in navigating sticky situations at work
National speaker, author and marketing mentor Ilise Benun; Wyeth Corporate Graphic's assistant director Glenn John Arnowitz; design principal and Langton Cherubino Group partner David Langton; and myself were all asked for input on a variety of possible career-impacting situations. Hopefully our feedback will help others in the design profession be better prepared for the sticky situation surprises that may pop up in the workplace.
© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives.
In his recent Right Brain Reader piece, Away from the sketch pad; away from the struggle, Philip Bailey mentioned the logo I had designed for the theatrical production Fat Men in Skirts. Having done the logo about a decade ago, I had not thought about the image in some time - and then the other day I came across my original sketch for the identity on a scrap of laser paper that I had filed away.
I've been designing logos for triangle productions! theatre presentations for over 16 years. Producer/director Don Horn has been a dream client. He'll throw some odd play or musical name my way and leave me alone to create the identity for the show. He seldom even requests any changes in the designs. In this case, the production was to be playwright Nicky Silver's show Fat Men in Skirts.
I almost immediately had an image for the logo in my mind - kind of a cross between a middle-aged thick manly man and someone's pleasantly plump grandmother - with curly black chest hair. I quickly sketched out a rough design and then proceeded to take the image to the computer. In my digital design I wanted to maintain some of the qualities of the rough drawing - without giving the "fat man" too much detail.
The show was yet another successful local theatre production. My logo design had some success as well. It was recognized by the PRINT's Regional Design Annual at the time and was published in the Japanese design book New Logo & Trademark Design - which was recently republished in paperback as Logo and Trademark Collection.
My latest assignment: Create the logo for Tonya & Nancy: The Opera (Yes, that Tonya and Nancy!).
© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
two new graphic design books
Yesterday my mail delivery brought me copies of two new graphic design books in which comments by me, or examples of my work, are featured. Today I am getting high off the fumes of printing ink as I flip through the fresh-off-the-press volumesThe first is Caffeine for the Creative Mind: 250 exercises to wake up your brain by Stefan Mumaw and Wendy Lee Oldfield. The book, from HOW Design Books, is a collection of over 250 brain- stretching creative exercises; feedback on exercises tried by designers, illustrators, photographers, professors and others; and interviews with industry professionals. Wendy Lee Oldfield interviewed me for the book about 17 months ago when I was speaking at the HOW Design Conference in San Diego. The result of that meeting is highlighted in the book, along with interviews of Terry Marks, Kevin Carroll, Denise Weyhrich, Brian Sack, Steve Morris, Mike Dietz, Peleg Top, John Sayles and Sheree Clark of Sayles Graphic Design, John Foster, and Von Glitschka.
The book is sure to be an instant hit with "creative types" around the world - and will most likely soon be found on the book lists of many design schools. Now, I just need to find the time to sit down and read it from cover to cover.
The second book in my mailbox yesterday was American Corporate Identity from David E. Carter. The design annual features the winning graphic design entries from the American Corporate Identity 22 competition. Four of my logo designs - for the Benicia Historical Museum, NoBox Design, Twisted Elegance Interactive and Just Out newsmagazine - are included in the volume. The designs were presented in a previous bLog-oMotives entry when the winning entries were announced by competition organizers.
Since 1998, when I first started entering the American Corporate Identity competitions, 24 logo designs and one marketing collateral package designed by Jeff Fisher LogoMotives have won the Awards of Excellence and been featured in the annual publications. The deadline for the next competiton will be in December of this year.
© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
(Note: Over the weekend a thread developed on the Graphic Design Forum, initiated by the posting of a Rotovision "call for entries" for book submissions, making it clear that some design professionals are a bit confused about the difference between "spec" work and a legitimate book submission "call for entries" - and were not familiar with the graphic design book publisher. The following is my posted response to the thread issues.)
I do think it's great that design professionals are so quick to question "calls for entries" when so many posted online these days are for speculative work - or, in other words, requests for designers to create NEW work - without compensation - in competition with others for possible payment on a job or the use of the final art without any compensation at all. It shows that the NO!SPEC movement is making great strides. However, "calls for entries" for EXISTING work - for which a designer has already been paid - to be included in a design book or annual have been part of the industry as long as there has been a graphic design profession - and are a totally different beast.
