Photoshop Tutorial: How to Design a Monogram LOGO of Interwoven Initials

ASR: en

0:00:07.670,0:00:13.380
hi this is Marty from Blue Lightning TV

0:00:10.500,0:00:15.719
I'm going to show you how to create a

0:00:13.380,0:00:18.000
custom intertwined monogram logo

0:00:15.719,0:00:22.230
centered on a simple but powerful

0:00:18.000,0:00:24.000
background if the middle initial of the

0:00:22.230,0:00:27.119
monogram is larger than the other two

0:00:24.000,0:00:30.029
the middle initial is the surname or

0:00:27.119,0:00:32.700
last name the first initial is the first

0:00:30.029,0:00:35.520
name and a last initial is the middle

0:00:32.700,0:00:37.950
name however if all the initials are the

0:00:35.520,0:00:40.200
same size the order of the initials

0:00:37.950,0:00:43.559
represents the first middle and last

0:00:40.200,0:00:46.170
name I provided a link to a website that

0:00:43.559,0:00:48.930
explains the general rules pertaining to

0:00:46.170,0:00:51.629
monograms the link is located in the

0:00:48.930,0:00:55.289
video description create a new document

0:00:51.629,0:00:59.270
by pressing ctrl + on windows or command

0:00:55.289,0:01:03.180
n on a Mac make the width 1200 pixels

0:00:59.270,0:01:06.350
the height 900 pixels and the resolution

0:01:03.180,0:01:10.260
300 pixels per inch make the color mode

0:01:06.350,0:01:14.340
RGB at eight bits per channel then click

0:01:10.260,0:01:18.479
ok let's begin by making the background

0:01:14.340,0:01:20.490
first open your gradient tool and make

0:01:18.479,0:01:24.650
sure the linear gradient icon is

0:01:20.490,0:01:28.799
highlighted click the gradient bar and

0:01:24.650,0:01:32.600
click the black to white preset click

0:01:28.799,0:01:36.930
the lower right stop and the color box

0:01:32.600,0:01:39.570
type in 83 times this gives us fifty

0:01:36.930,0:01:44.759
percent grey then click OK on the color

0:01:39.570,0:01:46.950
picker and the gradient editor go to the

0:01:44.759,0:01:49.649
bottom of the document and hold down

0:01:46.950,0:01:52.710
shift as you drag up the gradient line

0:01:49.649,0:01:57.810
to the top go to filter and filter

0:01:52.710,0:02:01.079
gallery open the texture folder and

0:01:57.810,0:02:03.840
click texturizer the texture is

0:02:01.079,0:02:07.259
sandstone the scaling is a hundred

0:02:03.840,0:02:11.750
percent the relief is two and the light

0:02:07.259,0:02:11.750
is from the top then click OK

0:02:12.300,0:02:17.890
double click on the lock this unlocks

0:02:15.489,0:02:22.810
the background and opens the layer style

0:02:17.890,0:02:28.870
window click stroke make the size 100

0:02:22.810,0:02:33.280
pixels and the position is inside click

0:02:28.870,0:02:37.420
inner glow click the color box pick

0:02:33.280,0:02:40.510
black and click OK change the blend mode

0:02:37.420,0:02:44.019
to color burn and the opacity to fifteen

0:02:40.510,0:02:47.680
percent the technique is softer the

0:02:44.019,0:02:50.319
source is edged the choke is one hundred

0:02:47.680,0:02:56.650
percent and the size is a hundred pixels

0:02:50.319,0:03:01.599
then click ok click the custom shape

0:02:56.650,0:03:03.910
tool and open the thumbnails click the

0:03:01.599,0:03:08.920
gear icon to open your list of shape

0:03:03.910,0:03:11.760
presets click shapes and click OK to see

0:03:08.920,0:03:14.769
the new set in the thumbnail window

0:03:11.760,0:03:16.900
click the diamond shape which is between

0:03:14.769,0:03:19.299
the outline crescent and the outline

0:03:16.900,0:03:21.340
dymond make sure it's not the wider

0:03:19.299,0:03:24.130
diamond since that shape has slightly

0:03:21.340,0:03:27.549
rounded corners click the gear icon at

0:03:24.130,0:03:31.930
