# DIY Haunt Logos



## george_darkhill (Aug 8, 2013)

Hello,

I am a graphic designer (somewhat) and I enjoy working in photoshop, a lot!

So of course, I design all my haunt logos/artwork in Photoshop Cs6 Extended. I have started this thread to be a place to share your DIY haunt logos/artwork and discuss them, without providing full tutorials (I'm sure that can be done in another thread). The masterpieces you post, don't necessarily have to be created in Photoshop, they just have to be made by you. :jol:


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## george_darkhill (Aug 8, 2013)

I guess I'll start...

My Haunt Logo:









My Logo:


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## george_darkhill (Aug 8, 2013)

This is some Header artwork i designed using only photoshop brushes and a base texture from Video Copilot's Action Essentials 2


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## Zombie-F (Apr 12, 2004)

Here's the logo for my haunt, the Uncommon House of Horrors:


http://s2.photobucket.com/user/Zombie-F/media/web stuff/logo.png.html


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## Chuck (Oct 10, 2009)

Here are a couple of the invitations I have created.


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## george_darkhill (Aug 8, 2013)

I'm already loving this thread!


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## highbury (Nov 5, 2009)

Here is the poster layout I did for 2012. I prefer working with Illustrator as vector art can be resized without any issues and it works better for silkscreening. Every year I silkscreen the design onto tshirts. The downside, I guess, is that I don't use any photography...


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## george_darkhill (Aug 8, 2013)

highbury said:


> Here is the poster layout I did for 2012. I prefer working with Illustrator as vector art can be resized without any issues and it works better for silkscreening. Every year I silkscreen the design onto tshirts. The downside, I guess, is that I don't use any photography...


Yes, I know what you mean, but what I usually do is just make a very, ery large image in photoshop. Your way is probably better though


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## edwood saucer (Aug 21, 2006)

highbury said:


> Here is the poster layout I did for 2012. I prefer working with Illustrator as vector art can be resized without any issues and it works better for silkscreening. Every year I silkscreen the design onto tshirts. The downside, I guess, is that I don't use any photography...


Highbury - with the autotrace tool in Illustrator - you can now turn about anything you want into vector art.

To simplify it from screen printing - posterize the image first before tracing.

Your image is excellent by the way!

:jol:


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

Where and how do you guys actually end up using your artwork?
Tickets?, Screenprinting? Flyers? Posters? Websites? or...?


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## Zombie-F (Apr 12, 2004)

I use my graphics on my haunt's Facebook page, web site, and the flyers I post around town.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

Do you print out our flyers in color, or as black and white or grayscale images?


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## Zombie-F (Apr 12, 2004)

It depends on what I created for a flyer.

When I did flyers like this, I printed B&W:



When I did flyers such as this one, I printed in color:


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## kevin242 (Sep 30, 2005)

here is my logo









here is a copy of the flyer I've been using for the past 5 or so years


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## edwood saucer (Aug 21, 2006)

kevin242 said:


> here is my logo
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's a huge amount of toner. Hope you are taking them somewhere or getting them printed free.

I remember 10 years ago when a 11x17 _*full color*_ print costs like $6. Now they are 75¢ I think at Office depot.

I'm still astounded at the price drop over the years.


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## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

george_darkhill said:


> Yes, I know what you mean, but what I usually do is just make a very, ery large image in photoshop. Your way is probably better though


It's only really better for simpler logos (e.g. less colors) and silk screening as highbury said... I really like vector over raster though, depending on the application. Maybe I've never quite mastered the vector techniques?


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

Also keep in mind that most, if not all, desktop printers can't print all the way to the edges of the page, so you will end up with a frame of the paper color.
Both raster and vector art have their advantages, raster work is easier to make subtle alterations, but tends to be tougher to come back and change later on if all of it isn't done in layers. It also tends to give you/require much larger file sizes, and they don't do as well when scaled up or down in size. Vector art tends to give you cleaner edges, smaller file sizes, the ability to come back and alter things, and the ability to scale them up or down without any degradation to the artwork. The limitation for the quality of the print is that of your output devices/printers.
For all, if you have the option, take your flyer artwork as a digital file and let the copy shop/print shop print out your flyers from that, rather than making a photocopy of something you've printed out. The problems with photocopying are multifold. They tend to not print or copy as cleanly, they tend to drift or change position on the paper (the original shifting on the glass or the paper in their tray shifting), and they tend to show more banding because the original piece has not been scanned very well by the copier.


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## george_darkhill (Aug 8, 2013)

fontgeek said:


> Also keep in mind that most, if not all, desktop printers can't print all the way to the edges of the page, so you will end up with a frame of the paper color.
> Both raster and vector art have their advantages, raster work is easier to make subtle alterations, but tends to be tougher to come back and change later on if all of it isn't done in layers. It also tends to give you/require much larger file sizes, and they don't do as well when scaled up or down in size. Vector art tends to give you cleaner edges, smaller file sizes, the ability to come back and alter things, and the ability to scale them up or down without any degradation to the artwork. The limitation for the quality of the print is that of your output devices/printers.
> For all, if you have the option, take your flyer artwork as a digital file and let the copy shop/print shop print out your flyers from that, rather than making a photocopy of something you've printed out. The problems with photocopying are multifold. They tend to not print or copy as cleanly, they tend to drift or change position on the paper (the original shifting on the glass or the paper in their tray shifting), and they tend to show more banding because the original piece has not been scanned very well by the copier.


 I have ALWAYS used large resolution photoshop files for everything I do in the haunt logo department. However, is there something I'm missing out on? I have the full Adobe Creative Suite, so I have AI. Should I use that instead? I am very impressed with the stuff you guys have done in AI!


