How do you draw your concepts?

[the_cynic]

I'm just curious, how do most of you usually draw a concept logo? Do you draw it out on paper first, scan it, and then trace over it within Illustrator or do you just goof around in any graphics program you have until you finally get what you want?

[BRYWHIT]

I like to draw a template by hand most of the time, then scan and color/design in photoshop CS.

[flynnagain]

I use a wacom tablet and draw rough ideas while in Illustrator..... then refine and clean up the ones that work for me

[B-Rich]

How do I draw my concepts?

VERY CAREFULLY......

Incidentally, bs, unless I'm missing some inside joke, that was a picture of

"The Colonel" in your avatar.

Not "The Colonial"-- that's a team member at George Washington University....

[Phil]

It depends where and when I get my inspiration.

If I have access to a computer, I'll start out there. Much of the time I don't, so I'll try to put it on paper a few times, and scan it when I get home. Then Illustrator allows me to refine details. Lately, this has been more and more the direction I've taken, and so far it's worked for me.

A tablet would be cool, but then again, that would only work when I have access to a computer. When I'm sitting in my Basic Stats II class, that is not the case.

[mjrbaseball]

I do a rough sketch on paper. It's usually not good enough to trace, so then I just re-draw in Illustrator directly (using my mouse).

[walkerws]

I do paper then use a graphics tablet. I eventually have to use paint because I haven't mastered photoshop yet and need the book.

[Nick 1733]

I start with a very detailed drawing, because that's how I do my best work. Then I scan it and trace it in Illustrator. In there I refine it the best I can and of course add color to it.

I have yet to actually do a logo from start in Illustrator. I should probably try that sometime.

[iDonovan]

I do pretty the same things said here...

I do a drawing then I fill it in black and white

SCAN it

Trace it

and color it

[pcgd]

although I can draw well, my entire process takes place in illustrator. I'm pretty good with the pen tool fortunatly, so the scanning isn't neccesary. If I'm having troubles with ideas I'll sketch on paper and translate that into illustrator. Usually I have an idea in my head to begin with.

My orginal file in illustrator typically has logos, shapes, wordmarks all over the place. I arange the elements I like on the artboard and work from there.

Pretty cool to see all the different ways everyone works! On the tablet, when you use that does it put in alot of points that you have to clean up or what? I'd be interested in one of those possibly...

[PhilaLogos]

I'm a good artist, but I've never actually traced a logo. I do, though, plan on using that method for my cubanized stars.

[Gordie]

My process is pretty close to PC's.

Mentally, I usually have a general idea of what I'm trying to create, so I get started right away with Corel Draw. If I struggle to come up with an idea, I'll try to work it out with pen on paper.

[andrewharrington]

i am gifted at drawing, and occasionally ill come up with something revolutionary, in which case i scan and trace in illustrator if i have easy access to a scanner, or i will just use my drawing as reference and draw it freehand in illustrator. another thing i do is to use photos that i find online and trace them, particularly with animal logos. this way i can get a rough image that looks very much like the actual form, and i can use my traced image, combine my ideas and refine it with those that communicate the idea better, both existing ideas from other designers or ideas you come up with yourself.

for example, i made a warrior logo per the schools request that can be seen in the 'new school logo needed' thread in the request section. i drew it in spanish class, procrastinated forever because i dont have easy access to a scanner, and ended up just freehanding it with the mouse in illustrator, using my drawing as reference.

then again, i just made a coyote and a bison for the 'denair high football' and 'college of the big horns threads, respectively, and used an entirely different approach. for example, i used a photo of a coyote, then traced it to get a rough start, then refined it using inspiration from good canine logos, like northern illinois university or university of washington, and combined those ispirations with my ideas, and finally translated them to the final form. the last thing i do is smooth out my curves, pay attention to minute details, and add color, and i have a finished product.

hope it helps. you seem to have a slew of great advice here.

[Cyclopsis Joe]

Most of my stuff I do is drawn out in Study Hall or Algebra..I usually get home and see if I can get it fixed.

For some reason, most of my concepts (including the good ones) get thrown away..Like, I had one for the Sim Baseball League, but when I was turned down..I threw it out..because A) I wasn't gonna use it..and Because I knew someone would have a fit and say I was ripping off joshuamings...(the Atlanta Champions were gonna have a logo that looked like an olympic medal, which probably would incedentially end up looking like his Olympians logo)

Then again, my stuff ain't good..oh well..

[winters in buffalo]

I generally sketch things out first, but then do the whole thing start to fininsh in Illustrator.

Occasionally I trace a scanned sketch.

Sometime's I'll paste a photo onto the artboard and use it as a guide.

And then there was the time I worked out an entire concept in my head for 3 days - including planning out what tools I'd need to use in Illustrator to make it happen, and then sat down at the computer and did it.

[Mings]

huh someones trying to rip me off? am i getting that good or something? lol

[Discrim]

I don't have Illustrator or anything such, but Micrografx Windows Draw serves me well. when doing a logo or jersey concept, usually it comes to me and then I draw a rough version. i got a scanner here, but as I sometimes lament, it doesn't work. basically I gotta try my best to get as close to what I drew as I can, but sometimes it doesn't wind up as good as hoped (quite a few come to mind-anyone remember my Oriole head?)

hell, even what I consider one of my best logos, that Flint General, didn't exactly come out like i drew it up.

getting into desiging a jersey, usually I just use Paint for the main design and then go to Windows Draw to put logos, lettering and numbers on.

[AAO]

i'm sort of in syphi's footsteps. A lot of my ideas come from doodling in classes. I do better work on paper and draw well. I don't scan my drawn work, i just redo it with the pen tool in illustrator, which i'm pretty comfortable with (the pen tool that is). My logos by hand probably look better than they do in Illustrator. Sometimes, my ideas start strictly in Illustrator when i'm at home or graphic imaging and design class, where i have access to Illustrator as well. Before illustrator, my work came straight from MS Paint.

[andrewharrington]

graphic im aging and design class in high school? haha you are a lucky man.

[wheateater]

I've tried the draw-scan-and-trace method, but seeing as how I have limited resources (i.e.- Paint), it hasn't really worked that well for me. I come up with simple stuff from scratch in Paint. It's tough and time-consuming, so I can't wait until my computer is working again (up at my university abode...). Then I'll be able to put Illustrator on it, and maybe I'll churn out some decent stuff for a change...