the top tick unconstrained and check

0:03:27.549,0:03:35.230
from Center choose path if you're

0:03:31.930,0:03:39.099
working on cs5 or earlier the path tool

0:03:35.230,0:03:41.139
mode is here we want to make guidelines

0:03:39.099,0:03:44.859
that crisscross the center of the

0:03:41.139,0:03:47.849
document to do this go to view and click

0:03:44.859,0:03:51.130
new guide with the horizontal

0:03:47.849,0:03:56.200
orientation ticked type in fifty percent

0:03:51.130,0:03:58.660
click OK or press Enter or return if you

0:03:56.200,0:04:03.450
don't see the guideline press ctrl or

0:03:58.660,0:04:07.690
command H go back to view new guide and

0:04:03.450,0:04:11.500
tick vertical as before type in fifty

0:04:07.690,0:04:13.930
percent then click OK go to the center

0:04:11.500,0:04:16.479
of the guidelines and drag out a diamond

0:04:13.930,0:04:21.519
shape to the edges of the top bottom and

0:04:16.479,0:04:24.110
sides open the paths panel if you don't

0:04:21.519,0:04:26.419
see it go to window and pads

0:04:24.110,0:04:30.409
click the icon at the upper right corner

0:04:26.419,0:04:33.919
and click make selection keep the

0:04:30.409,0:04:37.819
feather radius at 0.5 pixels which is

0:04:33.919,0:04:41.270
the default amount and click OK the path

0:04:37.819,0:04:43.610
is now a selection open back up the

0:04:41.270,0:04:46.189
layers panel will cut the diamond-shaped

0:04:43.610,0:04:48.849
selection from the background and copy

0:04:46.189,0:04:55.639
it to its own layer to do this press

0:04:48.849,0:04:59.960
ctrl or command J click off the eyeball

0:04:55.639,0:05:02.029
of the stroke to hide it and double

0:04:59.960,0:05:06.199
click on effects to open the layer style

0:05:02.029,0:05:09.050
window click bevel and emboss the style

0:05:06.199,0:05:11.870
is inner bevel the technique is chisel

0:05:09.050,0:05:16.009
hard and the depth is a hundred percent

0:05:11.870,0:05:20.569
the direction is down and the size is 14

0:05:16.009,0:05:23.779
pixels then click OK press ctrl or

0:05:20.569,0:05:27.289
command H to hide the guidelines we're

0:05:23.779,0:05:31.150
ready to set our text open your

0:05:27.289,0:05:34.610
horizontal type tool and pick a font i'm

0:05:31.150,0:05:36.740
using trajan pro regular which you can

0:05:34.610,0:05:38.900
download from the link i provided the

0:05:36.740,0:05:42.620
link is located in the video description

0:05:38.900,0:05:46.699
or project files make the size 125

0:05:42.620,0:05:48.650
points smooth and center alignment the

0:05:46.699,0:05:50.870
color is irrelevant since we're going to

0:05:48.650,0:05:53.990
give the text a gradient and color

0:05:50.870,0:05:57.259
overlay type the uppercase letter of

0:05:53.990,0:06:00.669
your first name to move it open your

0:05:57.259,0:06:04.939
move tool and drag it to the center

0:06:00.669,0:06:11.089
click the FX icon and click bevel and

0:06:04.939,0:06:14.210
emboss the style is inner bevel and a

0:06:11.089,0:06:17.449
technique is smooth drag the depth all

0:06:14.210,0:06:21.439
the way to the right the direction is up

0:06:17.449,0:06:25.969
and the size is 7 pixels click gradient

0:06:21.439,0:06:28.849
overlay click the gradient bar and click

0:06:25.969,0:06:34.339
the lower left stop click the color box

0:06:28.849,0:06:37.190
and type in six C's this gives us eighty

0:06:34.339,0:06:40.190
percent gray click OK

0:06:37.190,0:06:44.540
and click on the lower right stop click

0:06:40.190,0:06:47.780
the color box and this time type in 4d

0:06:44.540,0:06:52.730
three times this gives us 30 percent

0:06:47.780,0:06:56.810
grey click OK on both windows click

0:06:52.730,0:06:58.580
color overlay and the color box pick an

0:06:56.810,0:07:00.650
overall color that you'd like for your

