Design Logo In Illustrator

By Tania Melissa
last updated February 10, 2025
Contributions sourced from
How to Create a Logo in Adobe Illustrator
Written by:
Marketing Expert
This article was written by
Ryan Conwayand by wikiHow staff writer,
Travis Boylls. Ryan Conway is a Marketing Expert and the Founder of Digital Tradesman, a digital marketing agency that helps builders, contractors, and tradesmen grow their business online. With over a decade of experience, he specializes in marketing, web design, and search engine optimization. Ryan holds a BS in Business Administration and Entrepreneurial Studies from Hartford University. He also studied Graphic and Web Design at the Boston University Center for Digital Imaging Arts. Ryan participated in Seth Godins altMBA in the winter of 2016. This article has been viewed 270,532 times.
Co-authors: 24
Updated: March 2, 2023
Views:270,532
Article SummaryX1. Open Illustrator. 2. Create a new file with a rectangle or square-shaped artboard. 3. Use the Text tool to add text to the logo. 4. Click Character at the top of the screen. 5. Use the Character menu to adjust the font, font format, size, spacing, and horizontal and vertical scale of the text. 6. Click Type' followed by "Create Outlines to vectorize the text. 7. Use the shape tool to add shapes to your logo. 8. Use pathfinder to combine shapes or cut shapes out of existing shapes. 9. Use the Swatches menu to add color to the logo. 10. Export the logo as an EPS file.
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 270,532 times.
What Is Adobe Illustrator?
What is Adobe Illustrator used for, and how can you use it in your design work? We'll cover all of that in this comprehensive article.
Illustrator is a very popular vector design program, with loads of powerful features to help you create illustrations, icons, patterns, logos, and much more. We'll go through everything you need to know about Illustrator in this article, and we'll also link to plenty of Adobe Illustrator tutorials for beginners to help you learn more and hone your skills. There's a lot to cover, so let's get started!
What Is Adobe Illustrator?
Adobe Illustrator is a powerful vector graphics app. Let's start with a quick look at what it is and what you can do with it.
We'll also cover some great introductory courses that you can take if you want to get up to speed with Illustrator quickly.
You'll probably be surprised to hear that Adobe launched the very first version of Illustrator way back in 1987over 35 years ago! Of course, it's come a long way since then, adding tons of new features (which we'll cover in this article) and being part of first Adobe Creative Suite and then the subscription-based service, Adobe Creative Cloud.
But what is Adobe Illustrator used for? Well, here's how Adobe describes it:
"The industry-standard vector graphics app that lets you create logos, icons, drawings, typography, and complex illustrations for any medium"
That covers it pretty well. Because Illustrator is a vector-based design app, you can create beautifully crisp, detailed results that you can scale up as much as you want, without losing quality. So Illustrator is great for artists, logo designers, illustrators, and more.
To get a better idea of what you can achieve, check out this library of hundreds of free Adobe Illustrator tutorials for beginners:
Free Adobe Illustrator Tutorials
We'll cover more of Illustrator's features below, with separate sections on drawing, logo design, text effects, patterns, and more. But if you want to jump right in and start learning from A to Z, check out these two comprehensive Illustrator courses.
A to Z of Adobe Illustrator Tips, Tricks, and Hacks!
Get ready for some rapid-fire tips and tricks for how to use Adobe Illustrator! In this video, we'll take a look at 26 tips, tricks, and hacks from A to Z.
Adobe Illustrator for Beginners | FREE COURSE
Learn how to use Adobe Illustrator for beginners in this free course. Start by mastering the Illustrator basics, and then learn to create effects, patterns, and more.
How to Draw in Adobe Illustrator
Want to learn how to draw in Illustrator? We've got the perfect tutorial for you. Monika Zagrobelna takes you through the whole process of drawing this cute baby tiger chasing a butterfly. No graphics tablet required!
If you prefer to learn by watching a video, don't worryyou can find detailed instructions to create the same drawing in Illustrator in the video below:
How to Draw in Illustrator
Do you want to learn how to draw in Illustrator? Follow this beginner's tutorial with Monika Zagrobelna. You'll get a step-by-step introduction to the process of drawing in Illustrator.
Illustrator Logo Design
Adobe Illustrator is perfect for creating logos because its powerful features help you create vector artwork with precision, and the results can be scaled up or down without loss of quality. So the logo can be used on a pen or a billboard!
In this section, we'll look at how to create a logo in Adobe Illustrator. The video on the right is an excellent starting point.
Logos can take so many different forms, from corporate to playful. It all depends on the brand and what you want to communicate with your design. Check out these tutorials to learn how to make a logo in Illustrator in a range of different styles.
You can also learn with one of these video tutorials:
Need some Illustrator logo design inspiration? Check out these examples:
Explore thousands of professional logo templates on Envato Elements:
Logo Templates
Working With Fonts in Illustrator
It's easy to work with fonts in Illustrator. You don't need to worry about how to add fonts to Adobe Illustratorif a font is installed on your computer, you can use it in Illustrator. Simple! Here are some great fonts to install and use in your designs:
Download Fonts From Envato Elements
Once you've got some creative fonts installed, you'll need to make some adjustments to things like the size, leading, tracking, and kerning. You can do all of that in the Character panel, and this video gives you a full rundown:
If you want detailed individual guides to creating things like small caps, subscript, and ligatures, check out these Adobe Illustrator font tutorials:
Or if you want to apply a distressed effect to any font, here's how it's done:
Text Effects in Illustrator
A fun thing to do in Illustrator is to create text effects in a range of different styles. Discover how to create text effects in Illustrator in these free tutorials:
