The scheme has provoked furious debate on iStock's forum and elsewhere, as designers have protested at what they see as a cheapening of what can be a complex and in-depth process...Read the full article.

I’ve learned a lot during my years as a designer. One of those things is that a logo in isolation is like lipstick on a pig. It needs to be treated as part of an overall brand identity strategy, not picked off a shelf. This is no different from the “make your own logo” websites out there, or the logo contest spec work sites that harbour an equal amount of “design” nastiness...Read the full post

We're excited to announce a whole new product coming to the iStock collection in just a few months: logo designs. Our clients will be able to download a unique logo to brand their business or organization right here at iStock from designers like you.

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Here's what you need to know:

Vector files – iStock logos will be downloaded as fully editable .eps files. If you’re interested in contributing, hang tight; we’re almost done the Logo Training Manual.

One-time use – iStock logos will only be sold once. After a logo is purchased it will be indicated as “sold” on the site.

File exclusivity – Unlike other files on iStockphoto, logos can only be sold once and therefore need to be exclusive to iStockphoto. Once your logo is on iStock it will remain for sale for a minimum of six months.

Pricing – Because each logo will only be sold once, they have a higher price-point, ranging from 100-750 credits. When designers upload a file, they will set a recommended price and our inspectors will then make the final pricing decision based on that recommendation.

Royalties – iStock will pay a base royalty rate of 50% per logo design for the first 6 months. We’ll give advanced notice for the rate going forward after that.

Upload limits – There will be no limits for the first six months. Go nuts.

Fonts – If you are submitting a logo, you can only use fonts if:

• you own the copyright (in other words, you created the font yourself)
• you licensed the font with commercial rights to use the font for a logo for resale. Remember, there are many ‘free’ fonts that cannot be used in commercial applications. The font itself will not be included in the file that the client purchases – it will only contain the vector outline. Fonts must be converted to outlines before the file is uploaded.

All-new content – Any logo submitted to iStock must not be in use or have been previously sold. It also cannot feature existing elements (including content from your iStock portfolio). These requirements allow our clients to confidently apply for a trademark on the logo purchased from iStock. Remember, your regular files are uploaded with the restriction that they cannot be used in logos and that still applies.