Creating Logos, Part 1 | Graphic Logos for Companies and Brands
When I’m not busy creating WSJ stipple hedcut portraits for people, I take on a lot of other interesting assignments. These include creating logos for companies and brands.
Creating logos for my own business.
To get started, though, I’ll share with you some logo work I did for my own business. In the old days, when an Art Director would call to see my portfolio, I would ship out a massive, heavy collection of laminated sheets in a custom-manufactured case with my logo on it. What a chore! As times changed, I realized I could merely ship out a folder containing my many printed samples. So, I got to work designing this folder…
Here is the illustration I created for the front cover of my folder. The folder itself came out looking like this:
notice the thumb cut-outs holding my business card
Here is a close-up of the illustration on the back…
Logo creation for a software company.
Just a month or so ago, I received a request from one of the owners of a software company called Bomb Factory. They make tools for musicians and songwriters. I took their existing design and gave it my personal take:
The new design was well-received.
Logo creation with a twist
Lastly, I’ll share a logo I did, with a twist. Several years ago, I received a call from a company called Addison. Here’s how they describe themselves:
“Addison is a creative agency that does high-profile work for some of the world's most respected institutions.”
They were perhaps admiring my work for The Wall Street Journal and wanted a new logo version in my graphic style. So, I created an illustration using a photograph they provided, of a goldfish. The Goldfish is still being used by the company today as its Brand Identity. The twist is this: I did the logo in black and white, as requested, but I later decided it would look very cool in color. So I gave it my coloring treatment.
I have since lost track of my original b&w work, but this color version stands up well, I think. Next week, more of my logo adventures… stay tuned!