Free Text Effect Tutorials
The best way to learn how to add effects to text in Illustrator is to get some hands-on practice by choosing an effect you like and following a tutorial to see how to create it. Here are a few Illustrator text effect tutorials to whet your appetite:
And here are some video tutorials on creating a 3D text effect in Illustrator and more.
Need more inspiration? You can find some beautiful Illustrator text effect templates on Envato Elements. And the best part is that they're ready-made effects and are very easy to use, so they're perfect if you don't want to spend time creating an effect from scratch. Flick through the gallery below to explore the possibilities.
Patterns, Vectors, and Textures in Illustrator
We've covered drawing, logo design, and text, but we're only just getting started! Illustrator is also great for creating vector patterns and textures. Read our detailed guide to find out how to make a pattern in Illustrator:
Guide to AI Patterns
Prefer to watch a video? Try these ones:
Create a Monogram Pattern
The process for making patterns in Illustrator is often the same: start by creating a design, and then make a tile so that you can create a repeating pattern. See how it works with a monogram in this video.
Basic Guide to Illustrator Patterns
If you're new to making patterns in Illustrator and want a beginner's guide, this is a great video to watch. It introduces you to Illustrator's built-in patterns, shows you around the Pattern Options panel, and then goes through the process of creating a seamless pattern.
Creating Illustrator textures is also a rewarding thing to do, but it can be time-consuming. So check out this comprehensive guide to make the process easier:
And yes, there's a video version of this one too:
Once you've mastered the basics, why not try one of our in-depth tutorials to see how to add texture in Illustrator in some practical projects. You can create a paper texture in Illustrator, a grunge or distressed texture in Illustrator, and much more.
And if you prefer to download ready-made Illustrator textures that you can just apply to your designs right away, you can find them here:
Download Illustrator Textures
Brushes in Illustrator
Working with brushes in Illustrator is a dream. Of course, you can use simple brushes for your regular drawing needs, but did you know that you can use specialized brushes to achieve so much more? For example, you could use a watercolor brush in Illustrator to create a painting effect, or a hair brush to create realistic hair. Find out more in our video guide to Adobe Illustrator brushes.
Intrigued by the prospect of creating a watercolor brush in Illustrator? Watch this video to see how it's done:
How to Use Illustrator Brushes
If you need to get up to speed on some of the basics like how to install brushes and how to change the brush size in Illustrator, check out these tutorials:
How to Make a Brush in Illustrator
When you're familiar with how brushes work, maybe you want to start creating your own. The possibilities are endless! You could make Illustrator texture brushes, ink brushes, paint brushes, and more. Check out these tutorials for more ideas and instructions on how to make a brush in Illustrator:
Download Illustrator Brushes
Or maybe you don't want to make your own brushesyou just want to download professionally made Adobe Illustrator brushes and start using them. If so, check out our list of free Illustrator brushes or try one of these great options:
Coolest AI Videos
Let's finish off this article with a selection of cool Adobe Illustrator tutorials for beginners, all available on YouTube. Sit back and watch them to get some inspiration, or fire up Illustrator and follow along to create the same amazing effects yourself!
Engraving Effect
Take a simple photo, and make it look like a detailed engraving. That's the premise of this video tutorial, and it's a great way to pick up some new Illustrator skills while creating an amazing effect.
Lightning Text Effect
There's nothing more dramatic than a bolt of lightning, so learn how to create a lightning text effect in Illustrator to give your designs a touch of electricity!
Embroidered Patch Style
Why not use digital art to mimic an older, more traditional art form? In this video tutorial, you'll learn how to add texture in Illustrator by creating a beautiful embroidered patch style.
Stained Glass Effect
Here's another traditional style: the kind of stained glass you see in the windows of old churches. It may seem difficult to create it in Illustrator, but this step-by-step video tutorial makes it look easy!
More Illustrator Resources!
In this article, we've covered some key aspects of Adobe Illustrator and showed you what you can use it for. We've also linked to a ton of resources to help you learn more and create more.
But if that wasn't enough, don't worrywe're going to finish off with six recommended Illustrator templates and add-ons that you can use to take your design work to the next level.
Mastering Logo Design in AdobeIllustrator
Learnhow to design a logo in Illustrator in this free course. Explorehow to design your own logo with an experienced logo designer. We'll create a finished logo design by the end of the course!
Watch the FullMastering Logo Design in Adobe Illustrator Course
What You Will Learn
- How to design your own logo
- How to design a logo in Illustrator
- The basics of Illustrator for creative logo design
- A look at the creative logo design process from a logo designer
About Your Instructor
As a designer, I love to share my experience and to help aspiring creatives develop their skills.
Jump to content in this section:
1. Intro to Adobe Illustrator Logo Design
1.1 Introduction to Logo Design in Adobe Illustrator
Watch Video Lesson (1 min)
Ready to explore Adobe Illustrator logo design? In the first half of this course, we're going to look at the essential tools in Adobe Illustrator that you need as a logo designer. In the second half, we'll use those techniques to build a logo together. At the halfway point, we'll pause for a Q&A session, originally held in this course's livestream.
Ready to get started? Let's begin!
1.2 How to Create a New Document in Illustrator
Watch Video Lesson (1 min)
Let's begin our exploration of Adobe Illustrator by creating a new document. Follow along with this lesson to get started in the software. Keep in mind that you could change these values to suit your project.



