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Well, I've been drawn to this site to get into the logo designing business, and it's a hell of a lot harder than it looks. I've entered a few contests so far, with absolutely no change whatsoever..I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm fairly good at using PhotoShop, but I've found that I completely blow at using Illustrator lol. Does anyone have any tips or advice to start out doing logos? I feel so lost haha

EDIT: Oops...this was supposed to go in Designer Discussion...oh well

honestly... its not for everyone. you cant just jump in and think you can compete with us. im sorry for sounding rude but its a little insulting.

I'd say, there is definitely more to it that it looks, but as far as jumping in, I'd say GO for IT!.....you live and learn, you design & grow......and contest are a great start:)
I would start by buying adobe illustrator classroom in a book, study, develop a style, and go, go GO:)
(also peachpress quickstart illustrator is good)....I wish you luck, don't give up...as, after 14yrs, I still learn every day.
I looked at your folio, while they are simple, they are a good start, you need to further develop, and expand upon....I think your designs are good bases for an awesome outcome;)

Sean, don't be mean. :( Those of us designers who have more experience under our belts could point out that you are only 18. You haven't been alive as long as I've been an artist, so...

Anyway, Atmosphere, the advice you've received from the extraordinary ladies above is very good. You have to do it to learn. This site is great for that. I always wanted to do logo design but never had much of an opportunity. I mean, I did one here or there over the years, but not nearly as much as I have done lately. And my Illustrator skills were weak when I started here two months ago. My AI skills have probably increase by about 1000%, I've won 5 contests, and there's no doubt that I just jumped right in. Of course, I have a long background in art, sign-making, web and print design, so it's not like I didn't have a foundation to build on.

Just learn all you can about vector art, logo design theory and the processes of other artists. There are a gazillion resources out on the Internets--just ask the Google machine, and you'll find what you're looking for.

yeah i wasn't meaning to be mean but it insists that just anybody can come in here and do what we do for a living. without any experience or training or basic knowledge. i might be only 18 but i have won several awards for my art one being top 5 out of all high school districts in california. top 5 is as high as you can go. and not not mention numerous wins on this site and another. so i might be 18 but if i never would have said that you all would have guessed i was much older and more experienced. i felt belittled. i mean if the guy wants to actually do this because he has a passion and drive for it then by all means let him. but i highly suggest learning basic knowledge of design concepts and tools, such as illustrator. but if your just in it because you think its easy cash and it doesn't mean anything. well then you need to go somewhere else.

Thanks for the support most of you. I've been an "artist" for about a year or two now, but I have very limited experience in logos and Illustrator in general. Looks like I'll be doing plenty of research and practicing a lot. And hopefully to come back here with much more skill.

hi atmosphere,, also atmosphere this logo tournament is really used all of your energy and mentality. sometimes i feel good of winning but its really bad when i lose. so its not the best way to make money though. but as long as you have passion and determined to win i think everyone can win. and keep in mind that beauty is in the eye of beholder so dont give up yet. :)

Look at elements of a design you like, shiny text seems to be popular, or morphed lettering. Then just search for those tutorials on the net. It is hard to try and learn lots at once so pick little bits, i.e how to do a gradient on an object, how to do a gradient on text etc. Then start combining them, build it up.

And most importantly....just play around in illustrator, get familiar with it.

Only been here a week or so and have learnt a lot already ;-)

ATMOsphere the trick is to keep trying and -just like SpeedLogo mentioned- try not to feel bad if you lose at first, it is all part of the experience and like Lindsey has mentioned you will see that by participating and practicing your skills will increase by a huge margin. Anytime you see some kind of logo treatment that you like (an effect for example) just google it and you will learn which tools to use and how! I do that even though i have finished my bachelor and masters degree a few years ago. And remember sometimes having a good idea and making the client realize that is all that matters, you take things step by step and have fun with it. I wish you all the best and if i can help you at some point with something let me know

hmm :) everyone words make me feel better thanks :)

for me design and especially logo design has nothing to do with How adapt you are at following the numerous regurgitated tutorials out there on the web.
You'll get more idea from learning from the stories of how more established brands and there logo designers have managed to solve their problem of creating their identity. Looking through logo books and learning about the techniques of effective communication and not just communicating effects!

if you can draw you logo out on paper first then scan it in to use the pen tool will help you learn illo in a way that means you have control over the software rather than the vise-versa. So many logos are so strikingly born out of a designers new found menu item and any seasoned designer has done that before numerous times.You'll never grow in that way.

All in all age doesn't have any thing to do with it a child can draw/conceptualise a idea in a way that most adults have forgotten and that's really what logo design is partly about. Experience only helps a designer sell his or her ideas better.

contrary to belief, one can just jump in and win....while I am schooled, college, I believe in raw, artist talent above ANYTHING ELSE(who cares where one goes to school, anyone can pay, it is the ones that come out with unique stuff that awe me)....either you have it, or you do not. It does not matter if you are an illustrator expert, it matters how you use an application to FIT you as an artist.......I have lost many contest, and chalk that up to it is experience, as well as the CH has their own taste, maybe the best wins, but 95% that isn't the case, its the CH decision, there is no way a contest can define an artist, remember this, and have fun.....again go for it:)

oh, remember, its quality over quantity,....repeat

Right on Tini and everyone else who's contributed here. I didn't go to graphic design school or art school. I have a freaking English degree. I agree with Marzy that it's about communicating. I think even the best designers here are still learning -- if they aren't, then what's the point of anything?

ATMOsphere, I'm here for the exact same reason. I am a novice in Illustrator. I don't have too many entries, but those I do enter I'm sort of happy with. I've come to terms that I can't compete with some designers and that I really need to simplify some designs as those end up getting the worm, but it's a learning process. It also depends on the CH... in some cases it's purely a matter of taste. Don't take the losses to hard and make sure you keep what YOU are proud of in your portfolio :)

That's my two cents though.

Agreed with Speed - enter a bunch of contests and use each as an excuse to learn new techniques, build efficiency and learn how to better translate your ideas into vector format.

Don't try to find the similarities between Photoshop and Illustrator - start from scratch otherwise you're just going to keep running into brick walls.

Don't take the contests too personally. If you can't take away the prize money, take away the knowledge for now. Consider it "boot camp"!