Whether you can’t seem to put down your guitar, have become a champ at Guitar Hero or just enjoy listening to musicians strumming chords on their instruments, you can show off your interests by creating a guitar logo. Logos are small graphical files used to represent a company or business and create branding, which is how people recognize something, such as the World Wildlife Fund’s panda bear logo. You can make your own logo through a variety of software programs, each taking just a few moments’ time and sure to create something that’s music to your ears (and eyes).
Open Publisher and click “Blank Publications,” then select a pre-set size close to your preferred logo size, such as the index card. Double-click it and the item opens in your workspace. Pull down the “Insert” menu and select “Picture,” then “Clip Art.” Pull down the “Search in” menu and check all the boxes. Pull down the “Results should be” menu and check the “Clip Art” box, then type the word “guitar” into the “Search for” box and click “Go.” Scroll through the results, then double-click a guitar image, and it will appear on the workspace. (Optional) Type the phrase “music notes” into the “Search for” box, then double-click a couple of note images and add them to the logo around the guitar, dragging each into place with your cursor. To resize an image, grab a corner and shrink it down. Click the “Insert WordArt” icon, which looks like a blowing letter “A” on the left side of the screen, then choose a style for the text for the logo. Click a style, then type a phrase such as “Grampa’s Guitar Lessons,” “The Five-String Stylers” or “Ben’s Band’s Biggest Fan” and set your preferred font and size, then position it over the top of the logo. Create a new Paint file and pull down the “Image” menu, then choose “Attributes.” Set your preferred logo size, such as 4 inches by 4 inches and click “OK.” Click the “Paintbrush” tool, then choose the medium round brush head and a brown color from the “Color Picker” at the bottom of the screen. Draw the outline of the guitar, then click the “Paint Bucket” and click inside the guitar, which fills with color. Click the “Paintbrush” tool again and choose a slash mark brush head, then black or gray from the “Color Picker” and draw the guitar’s strings. Click the “Pencil” tool and a new paint color and add accents to the guitar, such as flames or patterns. Switch paint colors and draw little picks all around the guitar. (Optional) Click the “Airbrush” tool, which looks like a spray can, then choose the large whirl head below it and a new paint color.
Click and drag your cursor around the guitar, which adds a glittery/fireworks effect to the logo. Open Photoshop and create a new file by clicking “File,” then “New.” Name the file “GuitarLogo” and set your preferred dimensions. Pull down the “Mode” menu and set it to “RGB Color” and click the “White” button under the “Contents” section, then click “OK.” Click “File” again, but this time choose “Open” and browse to a location on your computer where you have a picture of a guitar. Double-click it so it opens in your Photoshop workspace. Click the “Lasso” tool on the “Tools” palette on the left side of the screen, then draw an outline around the guitar. When the dotted blinking line appears, press the “Ctrl” and “C” keys on your keyboard to copy it. Click back to the “GuitarLogo” box and press “Ctrl” and “V” to paste it in. Click the “Paint Bucket” tool, then pull down the “Fill” menu at the top of the screen and select “Pattern.” Click inside the “Pattern” box and choose a background for the logo, such as checkerboard or bubbles. Move the “Opacity” slider bar down to 75 percent, then click inside the white space of the “GuitarLogo” box, which fills with the pattern and surrounds the guitar.