band logo

Band Logo

Masterclass tutorial:

Program: Adobe Photoshop

This Masterclass tutorial will show you how to create a stunning logo for an imaginary rock group using Adobe Photoshop 5. The tutorial will cover layers, filters and text. To use get the most from this tutorial, you will need a copy of Photoshop and an image of an eye. If you don't have an image of an eye, go to www.altavista.com and use their image search engine to find one. If you are going to use the image for a professional job, you must obtain clearance from the owner of the image first. You should also be aware of the image's resolution. If it is low, then the quality of your image is going to be poor.

Part 1: Using Filters

Before you can start playing around with the filters and layers in Photoshop, you should create a new image. For this tutorial we will be using a few keyboard shortcuts to save time.

Press CTRL + N (to create a new canvas)

Set the canvas size to 500 x 500 pixels

Give it a white background

Set the MODE to RGB

Click OK to creak the blank canvas

One of the first things we are going to do to the canvas is create a black cloud effect.

Set your primary colour to black (should already be black though)

From the filter menu, select render > clouds

That's the clouds in place, the next thing we want to do to them is add some distortion. As the final background is going to look like metallic water, we need to apply some rippling effects to the background. To do this, we are going to use a few of the distort filters.

From the filter menu, select distort > wave

Adjust the filter settings to what ever you want and press OK to apply the filter. It's best to experiment so that you can get the best results.

Again, go to the filter menu, select distort > ocean ripple

Change the settings and click OK

If you play with these filters, after a short while you should have a nice rippling effect. The only problem with the canvas is that it looks a bit dull. Photoshop has quite a few different ways of adding colour to an area, but we are going to take the easy route and use 'variations'.

From the image menu, select adjust > variations

Here you can add colour to you canvas by clicking on the different options on the page. Play around with the settings to get something that you're happy with.

Press OK to apply the variations

Now what you should have is a nice looking rippled canvas that is going to be the background for your logo.

Toppers' tip: Distort with ocean, ripple and wave

Part 2: creating layers

For the next stage, we are going to place the image of the eye onto the canvas and use another handy tool - the erase tool.

Press CTRL + O to open a new file

Load in the image of the eye

To place the eye onto your rippled canvas you need to copy and paste it.

Select the eye image and press CTRL + A (to select all)

Press CTRL + C (to copy the selection)

Select the rippled canvas

Press CTRL + V to paste the selection (the eye) as a new layer

If you need to resize the new layer (the image of the eye), use the scale tool

From the edit menu, select transform > scale

Use the grab handles around the layer to adjust the size of the image

To maintain the aspect ratio, hold down the SHIFT key while you resize the layer

Press return to apply the scale

Use the move tool to position the eye on the page

Now, if like us, your eye has excess area surrounding it, you're going to have to remove it. To do this, the best tool to use is the 'erase' tool.

Click on the erase tool (from the toolbar)

Click on the options tab in the navigator panel

Set the erasure tool to 'airbrush'

Set the pressure to 32

Click on the brushes tab and select a big brush

Carefully remove any excess area surrounding the eye

Set the opacity of the layer to around 70

Setting the opacity will allow the ripple to shine through the eye.

Toppers' tip: to refine eye: Eraser + Airbrush

Part 3: Adding Text

To finish off the logo, we need to create some stunning text. Again, we are going to apply some filters to it.

Select the text tool and click on the canvas

Select a groovy looking font

Set the font size to around 60 points

Type in the name of the band and press OK

Use the move tool and position the text above the eye

Applying special effects to text is very simple - just follow these easy steps:

In the layers window, right-mouse click on the text layer and select 'effects'

You really can use whatever special effects you like - it's entirely up to you. We're going to create a neat emboss effect on the text to make it really stand out.

In the effects drop-down menu, select 'bevel and emboss'

Click the apply check box

Set the highlight to normal

Set the shadow to normal and the colour to white

Chose the pillow emboss style

Click OK

From the layer menu, select type > render layer

Finally, we want to make the text bend around the eye, and for this we are going to use a bit of a cheat.

From the filter menu, select distort > twirl

Set the angle to -125

Click OK

If your band name has two words, you can create two different sets of text and place one above the eye, and the other below.

Now, you should have a nice looking logo - although you should experiment with the filters and layers to get the best results for your own logo.

Toppers' tip: right-mouse click for layer effects