Tutorial How to Simplify a Logo using MS Paint/MS Word

[E92_]

Lately I've noticed a few people asking how to simplify a logo using the 2 programs, so I've decided to make a tutorial for people to learn how to do it. In the tutorial I've used MS Word 2007 so it maybe different for older versions of the program.​

Method 1

As far as I know this method can only be done once (on the same logo) and only to dark colours.​

Step 1: Get your logo​

The easiest step, just find the logo you want to simplify. For this I'm going to use the current Miami Heat logo. Once you have your logo paste it into MS Word.​

Step 2: Changing the colours of your logo.​

Once in Word click on the logo and then click on 'Format' under 'Picture Tools' (highlighted with the red box).​

Now that you've done that you will have a bunch of new tools pop up for picture editing. First thing you do is click on 'Recolor' and then on 'Set Transparent Color'.​

After you've done that your cursor will change, for the Heat logo there is two dark colours next to each other (red and black) so you have to make one of the colours light. ​

Now that your cursor has changed click anywhere on the red parts of the logo, if you've done it right all the red on the logo will change to white so you have no dark/light colours next to each other.​

After you've done that copy and paste it into MS Paint and then re-copy and paste it back into MS Word.​

Step 3: Simplifying your logo​

Now that you've copied and pasted it back into word click on the image and then go to 'Format' --> 'Recolour' --> 'Black and White'. This should now make all the colours on your logo black and white and fully simplify your logo.​

Step 4: Recolour your logo​

This is the last step for this method. After you've simplified your logo copy and paste it back into MS Paint, it's best to have the normal logo in the same Paint window to make it easier for you. First of all select the 'Color picker tool'.​

Now that your cursor has changed click on the red of the Miami logo, this will make the red 'Color 1' and automatically change your selected tool to 'Fill with color'.​

Now all you need to do is click all of the parts of the logo that need red (do the same with the yellow) and you're done!​

 

[E92_]

Method 2

This method can only be done when there is no light/dark colours next to each other.​

Step 1: Get your logo

Again, all you have to do is get your logo and copy and paste it into MS Word. For this Method I'm going to use the current New York Knicks logo.​

Step 2: Simplifying your logo

Because this logo has no dark/light colours next to each other we don't have to change the colours of the logo like I did in the first method. Once you've pasted the logo into MS Word click on the logo and then click on 'Format' under 'Picture Tools' (highlighted with the red box).​

Now that you've done that click on 'Recolor and then on 'Black and White', this will change all of the colours to black and white and fully simplify your logo.

Step 3: Recolour your logo

This is the last step for this method. After you've simplified your logo copy and paste it into MS Paint, it's best to have the normal logo in the same Paint window to make it easier for you. First thing you do is select the 'Color picker tool'.​

Now that your cursor has changed click on the orange of the New York logo, this will make the orange 'Color 1' and automatically change your selected tool to 'Fill with color'.


Now all you need to do is click all of the parts of the logo that need orange (do the same with the blue and silver) and you're done!

 

[E92_]

Method 3.

This method is by far the most time consuming and only has to be done when it has 2 light/dark colours next to each other.​

Step 1: Get your logo

Just get your logo and copy and paste it into MS Paint. For this method I'm going to use the current LA Lakers Logo as it has two light colours next to each other (yellow and white).​

Step 2: Separating the colours

This is the most time consuming step and can be a very long task if the logo has lots of light/dark colours next to each other. Once you have pasted your logo onto MS Paint click on the 'Curve' tool (the 'Curve' tool is basically the 'Line' tool but it allows you to curve the line) and make sure 'Color 1' is black or another dark colour (will have to be white or another light colour if you're separating two or more dark colours).​

After you've done this use the curve tool to draw an outline on all the parts of the logo where the yellow and white are next to each other.​

As you can see there is a thin black outline separating the two light colours.​

Step 3: Simplifying your logo

After you've separated the two colours copy and paste it into MS Word and click on the logo and then click on 'Format' under 'Picture Tools' (highlighted with the red box).​

Now that you've done that click on 'Recolor and then on 'Black and White', this will change all of the colours to black and white and fully simplify your logo.​

Step 3: Recolour your logo



This is the final step of this method. After you've simplified your logo copy and paste it into MS Paint, it's best to have the normal logo in the same Paint window to make it easier for you. First thing you do is select the 'Color picker tool'.

Now that your cursor has changed click on the yellow of the Lakers logo, this will make the yellow 'Color 1' and automatically change your selected tool to 'Fill with color'. Now you need to click all of the parts of the logo that need yellow (do the same with the purple and black).​

As you can see the logo is fully simplified but it still has the black outline that I used earlier (some parts are purple if you've coloured in the logo), it's pretty simple to get rid of this outline one way to do it (and probably the easiest way) is to change the black parts of the logo to a colour that isn't used in the logo, such as red.​

After you've changed the black to red fill in all of the yellow parts that still have a black outline with black.​

After that change the black back to yellow and the red back to black. You will still have some purple outlines (circled in red) from the black outline that were connected to the purple.​

All you need to do here is touch it up using the 'Pencil' tool and you're done!​

Another logo I've used this method on is the Boston Celtics which has a lot of light/dark colours next to each other.​

 

[PAFC_04]

Now I know another possibly easier method on how to do this

 

[Andonis1997]

Nice and easy! Love it!

 

[E92_]

If anyone wants to ask any questions or wants to contribute to the tutorial just post here.

 

[Andonis1997]

What if the logo has really bad quality?

 

[E92_]

If the above method doesn't work it will most likely be covered in the one of the other methods.

 

[E92_]

It should also be noted I think the above method only works once if you want to make a colour white. I tried doing it a second time and it was very rough around the edges.

 

[Andonis1997]

Okay I will stay tuned.

 

[E92_]

Is there a particular logo you have in mind, Andonis?

 

[Andonis1997]

Actually, yeah, there is but I can't find it on the internet... I have it on my PC but I'm not on it atm, so that doesn't help... Do you remember my Adelaide Sharks AFL Rebooted entry?? That logo was seriously messed up.

 

[E92_]

When you're on your PC post the pic and I'll check.

 

[Andonis1997]

Yep, will do. I'll try searching in the Sub forum for it...

 

[Andonis1997]

Here it is. I won't use this in the future, but it'll be so I can do a few others I need.

 

[E92_]

Dont think it will work with the first method as its pretty bad quality but it may work with a more time consuming method.

 

[Andonis1997]

Yep, I've done time consuming things before. Simplified a full logo by deleting every single pixel. Couldn't be stuffed to do another...

 

[Andonis1997]

I mean recolouring every single pixel...

 

[E92_]

Not going to lie but theres probably a lot easier ways than that.

 

[Andonis1997]

Yeah, I know

 

[jethro11]

This should go in the thread directory under tutorials.

Great work eagles and looking forward to the next methods.

 

[TheDoctor11]

This should go in the thread directory under tutorials.

Already has

 

[E92_]

Updated first page with methods 2 and 3.

 

[PAFC_04]

Another easy method which often works when there's 2 light/dark colours next to each other is just bumping the contrast up full in word. I'm sure you can work out how to do it yourself and add it with detail to the tutorial but otherwise I'm happy to do it (on 03 Word) when I get the time The only problem is there are random fluoro pixels which need cleaning up, but you can do that easily by selecting those colours and filling the main section in that colour

 

[PAFC_04]

Just had another quick play with that method and realised that it may not work well with a low-res picture