Need a little help with some Adobe Illustrator basics? Consider bookmarking or checking out these beginner Illustrator tutorials for extra help:
1.3 How to Make Shapes and Lines in Adobe Illustrator
Watch Video Lesson (6 mins)
Lines and shapes are some of the core aspects of creating artwork within Adobe Illustrator. In this lesson, you'll get a feel for how to use them yourself. We'll start simple, so we can build upon these shapes later.
You can find the Shape Tools and the Line Tool within the Tools panel.



Can't find a specific Shape Tool? Click and hold to expand the tools in the Tools panel. For example, your Ellipse Tool may be nested under your Rectangle Tool.
Watch Video Lesson (5 mins)
The Pen Tool is another Adobe Illustrator essential. In this lesson, you'll learn how the Pen Tool works. It's a great way to create custom shapes and curves. You can find the Pen Tool in the Tools panel.
Don't worry if you've never used it beforethis lesson will give you all the ins and outs you need to get started. We'll create points and customize them too.



Want to see more of the Pen Tool in action? You can learn even more about working with the Pen Tool in this free tutorial:
Watch Video Lesson (4 mins)
There are two Selection Tools you should know in Adobe Illustrator: The Selection Tool and the Direct Selection Tool. In this lesson, you'll learn the difference between the two and see them in action.
Use the Selection Tool to select artwork in your workspace, overall.
For example, you could select an entire shape with the Selection Tool.
Use the Direct Selection Tool to select points in your artwork.
For example, you could select one point in a shape with the Direct Selection Tool.
Not sure which selection tool to use? Remember to keep an eye on the selection you've made in Illustrator (what it has highlighted). Consider the Selection Tool your "main" selection tool.
1.6 How to Use the Stroke Panel in Adobe Illustrator
Watch Video Lesson (6 mins)
We'll use the Stroke panel in this lesson to customize our strokesfrom the size to the color. You can open the Stroke panel by going to Window > Stroke. Ready to give it a try?



You can change your Stroke and Fill colors from the Tools panel. This is also a quick place where you can turn the Stroke and Fill colors "off" if you don't want them visible.
2. How to Work With Shapes in Illustrator
2.1 How to Use the Layers Panel in Adobe Illustrator
Watch Video Lesson (2 mins)
Layers are a powerful part of Adobe Illustrator. They're going to help us take our logo design even further. Before we dig into using this feature for creative logo design, let's take some time to explore how layers workand why you'd want to use them.
Open your Layers panel by going to Window > Layers. Keep in mind that you can create, delete, duplicate, and hide layers from this panel.



