How to Make a Dripping Logo

Final product image — What You'll Be Creating

In the following tutorial, you will learn how to make a dripping logo starting with a basic logo design.

If you don't have the time to learn how to make a drip logo, you can always try Envato Elements, where you will find a massive collection of dripping logos. This cool drip design is just one of the many examples.

What You'll Learn in This Drip Logo Tutorial

How to add drips to a design
How to create droplets
How to make a dripping logo

What You'll Need

You will need the following resource in order to complete this drip logo design:

T-colors logo template

1. How to Create a New Document and Prepare the Starting Logo

Step 1

Press Control-N to create a new document. Select Pixels from the Units drop-down menu, set the Width and the Height to 500 px, and then click that Advanced Options button. Select RGB for the Color Mode and set the Raster Effects to Screen (72 ppi), and then click the Create button.

Enable the Grid (View > Show Grid or Control-") and Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid or Shift-Control-"). You will need a grid every 1 px, so simply go to Edit > Preferences > Guides & Grid, and enter 1 in the Gridline every box and the Subdivisions box. Try not to get discouraged by all that grid—it will make your work easier, and keep in mind that you can easily enable or disable it using the Control-" keyboard shortcut.

You can learn more about Illustrator's grid system in this short tutorial from Andrei Stefan: Understanding Adobe Illustrator's Grid System.

You should also open the Info panel (Window > Info) for a live preview of the size and position of your shapes. Don't forget to set the unit of measurement to pixels from Edit > Preferences > Units. All these options will significantly increase your work speed. Now that you're set, let's see how you can put together a cool drip logo.

Step 2

Download this logo from Envato Elements and open the Illustrator document. Use the Selection Tool (T) to select just the T-shirt logo and rotate it 45 degrees, as shown in the following image. Once you're done, press Control-C to copy it, move to your Illustrator document, and press Control-V to paste the logo.

2. How to Create the Blue Section of the Drippy Logo

Step 1

Focus on the blue section of your logo. Pick the Rectangle Tool (M) and use it to create several rectangles, roughly as shown in the following image. You can use the Eyedropper Tool (I) to easily fill these shapes with that same blue color.

Step 2

Keep focusing on your blue rectangles and pick the Direct Selection Tool (A). Select one of your rectangles and focus on the circular handles near the corners. Simply click and drag one of those handles to maximize the roundness of those corners, as shown in the second image. Repeat the same move for the rest of your rectangles to turn them into rounded rectangles. These shapes will make up the drips.

Step 3

Reselect the Rectangle Tool (M) and use it to add a bunch of rectangles between your blue rounded rectangles, as shown in the first image. Fill them with red to better differentiate them from the rest of your shapes.

Once you're done, switch to the Direct Selection Tool (A) and use it to turn these red rectangles into rounded rectangles. We'll use these shapes to add a smooth flow between each drip.

Step 4

Pick the Pen Tool (P) and use it to create a shape that covers the remaining gaps between your shapes. Just make sure that it doesn't exceed the edges of the existing shapes. Once you're done, select this shape and send it to the back (Shift-Control-[).

Step 5

Select the shape made in the previous step along with all your blue shapes and merge them using the Unite button from the Pathfinder panel (Window > Pathfinder).

Step 6

Select your blue shape along with the red rounded rectangles, and this time click the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. This will create a smooth dripping effect.

3. How to Create the Green and Yellow Sections of the Drippy Logo

Step 1

Move to the green shape and add a new set of rectangles that will make up the drips, as shown in the first image. Turn these rectangles into rounded rectangles.

Reselect the Rectangle Tool (M) and add the red rounded rectangles between the drip shapes.

Step 2

Use the Pen Tool (P) to create the shape that covers the remaining gaps, roughly as shown in the first image. Don't forget to send this shape to the back (Shift-Control-[).

Using the Unite button from the Pathfinder panel, merge the shape made in this step with all your green shapes.

Step 3

Reselect your green shape along with the red rounded rectangles and click the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel.

