logo to the computer.

Using Publisher

1. Open Publisher and click the "Blank 8.5 x 11" icon on the "Available Templates" screen. When the Publisher workspace opens, click the "Insert" tab at the top of the screen.

2. Click the "Draw Text Box" button in the middle of the ribbon/toolbar below the tab. The cursor changes into a plus sign. Draw a text box on the work page.

3. Click the "Insert" tab again. Select the "Symbol" button on the ribbon/toolbar. Click the small "TM" icon and it is inserted into the text box.

4. Highlight the "TM" and click the "Home" tab at the top of the screen. Use the controls in the "Font" section of the ribbon/toolbar to increase the "TM" size, color and font.

5. Select the "File" tab at the top-left of the screen. Click "Save As." Choose "GIF" from the "Save as type" menu, name the logo file and save it to the computer.

References

• Windows: Using Paint
• University of Washington: Photoshop Drawing
• Microsoft Office: Publisher Features and Benefits