20 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
20 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Logo Design Help

by CandySpain
17 replies
Currently in the process of opening a new restaurant, which will be the offspring of an already established and well-known restaurant. The new restaurant will have a slightly altered name than the original restaurant therefore a new logo needs to be created.

I am a frequent user of the Adobe suite products (Indesign, etc). Any opinions on what is the best program to design a logo and any miscellaneous advice on logo design.

Thank you!
#design #logo
  • Profile picture of the author Steve Holmes
    Photoshop would have been my first port of call, however...

    You can easily outsource this to a professional. I suggest checking the warrior services sub forum.

    I would suggest the time and effort you save when you are already going to be busy opening up a restaurant, would be of greater value relative to the $50 you save from learning and designing a logo which arguably, would not be as good as a logo someone who does this full time would create.

    Steve
    Signature
    "Live like you'll die tomorrow, Learn like you'll live forever" - M. Ghandi
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2531123].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author KarlWarren
    Also, try 99designs.com

    If you're not a professional logo designer, and you aren't sure what will work in terms of branding, colours, typefaces and symbolism - it is best to leave it to a professional.

    Especially if the logo is going to be the "face" of the business, on signs, in advertisements etc.

    Kindest regards,
    Karl.
    Signature
    eCoverNinja - Sales Page Graphics & Layout Specialist
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2531139].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author GrantFreeman
    I use illustrator for creating the concept, then if needed, I export to Photoshop or even a 3-D program to finish things up.

    Grant
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2531207].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    You should never skimp on the branding of a business. Elance.com has some great logo designers, who will also do the business cards, invoices, and stationery to match.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2531240].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Dr Dan
    Logonerds here on the forum will do an awesome job for $20
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2559757].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author HorseStall
    Why don't you search existing logo sites to get ideas?

    Here are some to try -
    Logo Search - Logo Search
    Web Design Elements - Themed CD ROMs with HTML Layouts, CSS files, and Graphics
    Signature
    Horse Gifts :: Dog Gifts :: Wild Animal Gifts :: Mythical Creatures
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2560471].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Sandra Martinez
    Look in the warriors for hire section,

    Warriors For Hire

    yesterday I found a guy that looks sharp.

    Sandra
    Signature
    Coloring book niche? I have a proposal for you.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2560495].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author BrittyBritt
      If you're looking to outsource, then everyone has already given you some great info.

      However, if you're wanting to do the logo yourself (since you stated you've used Adobe products before). I would recommend using Illustrator over Photoshop and here's why:

      Since you're making this logo for a brick and mortar business, you're going to need the logo in various sizes, from websites, business cards, posters, etc. And the sizes are going to range from small to large. Now with Photoshop, you can re-size an image but when it reaches a certain size you will notice the difference in the resolution (especially if you're trying to make it bigger). Now there's few tricks you can implement, but nothing beats Illustrator.

      With Illustrator you can re-size it big or small and the quality will remain the same.

      Just some food for thought, hope it made sense (I haven't had my coffee lol) and hope it helps!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2560661].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author DogScout
        Originally Posted by BrittyBritt View Post


        With Illustrator you can re-size it big or small and the quality will remain the same.
        Any vector image will do the same as well. You do need to watch what resolution it will be viewed on though. Monitors are 72/inch (or 96) and anything will start to deteriorate as it shrinks, at that resolution.
        Signature
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2560918].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author Steve Wells
          Originally Posted by DogScout View Post

          Any vector image will do the same as well. You do need to watch what resolution it will be viewed on though. Monitors are 72/inch (or 96) and anything will start to deteriorate as it shrinks, at that resolution.
          Correct me if I am wrong, but Photoshop is a raster based software, not vector based and is used mainly for web based raster based graphics, not vector images.

          Illustrator is for vector images, so if you want to have the images resizable to any size, meaning even up to bill board size then you need it to be first designed with a vector based graphics software....

