How can I design a simple logo without any prior skill in graphic design?

Question

I want to create a simple logo, but I have no skills or experience in graphic design. Although I'm familiar with GIMP, I'm not sure how to get started. A text-logo would suffice, but it should be individual and not too ugly. Any advice?

Answer 1

1st rule: decide if the logo will be an icon, or wordmark/icon combination. A simple way to design to take the wording and put it into a distinctive, yet easy-to-read, font. Then replace one of the letters with an icon in the shape of the letter, or in the shape of the product that can read as the replaced letter. It's important to have an icon (square or round) because you need it to serve as a profile pic, menu pic, or favicon (those little logos at the top of browser windows.)

2nd rule: fast understanding. It may be funny to have a picture of a cat for your restaurant logo, but people need to be able to "get" your business in a fraction of a second.

3rd rule: Legibility, legibility, legibility. Can you logo be read on a pen? Can your logo be read while on a billboard being driven past at 50 miles per hour? Keep it simple.

4th rule: Get the right formats. You'll need a vector logo that you can blow up or shrink down without losing any quality. Having a photographic image (a.k.a. raster) won't work.