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

George, I am a firm believer in using the best tool for the job, I also "preach" the logic of "Look ahead, and think in reverse". By that I mean look at what your final goal(s) will be, and work your way backwards through all of the steps needed/involved, and what it takes to achieve those steps, and so on backwards 'til you get to your present state.
You may often find that the use of a combination of tools or software will give you the desired results. But the more tools and skill you have in your arsenal, the more options you have to meet your goals.
Adding in the capability of Illustrator and other programs will broaden your capabilities. You'll find that many of the same skills and tools you use in Photoshop are the same ones you'll find in Illustrator. You have nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain by learning it, and since you've already paid for it, why not?
I hope all of that made sense.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

You can do subtle color work and even tweak or alter photos in Illustrator, but for extremes in photo/image manipulation, you may be better off in Photoshop.
Getting color separations for screenprinting is often easier to do in Illustrator than Photoshop. So much depends upon what or how you will use the finished piece.


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## kevin242 (Sep 30, 2005)

edwood saucer said:


> That's a huge amount of toner. Hope you are taking them somewhere or getting them printed free.
> 
> I remember 10 years ago when a 11x17 _*full color*_ print costs like $6. Now they are 75¢ I think at Office depot.
> 
> I'm still astounded at the price drop over the years.


Yes, I get them photocopied for free by a few friends, the actual copied versions have a slightly different edge that I do in black ink to look non-square with soil falling down and protruding worms, etc...


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## the Master (Jan 16, 2014)

Nice logos!


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## MurrayTX (Nov 4, 2011)

This will fall under the "can't hurt to ask" area...

If anyone who is learning to work with PhotoShop wants new material to work with as a project, I have a free yardhaunt and won ad space in HauntNationMagazine this year. I have pics to take from and hope that the ad will mostly work to recruit enthusiasts and actors to join the haunt, as my neighborhood already attracts a huge turnout of viewers/guests. I have no intention of making shirts or souvenirs. Any assistance with this would be appreciated.


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## Uruk-Hai (Nov 4, 2006)

Some great logos here. This is the one I created of the header of my website. I also re-created it in foam for my haunt sign.

The original header&#8230;










The sign design&#8230;










and as built&#8230;


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

MurrayTX said:


> This will fall under the "can't hurt to ask" area...
> 
> If anyone who is learning to work with PhotoShop wants new material to work with as a project, I have a free yardhaunt and won ad space in HauntNationMagazine this year. I have pics to take from and hope that the ad will mostly work to recruit enthusiasts and actors to join the haunt, as my neighborhood already attracts a huge turnout of viewers/guests. I have no intention of making shirts or souvenirs. Any assistance with this would be appreciated.


I'm not sure if you're asking for help creating an ad, but I'll help if you want. Drop me a PM with contact info and any/all specs you have, the haunt name, etc.


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## MurrayTX (Nov 4, 2011)

Much appreciated. I need to pick out some photos that would work well as source material.


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## beaver state rich (Jan 25, 2014)

Granted it looks like something a 3rd grader would do but this is the logo for our yard haunt this year.

For those that don't know Corvallis is home to Oregon State University-AKA the Beavers.


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## beaver state rich (Jan 25, 2014)

corrected link.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

That's fun!
The only thing I'd change, maybe, would be to not use the font Rubens everywhere.
Maybe use something short (vertically) and wide. Having a contrasting lettering style helps keep viewers interested, and allows you to focus the viewers attention where you want it.

How will you use this? (signs, website, T-shirts, etc.)


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

Uruk-Hai said:


> Some great logos here. This is the one I created of the header of my website. I also re-created it in foam for my haunt sign.
> 
> The original header&#8230;
> 
> ...


Do you have any photos of the foam sign at night?
I'm curious to see how things appear, and also to see how you light it/lit it.


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## FrightProps (Feb 22, 2011)

HauntForum has some super talented people...didn't see a single one that I wasn't impressed by.


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## Abunai (Oct 28, 2007)

Wow. 
I'm overwhelmed by these. 
I especially like the comic book cover flyers. I may have to steal that idea this year. 
We haven't had a logo up until late last year, when I had my son design one.


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## ATLfun (Oct 12, 2012)

Abunai said:


> Wow.
> We haven't had a logo up until late last year, when I had my son design one.


 Your son is very talented. That is one professional looking logo.


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## TheDarkestHour (Dec 5, 2014)

Very first draft, I'm redesigning it now, but, figured I'd share anyway.


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## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

Look at my sig. So far that's the revamped banner. The logo will be a condensed version somehow incorporating the chaotic evil vs military.


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## TheDarkestHour (Dec 5, 2014)

I've done a first draft of the Revamp for my logo. What do you guys think? Too much going on?


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## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

TheDarkestHour said:


> I've done a first draft of the Revamp for my logo. What do you guys think? Too much going on?


less of a logo and more of a web banner. I like the one above better. Less is more


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## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

here is my newest one. I have a couple I use for my Haunt and my books and t-shirts.

primmsylvania_zps293d0193.jpg Photo by kprimm_photos | Photobucket


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

Both are nice, but without knowing how or where you would use it it's hard to say if the new one is better than the old.
I tend to look at the worst case scenarios when I design a logo or ad campaign for a haunt or business. Consider the following questions when you go to design one;
What is the biggest size you will use it at?
What is the smallest size you will us it at?
How will it be produced/reproduced? e.g. photocopy, offset printing, etc.
Would this be faxed?
Will it be done as a true black and white image, grayscale, or full color?
Will it be screen printed on shirts, posters, etc.?

Always plan on doing small sizes and in basic black and white. I can do more elaborate versions if and when needed, but the simple versions make them j


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