Want to learn even more about the ins and outs of Adobe Illustrator layers? Check out these free tutorials:
2.2 How to Adjust Transparency in Adobe Illustrator
Watch Video Lesson (4 mins)
Sometimes, you may want to experiment with transparency as you explore creative logo design. In this lesson, we'll take a look at some ways we can use transparency to create some interesting effects in Adobe Illustrator.






Watch Video Lesson (8 mins)
This lesson is all about using our tools to build and manipulate more complex shapes.
The Path Finder Tool is used to manipulate shapes. For example, you can unite two selected shapes into one. This tool allows us to quickly and simply combine and subtract different parts of our work.



Similarly, the Shape Builder Tool also allows us to manipulate shapesbut in some regards, makes it even easier! In this lesson, we'll also walk through how to use this tool to combine and remove parts of compounded shapes.






You can learn even more about working with the Shape Builder Tool in this free tutorial, right here at Envato Tuts+:
These concepts can be utilized in many different ways. You could, for example, draw an abstract shape with the Pen Tool or achieve a similar result by using the Shape Builder Toolyour workflow, your preferred way.
2.4 How to Use Swatches in Adobe Illustrator
Watch Video Lesson (6 mins)
Swatches in Adobe Illustrator are one of the best ways to use, apply, and keep your colors at hand. We'll look at using the Swatches panel in this lesson. This is an important one that we'll use later in the course, as well. Go to Window > Swatches to open up the Swatches panel.



We'll look at Global Swatches in this lesson toowhich make changing the colors in your composition even easier!
You can learn even more about working with Swatches in this free Adobe Illustrator tutorial:
2.5 How to Use Gradients in Illustrator
Watch Video Lesson (4 mins)
Gradients, when used properly, can help bring depth to our work. That's just what we'll do, once we're ready to explorehow to design a logo in Illustrator. For now, we'll start off this lesson by exploring how gradients work. Then, we'll expand upon this with some great ways to use them later in this course.



You can always go back and adjust your gradients from the Gradient panel. Go to Window > Gradient to open it up!
Want to learn even more about working with gradients in Adobe Illustrator? Check out this tutorial; it's got everything you need!
Watch Video Lesson (3 mins)
Sometimes, you might want to go back and adjust the curve of some of your lines. Thankfully, the Smooth Tool makes doing so a breeze. The Shaper Tool allows us to quickly draw shapes and interprets them for us. Join me in this lesson, where we walk through how to use these tools to make this process simple for us in our logo design process.



These tools are located in the Tools panelmany of the core tools in Adobe Illustrator are. If you ever have trouble finding a tool, try clicking the "..." symbol at the bottom of this panel. It will help reveal hidden tools.
Watch Video Lesson (1 min)
Wouldn't it be convenient if we could just slice off part of a shape in our work? Well, with the Knife Tool, we can do just thatand yes, it's as handy as it sounds. Join me in this lesson, where we give the Knife Tool a demonstration in Adobe Illustrator. You can find the Knife Tool in the Tools panel.






Watch Video Lesson (1 min)
The Scissor Tool is a little similar to the Knife Toolbut instead, we can use it to make different slices in our work. It's a perfect go-to if you want to make a slice at specific points in our work. Check out this lesson's demonstration to get a feel for how this tool works.






3. Adobe Illustrator Q&A Session
3.1 Adobe Illustrator Live Stream Q&A Session
Watch Video Lesson (1 min)
At this point in the original live stream, we took a break for questions from the audience. While the stream isn't live, you can still tune in and check out this sessionand all of the great tips and tricks addressed within it!
If you'd like to skip over the Q&A Session from this live stream, jump to Section 4: How to Create a Logo Design, where we resume the main part of the course content.
3.2 Is There an Automated Way to Separate the Line From the Fill in Illustrator?
Watch Video Lesson (2 mins)
Tune in to this lesson to figure out how to separate the stroke from the fill in Adobe Illustrator. There isn't necessarily a completely automated waybut there are certainly simple ways to achieve this. Check out this walkthrough to figure out how.



3.3 How to Zoom In and Out in Adobe Illustrator
Watch Video Lesson (2 min)
Being able to navigate your workspace certainly makes working in Adobe Illustrator easier. In this brief Q&A lesson, we'll take a look at how to zoom and pan in Illustrator. It's quick and easy but very useful.
Looking for a shortcut? Zoom in with Control + on PC or Command + on Mac. Zoom out with Control - on PC or Command - on Mac.
Watch Video Lesson (2 mins)
Older versions of Illustrator don't necessarily have the same tools as the current version of Illustrator CC. However, that's not to say that building shapes is impossible in Illustrator CS6. In this Q&A lesson, let's walk through what's available to you if you're running an older version of the software.
3.5 What's the Easiest Way to Make Shapes Striped?
Watch Video Lesson (6 mins)
Stripes can be a fun addition to your shapesand there are multiple ways to achieve this look! Let's explore a couple of ways we could achieve striped shapes in Adobe Illustrator, together, in this Q&A lesson.