Rotovision books are incredible design resources, and much better known on the other side of the "pond." Rotovision is a "sister company" of the much more familiar Rockport Publishers in the U.S. Still, the Rotovision logo on the spine of a book should be getting more and more recognizable to any designer spending time at any bookstore in the U.S. with a great graphic design section. I see more of them all the time.
My own work has now represented in over 80 design books and annuals in the last ten years. My work has been published in design books from Japan, Korea, Sinagapore, China, Brazil, Spain and the U.S., literally giving my work worldwide exposure. (The last time I was in Italy I came out of the Accademia, after seeing the statue of David, to see a design book in the store window across the street open to a page full of my logo designs) It is one of the best marketing tools I have ever used in the marketing and promotion of my work. The vast majority of people contacting me in regards to design work now say "I saw your work in a design book at my local bookstore..." It all about making your design efforts work for you, rather than working your ass off all the time to market and promote yourself - creating a high visible extension of your portfolio of great work.
As a result of being published in design books a lot of other things have happened in addition to new clients. I'm often asked for work to illustrate other books on design or small business marketing - and to be included in magazine articles. I've been asked to speak at conferences, write books and magazine articles, and even to submit works for inclusion in the archives of the Center for the Study of Political Graphics.
Such "call for entries" requests offer great opportunities to present what you consider your best work to an audience much wider than that originally seeing the work. The "damn I'm good" aspect of being included in such a book is great for yourself, your career AND the client for which you did the original work. (i.e. If you don't "toot! your own horn, no one else will) My client firms, and the direct contact with whom I've worked, love having their work showcased in design volumes as an unbiased verification that they did something right in producing the highlighted project.
In most cases the books required no entry fee, or publication fee, for the acceptance or publication of my work - and "free" is a very good price for world-wide advertising. Those requiring entry fees - to offset administration, production and publication costs - simply became part of my business advertising costs (and a much better use of those dollars). The inclusion of my work in such volumes doubles the promotion opportunities when it comes to sending out press releases about the work being published.Many designers do understand the business value of being included in such books, and the personal pride in having work presented in such a graphic arena. Those whose work was included in my first book, The Savvy Designer's Guide to Success, keep me posted about the results of their work being featured. Over 50 design firms are represented in my upcoming book, Identity Crisis!, and most jumped at the invitation to showcase their work in a book that is being sold on Amazon nearly 10 months before it is published. With my office being "closed" on Fridays, I find myself spending most of those days on such marketing efforts and opportunities to have my favorite project receive greater exposure.
One of the oddest things about this world of graphic design books is the number of times I have picked up a new book at a local bookstore - for which I have not submitted designs - only to find my work used in the book without my permission or any attribution of credits at all. It usually turns out that the designs have been "borrowed" from an existing book. Most often these books are published in countries where there is already little regard for copyright of any kind.
I noticed that (a regular forum poster) already posted one of my articles on this topic. I'll post it again - along with a couple other resources.
Article: A Winning Strategy
Article: When a "contest" is not a contest
I also do a bLog-oMotives entry every 60 to 90 days updating "calls for entries" from book publishers and writers from around the world. Here's the latest entry:
Calls for entries: Upcoming design competition deadlines
Good luck!
© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
Recently, design educator and writer Robin Landa introduced me to Amazon Shorts. No, Amazon is not marketing their own brand of boxer underwear. Amazon Shorts are never-before- seen short works from a wide variety of well-known authors, available only on Amazon.com - for 49 cents each!Landa, a brand and creative strategist - and Distinguished Professor in the Department of Design at Kean University of New Jersey - was gracious enough to provide some input for my upcoming book, Identity Crisis!. In one of her emails, she suggested I take a look at her just published "short," 10 Truths Behind Successful Brands. It's a great little resource and you can't beat the price.
If Landa's name seems a bit familiar; it should. She is the author of the design volumes Designing Brand Experiences, Graphic Design Solutions, Advertising By Design and Thinking Creatively. Landa is also co-author of 2D: Visual Basics for Designers and Visual Workout: Creativity Workbook.
So, in addition to checking out the writing of Robin Landa, take a look at the other offerings of Amazon Shorts. You will find a great selection of valuable (and inexpensive) writing on an incredibly wide variety of topics.
© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
The Right Brain Reader, the online newsletter for the web presence Right Brain Resource, features Jeff Fisher Logomotives in their latest offering Portland - Independently Creative. In the October issue, writer Philip Bailey focuses on identity designer Fisher in the article Away from the sketch pad; away from the struggle, Jeff Pollard Design in the piece Boiling Down the Talent of Logo Design, and custom silk screen and design shop Modified DesignFisher, the author of the book The Savvy Designer's Guide to Success and the upcoming 2007 release Identity Crisis!, has previously written for The Right Brain Reader. His article How Much Should I Charge? appeared on the site in January 2005.
Based in Portland, Oregon, Right Brain Resource is a creative staffing agency dedicated to supporting the creative community. The firm helps companies find creative individuals with all levels of talent within the six disciplines of graphic design, website development, copywriting, illustration, apparel design and photography.
© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
I came across an interesting web site the other day called Brandmarker. The art group monochrom attempted to evaluate the actual power of commercial brands by making people draw famous logos from memory. Austrian individuals were asked to draw a total of twelve logos (nine international, three typically European) from the memory of past interactions and sightings of the images - 25 people per brand. The identities selected included adidas, BP, Coca-Cola, Lacoste, Apple and others.Brands, and logos, do seem to stick in people's minds. I thought it was interesting how many people drew the old BP shield rather than the newer flower-like image. Still, the shield is my one of my first memories of a major international logo. It was on a tanker truck in my Matchbox car collection when I was a kid. (In fact, I probably still have that particular toy vehicle as I have most of my collection stored away - many in their original boxes.) In several cases older versions of the featured logos were drawn.
Hmmm...I wonder why about half of the people got the Lacoste "critter" facing the wrong way?
monochrom is an international art-technology-philosophy group founded in 1993. Its offices are located at Museumsquartier/Vienna (at 'QDK'). The group works with different media and art formats and publishes the German book and magazine series monochrom. monochrom is known for its left-wing political work/civil society work. The group's website functions as a collaborative digital art community.
© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
I really never thought we'd see our bottles of wine again after being told by Southwest Airline that the bag containing the wine was missing. Sunday afternoon Ed tried calling the airline to get more information and discovered that the central baggage office is only open 8:00 to 5:00, Monday through Friday (I'm sure that's always really convenient for a weekend traveler who has lost luggage issues).He decided to review the Southwest website and found there is no information, or restrictions, regarding transporting wine in checked baggage. In again calling the airline's reservations number, he had to specifically ask the agent about the (new) policy before she would even research the restriction. The policy even specifies how thick the plastic bag must be in which the Styrofoam clad bottles of wine and box are placed. I doubt if any customers are even aware such "rules" exist until they experience a situation such as ours.
On Monday morning Ed got a call saying the bag had been found - in Ontario, CA. Which means the wine we could not have in our checked luggage had in fact been put on a plane to another city for some reason. No one could tell him why a bag with no destination label, ended up in Ontario. He was told the bag would be put on yet another plane and flown to Portland for an afternoon pick-up at the airport. Hey, weren't we originally trying to accomplish getting the wine to Portland when the bottles started this odd adventure?
Of course, we still didn't know the condition of the wine - or if all/any of the bottles were even in the bag.
Ed drove out to the airport Monday evening and picked up the bag, which contained four well-traveled bottles of wine in excellent condition - and I'm happy to have my etched bottle safe at home...
© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
and the lost bottles of wine
Last weekend we spent a few days visiting my sister (and client) in Benicia, CA. It's usually easier to fly into Sacramento, and drive the hour to Benicia, than it is to deal with San Francisco International and the drive to my sister's town or take the BART trip to a nearby station. When we do so, we usually book our trip on Southwest Airlines - and most of our experiences have been quite pleasant.
Part of the reason we were visting my sister was to finally take possession of four bottles of wine purchased on a trip to Napa when last visiting her in April of 2005. She'd been holding the wine "hostage" until we returned to get it in person. Two of the bottles were incredible whites (for me) from an wonderful private tasting party (arranged by our friend Greg from Atlanta) at the Clos Du Val winery, another was a red from Clos Du Val, and the final bottle was from the small boutique HaGafen Cellars.
