[Editors note: This a huge tutorial with 22 big images. You might need to wait a moment for the entire page to load!]
Because environmentally friendly products and companies are popular right now, I created a simple logo using Photoshop CS6 that portrays environmental sustainability. Green companies commonly use a leaf, butterfly or tree to communicate eco-friendly practices. I wanted to create something a little more unique. The logo that I came up with incorporates a grass-textured typography, a lily and a dragonfly.
It takes about 20 minutes to create this logo from start to finish. You will need to search for images of grass (or choose a foliage you like from Marcofolio’s jungle flora textures), a lily and a dragonfly for this tutorial or you can use the images I downloaded. The links are in the next section.
Nature Themed Logo
Images to Download for the Tutorial
Step 1
Create a new image with a white background that is 600px wide by 400px tall.
Step 2: Select the Grass Texture
Open up the grass image. Use the “Magic Lasso” tool to select an area of grass. I chose the tallest area of grass to create a better texture effect. Select “Edit>Copy”.
Step 3: Creating Text
Select the “Text” tool. Click anywhere on the grass image to add your text. Create the text in white. I used Freestyle Script and 60pt font.
Step 4: Adding the Grass Texture to Your Text.
Go to “Select>Load Selection”. Then select your background layer and select “Edit>Copy”.
Go back to the white background image you created and select “Edit>Paste”.
Step 5: Adding Effects to the Text
Select the text layer. Go to “Edit>Layer Style>Stroke”. Check the “Stroke”. Set the size to 3px, position to outside, opacity to 100 and enter 275d35 for the fill color.
Check the “Drop Shadow” box. Set the blend mode to multiply, the opacity to 75, the angle to 120, check “Use Global Light”, move distance to 5, spread to 0 and size to 5, set noise to 0 and check “Layer Knocks out Drop Shadow”.
Step 6: Erase
Use the erase tool to remove the dot above the “i”.
Step 7: Adding the Lily
Open the picture of the lily. Use the “Quick Select” tool to select the bulb of the lily.
Go to “Select>Inverse” and then go to “Edit>Cut” to remove the background. Use the “Quick Select” tool to select the lily again. Select “Edit>Copy”.
Go back to the image where you are creating your logo and select “Edit>Paste”.
Select the lily layer. Go to “Edit>Transform>Scale” and resize the lily.
Use the “Move” tool to drag the lily above the “i”. Select “Edit>Free Transform” and rotate the lily so that it faces the opposite direction.
Step 8: Create the Stem for the Lily
Select the “Text” tool. Select the brush tool and choose the “112” brush which looks like a blade of grass or a stem. Set the font size to 19px and the spacing to 25 percent. Insert the stem, using the text tool, at the top of the “i”. (I clicked the text tool above the “I” seven times without moving my mouse to get the darkness that I wanted for the stem.) The stem should connect to the top of the “I” and the bottom of the lily. You may need to use the “Move” tool to reposition the lily.
Step 9: Adding the Drop Shadow on the Lily
Go to “Edit>Layer Style>Drop Shadow”. Set the blend mode to multiply, the opacity to 20, the angle to 120, check “Use Global Light”, move distance to 5, spread to 0 and size to 5, set noise to 0 and check “Layer Knocks out Drop Shadow”.
Step 10: Adding the Dragonfly
Open the dragonfly image. Use the “Quick Select” tool to select the dragonfly.
Go to “Select>Inverse” and then go to “Edit>Cut” to remove the background. Use the “Quick Select” tool to select the dragonfly again. Select “Edit>Copy”.
Go back to the image where you are creating your logo and select “Edit>Paste”.
Select the dragonfly layer. Go to “Edit>Transform>Scale” and resize the dragonfly. Use the “Move” tool to relocate the dragonfly next to the stem of the “o”.
Step 11: Adding the Drop Shadow on the Dragonfly
Go to “Edit>Layer Style>Drop Shadow”. Set the blend mode to multiply, the opacity to 12, the angle to 120, check “Use Global Light”, move distance to 5, spread to 0 and size to 5, set noise to 0 and check “Layer Knocks out Drop Shadow”.
Step 12: Finishing the Logo
Select the “Edit>Free Transform” tool and rotate the dragonfly so that it is pointing slightly upwards. Use the “Move” tool to place the dragonfly into position. The dragonfly’s tail should be touching the tail of the “o”.
Your logo is now finished.
This logo looks great in color, black and white, in print and on the web. Let your creative juices flow and experiment with different pictures and the placement of the images.