0:06:58.580,0:07:06.980
monogram you can always change it later

0:07:00.650,0:07:10.660
I'll type in 1f a 7 ed click OK or press

0:07:06.980,0:07:17.570
Enter or return change the blend mode to

0:07:10.660,0:07:22.450
color click inner glow change the blend

0:07:17.570,0:07:25.550
mode to hard mix and click the color box

0:07:22.450,0:07:28.360
pick a lighter brighter version of the

0:07:25.550,0:07:34.040
color you picked earlier i'll type in 0

0:07:28.360,0:07:37.640
0 f FF 6 click OK or press Enter or

0:07:34.040,0:07:40.490
return notice the color you picked is

0:07:37.640,0:07:43.700
now in the color box make the choke

0:07:40.490,0:07:48.080
twenty-two percent and the size 15

0:07:43.700,0:07:51.410
pixels click stroke make the size 14

0:07:48.080,0:07:55.160
pixels and the position is outside then

0:07:51.410,0:07:57.230
click OK because this monogram has three

0:07:55.160,0:08:00.980
initials we'll make two copies of it

0:07:57.230,0:08:04.460
first go to view and if Snap is checked

0:08:00.980,0:08:07.130
just click on it to turn it off to make

0:08:04.460,0:08:12.950
two copies of the letter press ctrl or

0:08:07.130,0:08:15.680
command J twice hold down shift as you

0:08:12.950,0:08:18.560
drag a letter to the right holding shift

0:08:15.680,0:08:21.590
keeps it aligned click on the other copy

0:08:18.560,0:08:24.020
to make it active and again hold down

0:08:21.590,0:08:26.480
shift as you drag the letter to the left

0:08:24.020,0:08:29.690
this letter will be your first initial

0:08:26.480,0:08:33.289
of the monogram type in the letter of

0:08:29.690,0:08:35.839
your first name make the copy above it

0:08:33.289,0:08:39.050
active and double-click it to highlight

0:08:35.839,0:08:42.229
the letter now type in the first letter

0:08:39.050,0:08:44.630
of your middle name scroll down to the

0:08:42.229,0:08:47.240
bottom and double-click on the large T

0:08:44.630,0:08:50.209
of the original letter type the first

0:08:47.240,0:08:52.220
initial of your last name

0:08:50.209,0:08:55.069
click the large tea again to highlight

0:08:52.220,0:09:00.649
the letter will increase the size to 180

0:08:55.069,0:09:03.050
points open your move tool and drag it

0:09:00.649,0:09:05.110
down approximately halfway between the

0:09:03.050,0:09:08.149
top and bottom of the other initials

0:09:05.110,0:09:10.249
because it's larger than the others will

0:09:08.149,0:09:13.269
increase the inner glow effect to

0:09:10.249,0:09:16.189
compensate for its size to do this

0:09:13.269,0:09:18.860
double click on its inner glow effect to

0:09:16.189,0:09:22.699
open it in the layer style window change

0:09:18.860,0:09:28.040
the choke 20 and the size to 30 pixels

0:09:22.699,0:09:29.869
then click OK to save space in the

0:09:28.040,0:09:32.089
layers panel will click the small

0:09:29.869,0:09:39.290
triangles on each of the initials to

0:09:32.089,0:09:41.209
collapse the list of effects let's place

0:09:39.290,0:09:43.939
them into a folder to do this

0:09:41.209,0:09:46.730
shift-click on the top initial to

0:09:43.939,0:09:51.740
highlight them all and press ctrl or

0:09:46.730,0:09:54.499
command G let's name it original text

0:09:51.740,0:09:57.649
it's always a good idea to save your

0:09:54.499,0:10:01.429
original text or objects make a copy of

0:09:57.649,0:10:04.339
it and hide the original folder open the

0:10:01.429,0:10:06.740
folder copy will convert each initial

0:10:04.339,0:10:09.470
into a smart object so we can ultimately

0:10:06.740,0:10:12.049
add thick drop shadows on each of them

0:10:09.470,0:10:14.540
as well as enabling us to change or

0:10:12.049,0:10:17.029
modify the letters if we want to at some

0:10:14.540,0:10:19.730
