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Most people make logo by creating an image for it. I don't want that since I don't know Photoshop and I may make it ugly.

Can logos be made just by using a font rather than creating a logo image?

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    Yes, just be mindful of the license for the font you choose.
    – John
    Sep 17, 2013 at 13:53

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Just use a font

I'd say no. That's not a logo, that's simply a line of type set using a font anyone can use. There's nothing identifying or unique about it. That is not a logo in my opinion.

Companies which use a typeface designed logo actually design the type. It's rare you'll ever see a company use some typeface which is straight from someone choosing a font in an application menu. That's not design. That's not a logo. That's just typing.

Can you create a logo which is type. Yes, absolutely. But it should involve more than simply picking a font.

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  • I think the important thing here is that you put some thought into it. There are absolutely plenty of very successful corporations whose logos are simple a line of text with some styling, and it can be done well, but it needs to be designed, not just typed out with no thought. @Johannes pointed out Crate&Barrel, which is a great example. Some others: Google, Time (the logo on their website literally is just styled text; inspect it in Firebug or other dev tools), Sony, Toshiba... the list goes on.
    – Ken Bellows
    Sep 20, 2013 at 17:54
  • @KenB But are those fonts custom made or just available for anyone? There's a difference.
    – Claudio
    Apr 28, 2014 at 6:21
  • Plenty use universally available (even if paid) fonts. Nothing custom (except maybe Time, but that's recent). Google uses Catull, Sony uses Clarendon Bold Expanded, and Toshiba uses Eurostile. Crate&Barrel, Target, and so many others use some form of Helvetica. The point is that it's possible. As @Johannes mentioned, sometimes it makes sense, sometimes it doesn't.
    – Ken Bellows
    Apr 30, 2014 at 10:03
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Can logos be made just by using a font rather than creating a logo image?

To answer your question yes they can.

I didn't see it noted but some companies will design their own font to be used as a typographic design similar to this:

enter image description here

If you are considering making a logo based on typography it would be a good idea to understand typography. Several good reads here:

Last but not least just as much time can be put in a typographic logo VS a symbolic logo or Iconic logo.

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Certainly. As @Bakabaka already mentioned, many companies do this.

Here's a great example: enter image description here

But I'd also like to address another point:

I don't want that since I don't know Photoshop and I may make it ugly.

Don't just use plain text because it's easy, do it if it makes sense.

EDIT

Another thing to keep in mind is that you don't need anything complicated when it comes to logos. Look at the Target logo, which consists of some circles to make a target, and then they write their company's name with Helvetica.

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Resounding 'yes'. Lots of companies have logos like these, even famous ones like Coca-Cola, FedEx and CNN. Google 'text only logo' for thousands of examples.

EDIT

Of course, as other people have said, there's a fine line between 'just font' and 'just type'. My resounding 'yes' is for 'just type'; 'just font' is possible, but harder to do well.

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    While true, do note that those example companies didn't "just use a font" but rather used type...in that while it may have been based off a typeface, they were all customized for their particular purposes. Not that one can't "just use a font" but it's nice when you can add some appropriate customization as well.
    – DA01
    Sep 17, 2013 at 15:13
  • ...like the FedEx arrow between E and x.
    – Andrew Leach
    Oct 15, 2013 at 17:13
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The difference between writing a company name in a particular font, and a company's typographic logo is that often the type's attributes are meticulously tweaked and designed until it achieves what the designer wants.

Things like kerning, character heights, character point size, combination of upper/lowercases and even modification of individual characters all contribute to this. You can more often than not tell when a logo has just been typed in a font as opposed to a typographic logo.

Typographic logos are very considered.

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