Step 4

Continue with the yellow shape and add a new set of rounded rectangles, as shown in the first image. Using the same tool, add the red rounded rectangles between the drip shapes.

Step 5

Use the Pen Tool (P) to create the shape that covers the remaining gaps, and don't forget to send it to the back (Shift-Control-[). Merge it with your yellow shapes using the Unite button from the Pathfinder panel.

Step 6

Select your yellow shape along with the red rounded rectangles and click the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel.

Step 7

Focus on the red shape and add the drips, as shown in the first image. Continue with the rounded rectangles between your drip shapes, and this time fill them with blue to better differentiate them.

Step 8

Use the Pen Tool (P) to create the shape that covers the remaining gaps and don't forget to send it to the back (Shift-Control-[). Merge it with your red shapes using the Unite button from the Pathfinder panel.

Step 9

Select your red shape along with the blue rounded rectangles and click the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel.

4. How to Create a Droplet

Step 1

Pick the Ellipse Tool (L) and use it to create a 5 px circle. Continue with the Anchor Point Tool (Shift-C) and click the top anchor point to turn it into a sharp point. Switch to the Direct Selection Tool (A), select this sharp point, and drag it 5 px up, as shown in the third image.

Step 2

Make sure that your droplet shape is still selected and duplicate it (Control-C > Control-V). Place these blue droplets as shown in the following image, and then add two more copies.

Use the Eyedropper Tool (I) to easily fill these new shapes with red and yellow, and then place them as shown below.

5. How to Merge the Droplets and the Drip Logo

Step 1

For the final touches, we'll add a bit of smoothness to some of the sharp points.

Select your blue droplets along with the main blue shapes and merge them using the Unite button from the Pathfinder panel.

Step 2

Using the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the anchor point highlighted with the blue square, focus on the control panel, and set the Corner Radius to 10 px.

Using the same tool, select the anchor points highlighted with the black squares. Hold down the Shift key to easily select more than one anchor point. Once you're done selecting these points, return to the control panel and this time set the Corner Radius to only 5 px.

Step 3

Move to your green shape, select it, and use the Direct Selection Tool (A) again to select the two anchor points highlighted in the first image. For the left one, set the Corner Radius to 10 px, and for the right one, lower the Radius to 5 px.

Step 4

Select both yellow shapes and merge them using the Unite button from the Pathfinder panel.

Continue with the Direct Selection Tool (A). Select the anchor points highlighted with black and set the Corner Radius to 5 px, and then select the anchor point highlighted with blue and set the Corner Radius to 10 px.

Step 5

Select both red shapes and merge them using the Unite button from the Pathfinder panel. Pick the Delete Anchor Point Tool (-) and use it to remove that extra anchor point indicated in the second image.

Step 6

Using the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the anchor point highlighted with black and set the Corner Radius to 5 px, and then select the anchor points highlighted with blue and set the Corner Radius to 10 px.

Step 7

Finally, use the Ellipse Tool (L) to add several circles as shown in the following image. With these final touches, your drip design is complete.

Congratulations! You're Done!

Here’s how your dripping logo should look. Now that you know how to make a drip logo, feel free to apply the same techniques in your future projects.

You can easily adjust this final drip logo and make it your own. Check out Envato Elements, where you will find some interesting solutions that might inspire you to create cool drip designs.

Popular Dripping Logos From Envato Elements

Envato Elements is an excellent resource for drip logos. Here's a short list of some of the most popular drip designs that you can find.

Droplet Water Logo Template (AI, EPS)

You've learned how to create a basic droplet shape, but here's what you can achieve with a few more shapes and some smooth gradients.

Colors Logo Template (AI, EPS)

Here's a colorful drip logo design. Feel free to adjust the colors and make this cool drip logo fit your project.

Paint Brand Logo Template (AI, EPS)

Here's another colorful drip logo design. Notice how a few shadows and highlights can make your logo more dynamic.

Graffiti Drip Logo (AI, EPS, PDF)

Check out this cool graffiti drip logo and notice another technique that can be used to turn a logo into a dripping logo. Add an outline for that logo and then decorate it with some random drips.