Attn.: Graphic Design gurus

[danalec99]

1. Would you prefer Photoshop or Illustrator for designing a logo (something which would based on text and minimal or zero images/art works)? Why?
2. How does one create a new font?

Thanks.

 

[Hertz van Rental]

You use both.
Draw what you want in Illustrator, save it as 'paths', load it into PS and do the rendering.
If you're doing something with just text then Quark for typesetting - but Illustrator to do fancy text.
Creating a new font from scratch is a pain in the bum. Best to start with an existing one and play with it. There are a number of programs that will do it - Fontographer for one.
Try here - http://www.fontlab.com/index.php

 

[danalec99]

Splendid! Thank you.

 

[Arch]

The advantage of using illustrator over ps for logos (especially logo's which consist of mainly type), is that illustrator is a vector based programme, where as ps is bitmap...... this means that if the logo is ever enlarged for use in exhibitions, vehicle livery etc it will keep a clean sharp edge around the type...... if you enlarge a bitmap logo the pixels are enlarged too which can sometimes look a bit too rough.

Personally, i create logos in illustrator if possible, but if the client wants something more elaborate with a picture then i will use ps..... and as hertz said you can always import an image into illustrator and then add the text.

To create a font i use either illustrator or quark xpress..... the easiest way is to find a type face similar to what you want, then convert it to paths, which will allow you to move the points on the edges to a different position. Then you can also add extra points and shapes to make it a different as you want.

 

[danalec99]

The advantage of using illustrator over ps for logos (especially logo's which consist of mainly type), is that illustrator is a vector based programme, where as ps is bitmap...... this means that if the logo is ever enlarged for use in exhibitions, vehicle livery etc it will keep a clean sharp edge around the type...... if you enlarge a bitmap logo the pixels are enlarged too which can sometimes look a bit too rough.

Personally, i create logos in illustrator if possible, but if the client wants something more elaborate with a picture then i will use ps..... and as hertz said you can always import an image into illustrator and then add the text.

To create a font i use either illustrator or quark xpress..... the easiest way is to find a type face similar to what you want, then convert it to paths, which will allow you to move the points on the edges to a different position. Then you can also add extra points and shapes to make it a different as you want.

Thanks so much for the input, Arch!!

 

[darin3200]

I'm not a big illustrator fan, but that's just because I like more control that you get with photoshop, and I know photoshop better and don't need to enlarge logos a lot

 

[danalec99]

Thanks Darin. I think this is an important reason why one has to pick Illustrator over PS for the initial work -

The advantage of using illustrator over ps for logos (especially logo's which consist of mainly type), is that illustrator is a vector based programme, where as ps is bitmap...... this means that if the logo is ever enlarged for use in exhibitions, vehicle livery etc it will keep a clean sharp edge around the type...... if you enlarge a bitmap logo the pixels are enlarged too which can sometimes look a bit too rough.

 

[darin3200]

Thanks Darin. I think this is an important reason why one has to pick Illustrator over PS for the initial work -

Yeah, I know. Illustrator is going to be the better program for logos. But that doesn't mean I like it.

 

[JohnMF]

i've started using PS alot more for logos since you can now create vector based graphics in it, so you can enlarge them as big as you want without the loss of quality

 

[Arch]

i've started using PS alot more for logos since you can now create vector based graphics in it, so you can enlarge them as big as you want without the loss of quality

This is true, you can create a vector graphic in ps...... I cant advise too much because i'v only ever made a few logo's using ps....and with those i had to create a clipping path to get them out as a usable EPS. But the reason i havent done more in ps is because of the apparent downside... and that is outputing the logo for general use with different printers etc.....

Here's a snippet from an artical which explains it better:

'Image editors are intended for outputting bitmap-based graphics.
When working with vector objects in a bitmap editing program, they only preserve their vector-like qualities as you work in that particular software, saving your files in the program's native format. Once you want to output your documents from an image editor to use in other software, you are generally limited to bitmap-based formats.'

What this would basicaly mean is if i sent a logo to a t-shirt printers say, they would need to be able to see the outline of the logo.... and be able to seperate the logo into its componant parts to print the different sections.... if the printers only have the usual vector based progs, i.e. illustrator, corel draw........ they cant do anything with it.

Having said all of this, if you know the logo will only be used for stationary, web etc..... or you dont mind resizing and seperating the logo yourself in ps when you need to, theres nothing wrong with using ps.