Help/advice On Designing A Logo

[-=Cyrus=-]

Am designing a website as part of some uni coursework its for a independent record label called www.agenda17.com and I have done the site but the logo I created the teacher doesn’t like can anyone give me pointers on how to create a good looking logo? I will prob use photoshop if that helps…but my skills with logo designing is limited lol..

The site will deal with music such as alternative rock, techno and indie. Am wanting to do 1 logo on the main page anysize...and on the rest 1 like a banner

thanks
:D

[Illuminati]

The first thing to do is forget about putting the fancy crap in. There's not usually a need for flashs, bang and 17 different colours. Most of the effective and memorable logos use simplicity instead and on a design front can be done fairly quickly - Look at the logos on some of the stuff around and you'll see what I mean :)

Graphics designers have their own different techniques. Personally, I look at a design and get snippets of ideas. For example, when I looked at this I thought - ditch domain, one word (agenda21), white on light purple, ring near end. The end result is:
http://illdev.ashst.com/IDimages/forums/agenda17.gif
The second part is enhancing it - For something bold, someone may use contrasting effects, but for simplistic things I prefer subtle effects. Shadows are an effective effect (no pun intended), and can enhance an image that bit more :) Here's the same logo with shadows put in.
http://illdev.ashst.com/IDimages/forums/agenda17.jpg
It isn't that hard to do - It's just that every budding graphics artist (whether they're doing these things constantly or are doing it just once) needs to find their own way to make these things. :)

Feel free to use the above images as starting ideas if you want, but don't copy them straight out - I've added my domain name to hinder that, or if it's still allowed with it on to gain some publicity B)

[h1]

Go to www.gimp.org and download The GIMP, it comes with an excellent plugin called Script-Fu, which among other things, can create custom logos very fast.

This sucks but it's the best option for newbies. ;)

[-=Cyrus=-]

Thanks for the help guys :D

[h1]

:lol: No prob. :)

[Illuminati]

Originally posted by haxor41789@3 April 2004 - 08:34
:lol: No prob. :)
What he said :)

[Canti]

If you are just looking to bang something out hard and fast, then basic backgrounds and text effects are probably the way to go.. A good logo however, you will be able to recognize right away who or what the logo represents, or in one glance be farily versed on what the company does.

A good place to start would probably be HERE (http://www.wpdfd.com/editorial/wpd1000.htm#comment)

I just googled the phrase "designing effective logos" and got some really nice results