While vector-based software such as Illustrator is usually a designer's go‑to when it comes to logo design, it is possible to design a logo in Photoshop. While the latter's pixel base is less suitable for designing logos than Illustrator, which lets you create something that can be scaled up and down without losing quality, Photoshop is certainly capable of creating something usable. So, if you only have Photoshop as a single app or as part of Adobe's Photography Plan, no worries. You can make a logo in Photoshop, just be aware that you might have issues if you want to change its size.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through a basic option for how to make a logo in Photoshop using simple shape tools, gradients and text options. Of course, you'll want to make a logo in Photoshop that reflects your brand, not the specific example that we're going to create for purposes of demonstration, but you can use the same concepts and tools to create your own design.
Open Photoshop and create a new document. I used a canvas size of 500px x 500px, but larger sizes would work just as well. You can change the canvas size at any point. Go to Edit > Preferences > Guides, grids to set a gridline every 50px. Then turn the grids on, in the canvas, by pressing cmd + ' (ctrl + ' in Windows) or View > Show > Grid in the Options bar.
Select the Pen tool in the toolbar, or by pressing P, and make sure it’s set to Shape rather than Path in the box at the left of the Options bar.
Duplicate the layer, by pressing cmd + J (ctrl + J) and click on the new layer to select it. Use the Direct Selection tool, shortcut A, to click on the top-most point of the arrowhead, located at the centre of the canvas.
Create a new gradient in the Fill drop-down menu, to the left of the Options bar. In the gradient window, double click on the bottom sliders to bring up RGB options, where you can choose your colours; I went for a light and dark blue. Then apply this gradient to both objects, changing the gradient rotation so they oppose each other.
Group the two layers by selecting them and pressing the group button, which looks like a little folder, located at the bottom of the Layers tab. This prevents the Layers tab from becoming messy and makes it easier to handle the two layers together. Duplicate this group (right click and select Duplicate Group), and then use the Free Transform function to rotate the new group ninety-degrees, holding down the Shift key to rotate in fifteen-degree increments. You can access Free Transform using cmd + T or under Edit > Free Transform. Now move the second group up, until it reflects the original shape, using the centre of the canvas as a line of symmetry.
Using the same method from step #5 to group the layers together, duplicate the group and rotate by 45-degrees.
Cycle through Shape tools until you find a circle, either by clicking-and-holding on the icon in the toolbar or pressing Shift + U. Click on the centre point of the canvas, holding Alt to draw a circle radiating from the centre, and Shift to keep the width and height proportional.
Cycle through the shape tools again, until you find the rectangle tool. Draw a white box across the graphic, above the other layers, making enough space for text.
Next up in our simple method of how to make a logo in Photoshop, we'll add some text. Draw a text box over the rectangle, by clicking on the T icon in the toolbar or pressing T, then dragging across the canvas. Type your text into the box and centre it, using the buttons in the Character tab.
Choose a typeface that suits your brand. There are plenty of free fonts out there, but it is crucial to pick one that you have permission to use. Since this logo may appear across many of your assets, you should make sure you don't use an illegally downloaded typeface - you may be surprised how quickly you might hear from the owner.
Kern the text. This means adjusting the horizontal spacing between individual letters, maximising the word’s readability. You can do this under the Type tab, marked with V | A, or by clicking between the letters and pressing alt + left or alt + right.
Finally to finish making your logo in Photoshop, make any final adjustments you need to give it that special something. For the main image at the top of this page, we've added two smaller bars above and below the text, coloured with the same gradient. We also added a background, shadow and reflection, using similar techniques to the other steps, as well as using layer masks to add fade. When you're happy, save the image out in whatever format you require, for example RGB jpg for web format.
Photoshop is a raster-based rather than vector-based design program, but it can vectorise images for export, which is ideal if you're going to want to resize them. That's probably the case if you make a logo in Photoshop. First you need to separate your logo from the background. To do that, make a selection and copy it to a new layer or remove the background. Right click over the selection and select 'Make Work Path' then hit A to change to the direct selection tool. Right click again and select 'Create Vector Mask'.
The process can also be a lot of fun, giving you room to try new ideas before settling on the final version. Once your design is ready, upload it to Printify and start placing it on t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, and more. Your logo design process doesn’t end with Photoshop. It’s the first step to building a recognizable identity that customers can trust. A logo is the foundation of your brand identity and is more than just a pretty image. Customers will connect with your products, services, and values with this visual shorthand. A well-designed logo can build trust, attract attention, and set you apart in a competitive marketplace.
Logo Design Principles You Should Know: Simplicity, Memorability, Timelessness, Versatility, and Appropriateness help you create a strong foundation for your design process.
To create your logo in Photoshop, setting up the document with a large, high-resolution canvas is recommended. Shapes and vector tools, including the Pen Tool and Shape Tools, enable scalable vector-like elements within Photoshop. Typography is a key element; convert text to shapes for scalable precision, and maintain a consistent color palette. Export in multiple formats (PSD, PNG, PDF, JPEG) to cover web, print, and merchandise needs.
In addition to the core steps above, you can explore color psychology, spacing, negative space, and layout balance to enhance the logo’s effectiveness. Think about size and scalability because Photoshop is raster-based, and consider vectorizing in Illustrator if you require true scalability after the initial concept is proven. The guiding idea is to blend shape, color, and type into a single, cohesive mark that communicates your brand at a glance.
Additionally, you can prepare a simple table to summarize the steps and options used in this workflow.
| Step | Key Tools | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas setup | New, Guides, Grid | 500x500 or larger; enable Grid |
| Shapes | Pen tool, Shape tools | Create symmetric designs and groups |
| Gradients & colors | Fill, Gradient; color picker | Opposing gradients for depth |
| Text | Type tool, Character tab, Align | Choose brand-appropriate font; kerning |
| Final touches | Layer styles, masks, exports | Shadows, reflections, fade |
If you’re curious about extending your workflow, you can explore steps for selling your logo on products. Upload your logo to a marketplace like Printify, customize placements on multiple products, preview mockups, connect your store, and let the provider handle printing and shipping. This approach helps turn a Photoshop logo into tangible merchandise while maintaining brand consistency across platforms.