Free Graphic Design

[Phillysoul11]

Nice job! Just out of curiosity it seems to be that you are using .gif for the file formatting, i'm interested as to why you chose to create a logo using raster graphics instead of vector.

Very nice job though, Graphic design has always been a hobby for me, are you looking to become a freelancer?

Thanks

I'm trying to expand my employment options since I got laid off and did some basic freelance graphic work during school (nothing special, I don't think I have the files anymore either).  My training is in architecture...I don't know what the difference is between raster and vector.  I work in photoshop then just save the file as a gif or jpg...or whatever is needed.  gif is fairly common on websites and so I tend to save that way for the web.  Um...why does it matter which way I save it if it looks the same and displays the transparency?  

Nice! Good luck with the search, I do freelance work in between classes, just something fun to do (while making $$). Logo design is hot right now, just finished a 3000$ project that only took me two weeks, and at my age that's good money. There are some excellent resources available for graphic designers.


Creating logos like the one you made, can be much easier if you use a vector based program (like illustrator). Vector graphics don't need to be large, you can make a logo at whatever resolution you want and then enlarge it whenever you want without reducing quality (as seen below).




Photoshop is a powerful program though, and can be used to create vector images (even though it's technically a raster/bitmap graphic program)
Companies want to be able to enlarge their logos as large as they please, and it saves space and time to use vector. For small stuff like personal websites its not to big of a deal but any commissioned based logo work should be vectorized. Also jpeg doesn't allow for transparency, gif does; however it only supports up to 256 colors making it fine for logos which only have simply colors but not so great for more complex logos. PNG (in my humble opinion) is the best ext. that supports transparency as it supports up to 16,777,216 colors, but .gif has its uses, and in your case its not really an issue, I was just wondering.

[Whitney]

Thanks, that's helpful to know in case I need to do something for someone that might need to be able to scale up the image.

[jcm]

just finished a 3000$ project

huh? ...can I work for you?  

[curiosityandthecat]

Thanks, that's helpful to know in case I need to do something for someone that might need to be able to scale up the image.

Illustrator also has a function that allows you to choose color sets for an image, so if you have a rather complicated design and the client would like every instance of a color changed from green to blue, you just change the color profile, and voila. Makes it a lot easier to tweak. Check to see if your local library has the Total Training Illustrator program. It comes on two or three DVD-ROMs. I went from zero knowledge of Illustrator to intermediate with that training. Really good stuff. Illustrator is a lot harder to teach yourself than Photoshop, I found. :/

[Whitney]

Joe...attached are my sketches for your logo.  I have circled the one I like best (in the center) but let me know if you like some of the others. Um...those terrible face sketches are my attempts to draw you.  People were never really my thing.

[joeactor]

Joe...attached are my sketches for your logo.  I have circled the one I like best (in the center) but let me know if you like some of the others. Um...those terrible face sketches are my attempts to draw you.  People were never really my thing.

Nice.  Yeah, I kinda like the curvy-stylized-JA-with-waves one you circled.  Definitely going in a good direction with that one.

As for the heads - you're still doing WAY better than I would!

Thanks much!
JoeActor

[Whitney]

Cool..I'll play with the one in the center more then.

[Whitney]

Really good stuff. Illustrator is a lot harder to teach yourself than Photoshop, I found. :/

Ya, I just downloaded Illustrator (trial) and have been watching a few of their online tutorials.  It seems that you still need to have photoshop to create the graphics and then bring them into Illustrator.  I'm guessing that Illustrator is a replacement for InDesign.

Edit...ooh, a pen tool.  Now I see how Illustrator is important.

[Whitney]

I got a pen tablet today for my computer..it makes using photoshop much easier.  Not to mention that it came with free Photoshop Elements 6.  Not the latest version but will work fine for now.

Joe, what do you think?  I can't decide if I like the blue star.  It adds color but I'm not sure if it fits.

[joeactor]

I got a pen tablet today for my computer..it makes using photoshop much easier.  Not to mention that it came with free Photoshop Elements 6.  Not the latest version but will work fine for now.

Joe, what do you think?  I can't decide if I like the blue star.  It adds color but I'm not sure if it fits.

I like it - seems like you're having fun with your new tools and direction!

Yeah, the star makes it look a bit too... uh, comunistic?

Might could have the waves bend the other way too, so they look more like sound waves coming out of the JA.
Here's my logo from my other site as a "cliched speaker" sample:


Thanks much,
JoeActor

[curiosityandthecat]

Hey Whitney, the boss lady said the SI logo should be "minimalistic with a splash of modern"... if that makes sense. Hah.

[Whitney]

Hey Whitney, the boss lady said the SI logo should be "minimalistic with a splash of modern"... if that makes sense. Hah.

hmm...modern is minimalistic.  I think I might know what she means though.

[joeactor]

Hey Whitney,

just a quick note...

My wife likes it (without the star), but thinks it may be a bit "feminine" for me.
(well, I am an actor!)

Maybe give it some pecs, a hair-piece, and put it in a Ferrari?
(just kidding...)

Thanks again - off to din-din,
JoeActor

[Whitney]

Has anyone ever used this?  http://www.inkscape.org/  It's an open source vector editor.  I figured out how to use the pen tool pretty well in Illustrator but was trying to find a replacement till I can afford to buy Illustrator.  Below is what I did with Illustrator....potential business card design (not sure if I like it yet).

[Whitney]

Maybe give it some pecs, a hair-piece, and put it in a Ferrari?

lol...I think it can make it less feminine if I bulk it up a bit.