Music Logo's

Music logos help brand a band or artist with a distinctive graphical representation of what their music represents for them. This helps fans identify with the group, gives the band a sense of identity and makes it easier to distribute the brand through diverse media channels. It takes more than a graphics editing program to create a music logo. Strong logos and brands require thorough planning before the graphic artist ever draws a single pixel.

Difficulty:

 

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

things you'll need:

• Graphics editing software
• Pencil
• Paper

1. • 1
     Write down at least 10 things that represent the music of the band or artist. These should include name, music genre, song themes, musical instruments and life philosophy.
   • 2
     Analyze the list for recurring trends or themes. Identify the strongest central themes behind the music to determine a good base for the logo design. Determine two or three themes, if possible. For example, the band may be a hip-hop group with songs about leaving the streets behind or a techno DJ with dance music and live instruments.
   • 3
     Examine other music logos for inspiration (see Resources). While an exact copy would be unethical, using other professional logos as inspiration can greatly improve your final logo idea.
   • 4
     Draw a few logo ideas on paper based on the themes and inspirations you outlined. Craft each design around the central theme. For example, for a DJ with dance music, you could use a silhouette scene with people in various stages of dancing in a club. Use the name of the artist or group in combination with the theme to determine the graphical elements you want to use. DJ logos often include turntables, and jazz logos often include saxophones or piano keys.
   • 5
     Launch a graphics editing program on your computer. Common programs include Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and GIMP.
   • 6
     Draw the first logo idea you designed on paper in the graphics program. Draw the basic outlines of the graphic elements. Type the name or other text you wish to include in a basic font and position it where you want on the logo.
   • 7
     Experiment with different color combinations and typefaces until you find one you like. Try different special effects, such as 3-D text or reflections, if appropriate for your design idea.
   • 8
     Repeat this process for each idea you sketched on paper.
   • 9
     Present the different logo ideas to the members of the band or the artists the logo will represent. Allow them to choose the logo they like best. Make any changes or adjustments they suggest to make the logo better. Present them with the final draft.

Tips & Warnings

• The Internet has a variety of websites, such as DeviantArt and iStockphoto, that offer royalty-free graphics for use in your logo projects (see Resources).