          Then, you can import that into photoshop and turn it into whatever image file you want, .png, .gif, .jpg and adjust your resolutions.....

          For offline print you want a min of 300 dpi/resolution and for webgraphics you can go as low as 72 dpi/resolution and sometimes you will find 96 dpi/resolution webgraphics.

          So with all that being said, use adobe illustrator first to produce a very high quality vector based image.

          Vector based images are mathmatically based images and their quality is the best, they can be resized however large you want.

          Vector Graphics

          Vector graphics is the use of geometrical primitives such as points, lines, curves, and shapes or polygon(s), which are all based on mathematical equations, to represent images in computer graphics.

          Vector graphics formats are complementary to raster graphics, which is the representation of images as an array of pixels, as it is typically used for the representation of photographic images.

          There are instances when working with vector tools and formats is the best practice, and instances when working with raster tools and formats is the best practice.

          Raster Graphics

          In computer graphics, a raster graphics image or bitmap is a data structure representing a generally rectangular grid of pixels, or points of color, viewable via a monitor, paper, or other display medium. Raster images are stored in image files with varying formats (see Comparison of graphics file formats).

          A bitmap corresponds bit-for-bit with an image displayed on a screen, generally in the same format used for storage in the display's video memory, or maybe as a device-independent bitmap. A bitmap is technically characterized by the width and height of the image in pixels and by the number of bits per pixel (a color depth, which determines the number of colors it can represent).
          Signature
          Need Custom Graphics Work? - Message Me For A Design Quote!
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2561218].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author DogScout
    If you own the other restaurant, the logo should also be very similar to the other restaurant's logo, like the name. If not, you need to be different enough to not infringe their mark.
    Hundai had to redesign their original logo because it was too close to Hondas.

    A logo does NOT make a business, a business makes a logo. (Unlike a USP that can make or break a business). Both Hilton and Marriott had horrible logos until recently when they re-designed them to follow a set of 'dos'.

    A great logo should work well in any color, (such as Nike or Dominos, any car company's and Hilton and Marriotts new logos.) ->Nike's logo is in silver, but they sell items using it in other colors. They fiercely defend all colors of the mark... General Mills cereal may eventually be a target as their white 'check' is very close. General Mill's main logo is, of course, a classic... works in any size down to 16 x 16 and in any color-

    There should be a version (best if the same mark works that small) that is recognizable in 16 x 16 pixels as well, (see warrior forum and the favicon on your browser for a great example of two different but easily placed logos... though it is in red, it would be recognizable in black and white only... excellent logo.) Nike, and many others have logos that work as is in that small size.

    Summation,
    1- simple
    2-recognizable in any color
    3- works in 16 x 16 pixels or have another version that does using same basic theme.

    Branding it is now up to the business. A unique and targeted USP will help. Once the business is known, the logo helps perpetuate the branding, but never will a logo brand a business until the business is successful enough to draw sufficient attention to the logo.. Hilton and Marriott are very good examples of businesses that in spite of crappy logos did very well... well enough to change logos in mid-stream without a hitch. (Esso did the same in the 60's, even changing the name to Exxon.)
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2560902].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author lunchboxdiet
    i\'d either go for elance or 99 designs. also, go to brandstack and find something that you like and see if you can find something that you like and mail the designer and get them to change it for your resturant. brandstack is a nightmare, they sell awesome ready made brands, so it gets you wanting to start a business that doesn\'t exist!
    Signature

    NEW Weight Loss Hypnosis Affiliates Make $199
    Diet affiliate? Click here
    The Lunch Box Diet has had more offline media coverage than any other online diet...

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2561250].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author alb3rt1
    The best program would be a program that process vector image like Illustrators (adobe), but also with photoshop and Gimp you can create something good. Maybe you can find some tool online like aviary, but you need to know how to draw with vector and curves.

    You can also try to make one only downloading a nice font and making on it some effect with photoshop.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2561600].message }}

Trending Topics