Due to the new TSA restrictions on liquids in carry-on luggage, we came prepared to check the bottles of wine in our luggage - which we have done in the past with no issues - for the return trip. We packed an extra piece of luggage within another bag - a sturdy new bag bearing the logo of Holland+Knight law firm where my partner Ed is employed - and also packed to strong corrugated wine shipping containers we had used to bring bottles of wine back from a past trip to Italy.
We had a great visit with my sister and her new fiancé. Actually, last Saturday night the two bottles of red wine were consumed during an amazing dinner prepared by Ed. My sister supplemented our wine shipment with another bottle of red wine for Ed and a special gift for me - a limited edition commemorative bottle of wine with the logo I had designed for the Benicia Historical Museum etched in the glass. The thing was beautiful.
On Sunday afternoon, with all our luggage packed, we drove off to the Sacramento Airport for our flight back to Portland. When reaching the Southwest ticket counter the very nice agent asked if we had any wine in our luggage. We told her that we did and she asked to see how it was packaged. She took one look at the packaging and told us that Southwest did not allow for any wine to be shipped in checked luggage unless it was packaged in Styrofoam shipping containers and we needed to remove the wine from our bags. Of course, there was no facility at the airport (about an hour and a half away from Napa) to purchase such shipping materials or prepare a package for shipping in another manner. The ticket agent suggested that we put all the wine in the Holland+Knight bag, label it appropriately and have it left in the Southwest supervisor's office to be picked up by someone later. We phoned my sister and she agreed to drive the one hour to the airport on the following Saturday, or before, to pick up the wine and again hold it "hostage." Ed put one of his business cards into the piece of luggage and attached a label to the bag with my sister's name, her fiancé's name and my sister's cell phone number. We told the helpful ticket agent what was going on and she wrote on the label "will pickup on 10/07/06 or before." With the travel "speed bump" handled we headed for the security and our evening flight home to Portland.
Yesterday we had an email that my sister was heading to Sacramento to pick up the bag and our wine. Later we got a voice mail message to call her because when she got to the airport no one could find the bag in question at all. Ed called her and was told that the people at the Southwest counter "thought" that, due to the fact the bag had been unclaimed for five days, it had probably been sent to the airline's unclaimed baggage facility in Texas - even though a pickup date of 10/07 was marked on the bag's label. Excuse me, wouldn't that involve putting a bag of items that we were told could not be checked into the luggage hold of a plane? The airline made no attempt to call my sister - whose number was also clearly on the luggage tag. There was certainly no attempt to check inside the bag and find Ed's business card to call him at his office.
Instead, we now have a phone number for a facility in Texas and the search will begin for our bag o' wine. I've got to admit, with the recently released figures on lost luggage, I'm not too hopeful.
I'm probably pissed off about the loss of the bottle with my etched logo design more than anything else. To avoid such situations I have two scenarios of advice for fellow travelers:
1.) Just blatantly lie to the ticket agent if you are asked about wine in your luggage; or
2.) Use your car keys to poke the cork into the bottle (you certainly should not be carrying a corkscrew with you!), sit down on the floor of the airport lobby and drink the wine from the bottle. Perhaps you will be a bit more prepared to deal with the airlines, security, the crowded airports and your upcoming flight.
I'll keep you posted about the saga of the lost wine...
(Note: Here's the update on the wandering wine.)
©2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
It was great to escape from the house last night - after a week of dealing with a flu bug while finalizing the manuscript of my new book - to spend an evening with friends at the "new and improved" Jimmy Mak's club listening to San Francisco based jazz vocalist Jacqui Naylor. My partner, Ed, and I first met Jacqui at the Sayulita, Mexico wedding of our mutual friends Shawn and Greg. When Jacqui was a child, Shawn was one of her babysitters. Jacqui sang at the wedding, with partner-in-crime Art Khu on guitar, and I fell in love with her music. I mentioned to Ed that I had to get a copy of her CD Shelter as soon as we got back to Portland. Later, at the wedding reception, I felt someone trying to put something in my pocket and turned around to find Jacqui attempting to put a copy of the CD in my pants. She smiled and said "A little bird told me you might like this." I was hooked on Jacqui. I often work on design projects with her incredible voice in the background.When Jacqui comes to Portland, Shawn and Greg always get a group together to attend the show. Last night - the first time in the new "big city" venue - we joined them, along with Greg's mother Marcia, Shawn's sister Karen, and our friends Scott and Erika, for a wonderful evening of friends, food, music and a drink or two. Jacqui performed some old favorites and selections from her new CD, The Color Five. She was better than ever. It was also great to get the chance to visit with her for a bit, and say "hi" to Art. Unfortunately, the night ended way too early for us.
