Quick and Dirty Logo Generator
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Need a logo but don’t have hundreds (or thousands) to drop on one? HP has a service called Logomaker that will allow you to run through a set of icons and fonts and create your own logo. You’ll have to create a login to use it, but you can use it for free on a limited basis or pay $49 to have control over the logo. HP monetizes the service by allowing you to create documents and other schwag using the logo and their partners. If you pay the $49, you will get the logo in .jpg, .gif, and .eps formats and it will be all yours. You can pay $299 to create a fully customized logo as well.
I used the service to generate a quick free logo for this site. It’s not in the current color scheme, but I created it in about 10 minutes.
It’s not a bad logo and certainly could be used on a website. They have about 20 fonts to choose from and several hundred logos that are put into different buckets by industry and type (abstract, symbol, etc). I haven’t played with the service enough to really recommend it, but if you are looking for a quick, cheap way to create a logo, Logomaker is certainly worth a try.
October 10th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
For $49 you get what you pay for. A cliched repetitive swoosh that was avante garde 5 years ago along with some obvious “techie” font. The logo has nothing to do with your name or what you or the website represents. If I saw the logo without your name I’d have no idea what it was, what it was supposed to be or even what type of company or person it represented.
I know, some people don’t have the money to pay a designer for a proper brand identity, but come on. Services like this are the reason that people don’t want to pay designers. “If I can do it myself for $49 then why should I pay thousands to a designer?” Because a designer will give you a logo that will use symbolism and color and form to represent you, your business, your website, whatever in the best light to the people to whom it matters most. Designers know what looks good and what doesn’t look good, they know how to space letters out properly, align elements, choose typefaces that are appropriate and colors that will convey the right message to clients. The money you pay for a well-done logo and brand identity package will come back in dividends later when your business flourishes due to brand recognition and professionalism.
October 10th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear about the logo. It was meant to be a representation of what you could do, not what I would do. That’s why I didn’t care if it didn’t match the website color scheme. I don’t plan on using it (and certainly not on a beige/white/orange color scheme) but if that’s what someone wanted they could certainly go for it.
As a professional in an industry of DIY “experts” I agree with your comments in regards to a professional designer. But if you were unable to spend that kind of money for a small organization or a side project, this would be an acceptible alternative. If you’re branding your livelihood, that’s a different story altogether.
June 2nd, 2008 at 4:52 pm
To be honest Kirk, It will be a grim day when “quick and dirty” logo generators become the norm. The most important thing about a logo is that it is individual to you. Not just a mash up of other concepts. In the bigger picture it is there to tie into your identity and with this, it can barely be representative of what you do, let alone brand you. I can see that not everyone has the money to pay for a custom logo. But I still wouldn’t pay for this service.
Sam