Want to Learn More About Adobe Illustrator?
Adobe Illustrator for Beginners is a perfect course for those just getting started with Illustrator. Even better, the course is completely free!
Illustrator is an excellent choice for logo design software. Start learning more today!
4. How to Create a Logo Design
4.1 Building the Shape of Our Logo Design
Watch Video Lesson (8 mins)
Now that we've taken an in-depth tour of Adobe Illustrator, let's take what we've learned and put it into action. We'll begin building the overall shape of our logo design.
Take a look at the tools we explored in action, below. There are many ways to achieve these results based on what we learned. Let's walk through some ways to achieve this together in this lesson.
Want to learn more about the creative logo design process in Adobe Illustrator? Check out these tutorials for more insight and inspiration:
4.2 Creating the Shadows
Watch Video Lesson (6 mins)
Let's add some shadows to our work, to bring some depth to our logo design. We'll do so using gradients, as we explored earlier in the course. We'll make them blend in, and manipulate the shape so it seamlessly works with the shape we've put together.
Ready to make some magic happen? Let's begin.



4.3 Adding Highlights
Watch Video Lesson (2 mins)
We can also use these concepts to add highlights. Let's take the same idea as the last lesson, and apply it to the top of our logo design.



Remember, you can always return to your Gradient panel and Swatches panel to make adjustments to the colors in your work. We'll walk through that again in this lesson.
4.4 Adjusting the Logo's Color
Watch Video Lesson (1 min)
But what if you want to experiment with your logo design's color? It's time to go back to our swatches again. This time, you'll really get a hands-on feel for just how convenient working with swatches can be. We can easily sample new colors and make adjustments. Ready to give it a try?



This is such a great example of why those swatches from earlier in the course are important! Remember, you can open the Swatches panel by going to Window > Swatches.
4.5 Changing the Color Mode (RBG and CMYK)
Watch Video Lesson (1 min)
Your color mode will matter, depending on how you plan to use your work. If you plan to print, for example, you'll likely want to switch over to CMYK. Let's walk through changing the color mode together in this lesson.
RGB stands for "Red Green Blue" and is color intended for screens. CMYK stands for "Cyan Magenta Yellow Black" and is intended for print.
5. How to Complete Your Logo Design in Adobe Illustrator
5.1 Grouping Your Completed Logo
Watch Video Lesson (1 min)
You'll likely need to move or resize your logo at some point. It can be very convenient to group your completed work so that nothing gets accidentally bumped or changed. In this lesson, we'll walk through this simple process together.
You can also ungroup your work by going to Object > Ungroup.
5.2 Using and Positioning Your Work With Artboards
Watch Video Lesson (2 mins)
Let's create and adjust our artboards in this lesson. What are artboards? Consider them like a canvas in your work area. You can have more than one, and this might be advantageous in some cases. We'll use the Artboard Tool to adjust, resize, and create some new artboards in this lesson, as we finalize our work.



5.3 Exporting Your Logo
Watch Video Lesson (4 min)
Once your logo design is complete, it's time to Export! Let's walk through the process together so you can save and prepare your work for use. We're almost at the finish line!



Because we've made more than one artboard, we have the option of selecting which artboard we'd like to exportyou can name them, too, for your convenience!
5.4 Conclusion
Watch Video Lesson (1 min)
You've made it to the finish line and created a logo design, step by step! Congratulations! Now that you've learnedhow to design your own logo, what will you create? Adobe Illustrator logo design can be a fun, rewarding skill to add to your skillset.
Let's wrap things up together with some final thoughts on Adobe Illustrator and creative logo design.
Remember, if you need extra help, there's an entire library of professional content on
Envato Elementsincluding logo design templates!
Learn More About Adobe Illustrator
Want to learn even more about Adobe Illustrator? It's awesome logo design software, but it can do a lot more too! Check out these free video tutorials from Envato Tuts+. There's no better time than right now to watch and learn even more.
Or, if written tutorials are more your style, why not check out the library of written tutorials here on Envato Tuts+? From beginner tips to advanced techniques, there's so much tutorial content to explore. Learn more about Adobe Illustrator today: