Xplisit1

I have two graphic design questions. One regarding shading/effects, and the other regarding logo design. Felt it would be easier to just include in the same email

FIRST QUESTION
I have this idea for this cover. It will be all black, and have a flower breaking through the ground. I don't know how to do an effect where this flower would be illuminated, but surrounded by complete darkness. I have some ideas for lighting, and the gradient effect. What I need help with is highlighting the ground. Maybe illuminating the ground dimly so you can faintly see the flower breaking through the ground. Does that make sense? Anyone have any suggestions?

SECOND QUESTION
I am new to logo design. I have Photoshop CS, & Fireworks 8. Given these tools, how can I create a logo similiar to the style on handango.com? I have not had formal training, so I do not know the terms, nor techniques used. I have seen this type of logo design used with various companies. For a person who has no freehand artistic ability, how would I create something of this nature with shapes/cropping? Are there any tutorials on this?

ronmatt

http://www.eyesondesign.net/pshop/tuts.htm

These may help you some.....good luck 8))

MsOz

Make the flower and the ground on a transparent background. Use a white underlayer to help you see what you are doing.
Once done, change the underlayer to black, and then you will start to adjust your image to best work with the black background. You can use Lighting Effects, adjust Brightness and Contrast, or use various Adjustment layers and opacities to get it set "to taste."
It's hard to give you more specific instructions with just a general description.
Upload your drawing, and perhaps someone can help you with a visual.

Is this the logo you are trying to recreate?
?
Other than drawing the figure with the pen tool, I don't understand what you are trying to accomplish.
You have to have a modicum of drawing skills to create with any application. You can do this with shapes, or the paintbrush, but there aren't any tutorials telling you specifically how to draw with the tools...

There are some excellent articles online on using the Pen Tool to create clean line drawings and shapes. Start with those.

~MO

Xplisit1

I am not trying to necessarily draw their logo verbatim, but how they did the curves, I am not knowledgeable enough to know how to do that in photoshop, and I don't know what the name of the technique is I should be seeking a tutorial for? I am trying to do a logo using the letter "H" and I want the it to have a similar curved/pointed design like the arm (where he is holding up the star). I don't know what tool to use to accomplish the curves like they have. Or curves in general. I tried using the pen tool, and others.....but I don't know what I am doing.

Does that make sense?

ladyfinger007

Welcome!
See http://www.thegoldenmean.com/technique/pen1.html for one of the best tuts on the pen tool. There are numerous tuts on the topic. I recommend a Google search before somebody else posts their favorite link on the topic.

See also:

http://www.elated.com/articles/paths-and-the-pen-tool/
http://www.heathrowe.com/Tutorialsli...ool+Techniques
http://photoshoptechniques.com/forum...hp/t-9723.html