Jacqui has upcoming tour dates at several Blue Note jazz clubs in Japan, and at locations around the U.S. If you can't catch Jacqui in person, get yourself one of her CDs - or touch base with her on MySpace (where she and I bumped into each other a few months ago).
© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
- Jeff Fisher (in regards to speculative design efforts)
Upcoming design competition deadlines
Tokyo TDC Annual Awards 2007
(Tokyo Type Directors Club - Japan)
Deadline: Interactive design category - October 10, 2006
Deadline: All other categories - October 20, 2006
No entry fees charged for international submissions
STEP inside design 100
(STEP inside design - USA)
Extended Deadline: October 16, 2006
Entry fees charged
Graphis Posters 2007
(Graphis, Inc. - USA)
Deadline: October 30, 2006
Entry fees charged
The Instore Graphic Design Awards
(Graphic Design: usa - USA)
Deadline: October 30, 2006
Entry fees charged
LOGO 2007
(David E. Carter - USA)
Deadline: October 31, 2006
Entry fees charged
A+C=D, PRINT’s International Art and Commerce Design Review
(PRINT - USA)
Deadline: November 1, 2006
Entry fees charged
designwire annual '06
(designwire - Australia)
Deadline: Initial submissions - November 3, 2006
No entry fees charged - but designwire forum membership required
D&AD Global Awards 2007
(D&AD - UK)
Earlybird Deadline: November 6, 2006
Entry fees charged
Branded
(Debut Publications - UK)
Extended Deadline: November 30, 2006
No entry fees
(Note: I should mention that while the request for submissions for the book "Branded" is a great opportunity for designers, I disagree with Debut Publications' concurrent "contest" for speculative cover design art. The situation is similar to the recent cover design "contest" which was canceled by the Creativity Awards - although, much to the credit of Debut Publications, the publisher does not seem to be assuming exclusive usage rights to all works submitted. Still, any request for a designer to execute "free" work for a for-profit entity just bugs the hell out of me. Designers should make their feelings about this issue known to the publisher.)
Restaurants Graphic Design
(Index Books - Spain)
Deadline: November 31, 2006
No entry fees
EXHIBITOR Exhibit Design Awards
(Exhibitor Magazine - USA)
Earlybird Deadline: December 1, 2006
Entry fees charged
I.D. Annual Design Review
(I.D. Magazine - USA)
December 1, 2006
Entry fees charged
Image Management and Reproduction
(Rotovision - UK)
Extended Deadline: November 30 2006
No entry fees
Instant Graphics
(Rotovision - UK)
Deadline: December 8, 2006
No entry fees
You may want to read my article about participating in design industry competitions: A Winning Strategy. It has appeared on the Creative Latitude and NO!SPEC web sites.
Good luck!
(Note: Thanks to NO!SPEC for mentioning this bLog-oMotives entry)
© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
hits the bookselves in paperback
The other day I was browsing the shelves of the design section at Powell's City of Books and came across the Rockport Publishers offering The Best of Letterhead and Logo Design in its new paperback version. (The Amazon site says the book has not yet been released - but I also saw it at Borders that same day.) The new small-format edition is a collection of many designs previously presented the long-running Letterhead and Logo Design book series from the publisher. It's a great inspiration resource for any designer interested in creating identities for businesses, products, organizations or events.
Jeff Fisher LogoMotives is represented in the book with eight designs. The logos featured include those for Portland firms Carmen Schleiger Architecture, City Laundry Northwest, law firm Samuels Yoelin Kantor Seymour & Spinrad, Denny Shleifer Marketing Communications and hairstylist Jeff Maul. The image for the nonprofit group Love Makes A Family was also selected for the book. The logo for the San Francisco nonprofit Laugh Line Productions is also displayed. In association with his sister’s Bend, Oregon firm TriAd, the designer created the included identity for the company Gina’s Italy. The designs are from volumes in the book series from the 1990's.
With both the original hardback and the new paperback volumes, I've noticed that "No. 1" is incorporated into the book cover design. I hope this is a sign of future volumes to come.
© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
The valuable input of four talented copywriter/designers (or perhaps "designer/copywriters") is included in the recent Graphics.com article The Rise of the Copywriter/Designer. Written by copywriter, marketing consultant and communications manager Shaun Crowley, the piece features Dean Rieck, Ayd Instone, Mike Matera and (my Creative Latitude and online design forum buddy) Neil Tortorella.
Crowley introduces his article with:
"It's tough being a freelance designer these days. You need to be a shrewd businessperson. You need to spend as much energy on your marketing as you do on your design projects. There are lots of neat ways freelance designers in the marketing communications arena stay ahead of the game. Some offer a unique layer of service such as free proof-reading or liaison with printers. Some market themselves as specialists in a specific area, such as video-based Web sites or 3D design."
"And then there are a few other freelance pioneers who are integrating something entirely new into their creative services—copywriting—and finding a whole host of new clients banging at their door."
Check out the entire article at The Rise of the Copywriter/Designer. Even more advice on the topic is included in Crowley's downloadable book 100 Copywriting Tips for Designers and Other Freelance Artists.
In addition, take the time to stop by the blog Inside the Marketing Mind to see what else Tortorella has to share with his fellow "creative types."
© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
Saturday, September 30, 2006
This Saturday, September 30, 2006, - for one day only - over 400 museums across the United States will join the Smithsonian Institution and Smithsonian Magazine in their long-standing tradition of offering free admission to visitors. Venues that agree to participate will extend free admission for two people when presented with a downloaded Museum Day Admission Card. The admission cards are good for general admission for two on September 30 only, and are not valid for special exhibits, IMAX screenings or for use with any other offer. Some participating museums may already have a free admission policy year round and are participating in the "spirit" of the day.The nationwide event is presented in association with TIAA-CREF Financial ServicesParticipating Oregon museums include the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at the University of Oregon (Eugene), the Oregon Historical Society (Portland), the Pittock Mansion (Portland), the Science Factory Children's Museum & Planetarium (Eugene), the ScienceWorks Hands on Museum (Ashland), the University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History (Eugene), and the World Forestry Center's Discovery Museum (Portland).
For information about participating facilities in other states check out the Museum Day web site.
© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
In regards to my own efforts with bLog-oMotives, the writer continues with "Logo guru Jeff Fisher of Jeff Fisher LogoMotives pounds the keys at blog-omotives.blogspot.com, where he rolls out design news, commentary and resources, plus a tasty-sounding potato salad recipe and an occasional "Jeffism." (No 5: 'To err is human; to make something positive from the situation is design.')"
In addition to the The ZehnKatzen Times, the blogs singled out include Kamp Grizzly, Tim Coulter's Sport Bucket, PORT, and the Portland Institute for Contemporary Arts blog at Urban Honking.
Thank you Daily Journal of Commerce and Commerce Magazine.
© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
Early this morning I got an email from HOW Magazine Senior Editor Megan Patrick telling me that the official HOW Blog had been launched. The editors and staff of HOW are constantly adding new features to the magazine, the publication's website, the HOW online forum and other enterprises associated with HOW. It looks like they are have too much fun with the new blog. I look forward to checking it out on a regular basis.In the interest of full public disclosure, I should mention that my involvement with HOW goes a bit beyond just reading the magazine. I'm a member of the publication's Editorial Advisory Board, I've written for the magazine, they've written about me, I've spoken at a few HOW Design Conferences, and I'm a member of the HOW Conference Advisory Council. HOW Design Books also published my first book, The Savvy Designer's Guide to Success. They will release my next book, Identity Crisis! in 2007.
It may all sound a bit incestuous - but, as a member of the "family," it doesn't mean I'm going to enjoy the HOW Blog any less. I hope you'll take a look, too.
© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives.
