Logoist is an Mac app that allows you to design your own icons, logos, title art, website banners, buttons, iBooks Authors titles, collages, desktop background and more. It is available on the Mac App Store for $19.99. As a matter of fact, we would like to thank the people at Synium Software for allowing us to use the star rating system we use here at the Church of Apple. The different stars were made on the Logoist.
Form
I decided not to go with the standard Form/Function/Conclusion format since this app, despite how nicely designed it is, is not an app to review based on it’s aesthetics. This app shall be based solely on it’s performance, and boy does it perform well.
Through the app, I have been easily able to create different art pieces and buttons that I could use for our website-in one case I have been using. As I mentioned, the nice star rating system was created on Logoist.
The app has a lot of stunning fonts to choose from, lots of templates to choose from, thousands of clipart images for use and more. Everything in Logoist is done with detail. The app has everything in a moments reach so you don’t need to search for a certain template or picture in the app for very long. The things included in the app to make the thing your making better include layers which you can add rectangles, ellipses, text, and other shapes in order to create your basic image. After you create your basic image you can enhance it with shaders that allow you to add metallic, glossy, glass or plastic looks. There are over 100 different preset shaders included. You can also add effects to your images which include shadow, glow, blur and borders and layers. You can use just one preset or multiple at the same time. Also, you can customize these effects by changing the brightness of the effect, the color of the effect and the effect on the viewer, whether you want it to be obvious or just added for a little design flair. There is also clipart. The app includes over 3,000 clipart pieces but you can add your own from the web as well. These images can have effects and shaders applied to them as well. The app also includes patterns which allow you to fill a layer with a pattern, perhaps for a background. To me, I’ve noticed the stock patterns could be more colorful but of course, the colors can be changed anyways. One thing that is cool about the app that apps like Photoshop have is the ruler ability. If you have to layout multiple objects in a row and they have to be spaced evenly, the app will lock the objects into place so you aren’t off by millimeters, you are off by 0. Also, you can transform word art into different shapes and different formats. Paths allows you to create your own shapes, combining the custom shapes will lead to your own unique logo or icon. Paths is quite a bit difficult to use and requires a lot of thinking, but works well once you get the hang of it. I have found that the customer service of the app is most helpful and the help section answered most of my questions when they arose. You can also use gestures in OS X (used for rotating objects) and you can export them to wherever they need to go (just like I had to export my stars into the website).
I do have a few issues with the app though. I have found this app to be more for people who are not professional designers, like me. This app is a great tool for those who are not great at designing but want a simple logo, design or image for use in a PowerPoint, blog or other consumer type thing. This is not for professionals, I have talked to professionals in the field about this app and they say that they would not recommend it to other designers but would recommend it to the ordinary person. I own multiple computers and I have the app on multiple computers. The app, at least that I can see, does not have iCloud support to transport, wirelessly, the different projects I create on the different computers. Despite the fact that the app has great customer service, I felt that there is a learning curve. The app talks about how to do certain things well, but it doesn’t teach you how to build from the ground up. Of course, this can be done by trial and error and just playing with the app, which I actually found to be enjoyable but others may disagree with me though. Despite these flaws however, the app is nothing short of being Photo Shop when it comes to designing things for use on websites, advertisements, among other things. It is worth the $20.
Conclusion
Pros
-Allows consumers to design logos, images and more
-Layers allow you to design your basic image
-Shaders, effects and fillers allow you to design the image even better
-Customize the effects
-Comes with clip-art and you can add your own images
-Patterns allow you to fill a background with a pattern
-Objects lock into place
-Photoshop equivalent in terms of designing certain things such as banners and icons
Cons
-Not for professionals
-Lacks iCloud integration
-Paths are a bit difficult to use
-Instructions are clear, but don’t provide the user with instruction from the ground up.
This app, for the money, is definitely worth it. The app is high in power and functionality and low in cost, providing you with a functional, low-cost logo/image designer that you can use at home or on the go. It is the designers equivalent of designer’s Photo Shop (yes, I realize Photoshop is not a designers app itself but it is like a designers version of it). I’m sure the developer will be pleased to learn that he has received 4 stars designed on his own app.
Thanks for reading,
Joe