Logos are an important part of a media image. Bands have logos, companies have logos and product brand names have logos. A logo should be recognizable and fit the image of the group or product it represents. With the number of computer graphics programs available today, designing a professional logo is fun and easy, and with a few design tips, you can design a logo for your dance crew that will highlight the crew's style and make it stand out in any competition.
Instructions
1. Design your logo on paper first. The sketch doesn't have to be perfect. You just want an idea of what your logo will look like. Try to keep it clean--don't add a lot of graphics or complex symbols. The name of your dance group and a simple graphic will do.
2. Select the graphics software package you want to use to design your dance logo. There are several to choose from, ranging in price from free to hundreds of dollars (see "Resources"). You only need a graphics program capable of creating logos, so unless you plan to do a lot of other graphics work, stick with a free program. GIMP is a good choice. You can even use Microsoft Word by taking advantage of the WordArt feature.
3. Open the logo software of your choice and on the "File" menu choose "New" and enter the text for your logo. This will probably be the name of your dance crew. Choose the font you want the logo to appear in. You can find thousands of free fonts at 1001 Free Fonts (see "Resources"). Take your time and find one that reflects the spirit of your dance crew. Make the font any color you want and apply effects like a shadow or 3D until you achieve the look you're after.
4. Add an image or symbol to your text. You can do this by using the "Insert" menu and choosing a graphic. It might be an image related to dance, but it doesn't have to be. Maybe you have an original symbol you've created to associate with your dance crew. Whatever the image, add it to your text as a layer and then adjust the position of the layer so the image is behind or in front of your text. This is done on the "Layers" menu in logo or graphics editing software.
5. Save your logo as a high quality GIF or JPEG file and use it for business cards, posters and even as a print for the shirts your dance group will wear.