point click the top initial to make it

0:10:17.029,0:10:22.459
active and click the icon at the top

0:10:19.730,0:10:25.699
right corner click convert to smart

0:10:22.459,0:10:28.579
object you know it's a smart object when

0:10:25.699,0:10:33.350
it has this icon on the thumbnail repeat

0:10:28.579,0:10:36.559
these steps for the other initials make

0:10:33.350,0:10:40.279
your top initial active and hold down

0:10:36.559,0:10:42.649
shift as you drag it to the left in this

0:10:40.279,0:10:44.839
case I'd like to position the letter so

0:10:42.649,0:10:47.540
it just touches the other when it's

0:10:44.839,0:10:50.119
closed I'll use my left or right arrow

0:10:47.540,0:10:55.249
keys on my keyboard to move it one pixel

0:10:50.119,0:10:58.939
at a time make the initial below it

0:10:55.249,0:11:01.689
active and again hold down shift as you

0:10:58.939,0:11:01.689
drag it to the right

0:11:02.350,0:11:06.560
ctrl-click or command click on the

0:11:04.790,0:11:09.800
thumbnail of the letter to make a

0:11:06.560,0:11:12.560
selection of its shape and click the

0:11:09.800,0:11:15.350
layer mask icon to make a layer mask of

0:11:12.560,0:11:21.649
the selection next to the initial repeat

0:11:15.350,0:11:23.629
this for the top letter ctrl-click or

0:11:21.649,0:11:26.079
command click on the large letter at the

0:11:23.629,0:11:31.189
bottom to make a selection of its shape

0:11:26.079,0:11:34.279
press ctrl or command H twice to hide

0:11:31.189,0:11:39.230
the selection and the guidelines click

0:11:34.279,0:11:42.319
the FX icon and click drop shadow the

0:11:39.230,0:11:45.709
blend mode is multiply the opacity is

0:11:42.319,0:11:49.279
thirty-five percent the distance is 30

0:11:45.709,0:11:54.800
pixels and the size is 10 pixels then

0:11:49.279,0:11:58.009
click OK go to drop shadow hold down alt

0:11:54.800,0:12:02.050
or option and drag a copy of the drop

0:11:58.009,0:12:02.050
shadow effect to the layer below it

0:12:02.170,0:12:10.939
repeat this for the bottom letter next

0:12:08.029,0:12:12.709
we'll interweave them let's quickly

0:12:10.939,0:12:15.889
review the layer order in the layers

0:12:12.709,0:12:18.800
panel the top initial represents your

0:12:15.889,0:12:21.649
middle name the initial below it is your

0:12:18.800,0:12:26.059
first name and the large bottom initial

0:12:21.649,0:12:29.750
is your last name open your pencil tool

0:12:26.059,0:12:33.319
and choose a medium sized tip for this

0:12:29.750,0:12:34.939
example I'll use a 40 pixel size make

0:12:33.319,0:12:38.300
sure the hardness is a hundred percent

0:12:34.939,0:12:41.629
in this example i'd like to overlap the

0:12:38.300,0:12:44.899
s over the g so i'll make sure the layer

0:12:41.629,0:12:46.759
mask of the g is active remember the

0:12:44.899,0:12:49.550
selection of the large initial of your

0:12:46.759,0:12:52.250
last name is active but hidden I'll

0:12:49.550,0:12:55.910
brush over an area of the letter G to

0:12:52.250,0:12:58.850
hide it I'm actually brushing over its

0:12:55.910,0:13:01.879
layer mask which hides the letter the

0:12:58.850,0:13:05.329
selection of the S is confining my brush

0:13:01.879,0:13:08.420
to the inside of the S shape if I want

0:13:05.329,0:13:10.540
to overlap the S over the r I'll make

0:13:08.420,0:13:15.740
the layer mask of the are active and

0:13:10.540,0:13:17.960
brush over the r since I like the r

0:13:15.740,0:13:21.890
overlapping the s I'll press ctrl or

0:13:17.960,0:13:24.050
command Z to undo the last step using

0:13:21.890,0:13:27.950
these techniques you can create a custom

0:13:24.050,0:13:30.350
monogram logo for anyone this is Marty

0:13:27.950,0:13:32.740
from Blue Lightning TV thanks for

0:13:30.350,0:13:32.740
watching