Recently, while cleaning out a box of old unfiled business papers, I came across a doodle that was to become one of my most successful logo designs. As it is the identity for a law firm, it is somewhat appropriate that the sketch is on a piece of a yellow legal pad. Creating a logo for a law firm can bring about many challenges. In addition to the partners in the business name, there are usually at least a few other lawyers who desire to claim some ownership in regards to selecting a final design. In such situations a designer needs to tactfully perform the "design by committee" dance. It can also be tough to convince the members of a legal firm to stray from the traditional conservative designs often used to promote such a company. It is necessary to convey that creating an original image positions the firm as unique in the market.
The identity process for the Portland law firm Samuels Yoelin Kantor Seymour & Spinrad went through numerous somewhat complicated iterations before one of the main partners in the firm suggested returning to an early, very simple concept. 
That design was a graphic interpretation of two thick law books creating the “S” letterform – representing the name Samuels, designated as the one constant in any future name changes. In a moment totally unrelated to meeting with the attorneys, while on the phone with another client, I drew out my initial thoughts with a felt tip pen. In fine-tuning the design I made the "books" come across as much more like the heavy legal volumes I'd seen in the firm's office bookcases. With some prodding by the one partner advocating the image, the icon was adopted by the firm and it has served them well over the past decade.
The design brought a great deal of attention to my identity creation efforts. The logo appeared in a PRINT Regional Design Annual, won a LOGO 2000 award, and received a Bronze in the Summit Creative Awards. The design was also published in the books International Logos & Trademarks 4, Letterhead and Logo Design 5, The Big Book of Logos, Global Corporate Identity, The Best of Letterhead and Logo Design, and the Japanese volume New Logo & Trademark Design (which has been re-released in paperback as Logo and Trademark Collection).
© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
Designer Magazine Advisory Board
The UCDA was founded in 1970 as the nation's first and only association for professionals involved in the creation of visual communications for educational institutions. It has grown to an organization comprised of more than 1000 members throughout the United States and Canada. Designer is the official quarterly publication for the members of the organization.
The Designer Magazine Advisory Board was formed to assist UCDA in developing a high quality magazine. Board members also act as contributing editors by writing articles or assisting the editor with collecting articles for publication from other sources as well as suggesting topics for articles.
Fisher has contributed articles to the publication in the past, including an excerpt from his first book, The Savvy Designer's Guide to Success. He was also a speaker at a past UCDA conference.
Over the years, the designer has worked on graphic design projects for Willamette University, University of Oregon, George Fox University, Reed College and other education institutions across the country. Fisher has received over 500 regional, national and international graphic design awards for his logo and corporate identity efforts. His work is featured in more than 80 publications on the design of logos, the business of graphic design, and small business marketing. He shares his observations about the design industry in writing for various magazines and web sites, and on his blog, bLog-oMotives.
Fisher is also a member of the HOW Magazine Editorial Advisory Board, the HOW Design Conference Advisory Council, and the Board of Directors of Proscodi: Professional Society of Communication Design. His latest book, Identity Crisis!, will be released in 2007. More information about Jeff Fisher LogoMotives is available www.jfisherlogomotives.com.
* If I don't "toot!" my own horn, no one else will
© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
time-wasters and imaginary friends
In a past bLog-oMotives entry I mentioned my Creative Latitude article Funny Things Happen on the Way to the Forums, in which I interviewed three moderators of online design forums. The Internet opened up a whole new world of interaction for designers - especially for the somewhat isolated one-person design shop like my own home-based studio in Portland. The forums are often an incredible information resource for designers, a great "time-waster" for the daydreaming design professional, and an excellent way to make what my partner refers to as my "online imaginary friends."
With many recent emails from designers wondering how they can interact with others in the graphic design field, I am posting links to some of the forums I visit as a reference. (Those in bold are the ones I frequent most often):
About.com Graphic Design • Anticubicle • Communication Arts • Core77 • Designate Online • designers4m • Designers Lounge • DesignersTalk • Designwire • Dexinger • Graphics.com • Graphic Design Forum • HOW • Lounge72 • Rookie Designer • ModMinds (fairly new) • The Creative Forum • The Designers Forum • Typophile
In addition, an excellent business-related forum is Startup Nation.
© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
