Interviews with Jeff Fisher

In recent years there have been a number of interviews posted online with Jeff Fisher, the Engineer of Creative Identity for Jeff Fisher LogoMotives:

All Aboard the Paper Train, with Tad Dobbs of Creative Squall, The Squall Line (September 2010)

Talk Story with Jeni: Live at the 2010 HOW Design Conference in Denver - with Steve Gordon, Jr., Bryn Mooth and Jeff Fisher, with Jeni Herberger, JeniHerberger.com (June 2010)

Face to Face with Jeff Fisher, with Otba Mushaweh, Logo Talks (March 2010)

Talk Story with Jeni - and Jeff Fisher, with Jeni Herberger, JeniHerberger.com (February 2010)

Braintalk with Jeff Fisher, Sharebrain, by Thomas Ulbricht (October 2009)

Interview Series: Jeff Fisher on Success And Freelancing, Freelance Show, by Neil Brown (October 2009)

Interview with Jeff Fisher LogoMotives' Jeff Fisher, PsPrint Design and Printing Blog, by Brian Morris (September 2009)

Escape from Illustration Island Podcast 5 - Social Networking with Jeff Fisher, by Thomas James (September 2009)

Jeff Fisher LogoMotives: Toot! Toot! - Part 2, Neenah Paper: Against the Grain, by Matt Porter (September 2009)

Jeff Fisher LogoMotives: Toot! Toot! - Part 1, Neenah Paper: Against the Grain, by Matt Porter (August 2009)

Designers' Couch: Interview with Jeff Fisher, by James Costa (July 2009)

The Reflex Blue Show: Jeff Fisher Does the LOGO-MOTION, The Reflex Blue Show with Donovan Beery and Nate Voss (May 2009)

'Make it Big' by Blogging an Interview with Jeff Fisher and Sheri L Koetting, The Creative Group e-Zine (May 2009)

People to Watch in 2009, Graphic Design USA - GDUSA (January 2009)

Inside Digital Design Radio: Brands, Logos & Identity Crisis, with Scott Sheppard and Gene Gable (September 2008)

DesignHide: Designer Spotlight - Jeff Fisher LogoMotives (July 2008)

Just Creative: Logo Design Tips & A Not-So-Ordinary Interview with Logo Designer Jeff Fisher, by Jacob Cass (May 2008)

Savvy Marketing Secrets: Home Business by Design, by Marcia Ming (January 2008)

Audio Interview: Jeff Fisher of LogoMotives, by Doug Farrick; creativepublic.com (2008)

TCG eZine: A New Brand for the New Year (January 2008)

FreelanceSwitch: Veteran Designer Embraces Identity Crisis and Casual Fridays, by Kristen Fischer (December 2007)

Creative Experts Audio Interviews: Jeff Fisher, by Doug Farrick; The Designer's Inner Circle (December 2007) - transcript posted on creativepublic.com

Startup Nation Podcast: Marketing Through Blogs and Forums, with Joel Welsh (November 2006)

Area of Design: In The Spotlight - An Interview With Jeff Fisher (April 2005)

Creative Latitude: Cat's Fancy - Designers Who Blog, by Cat Morley

TCG EZine: Creating a Buzz-worthy Career (August 2005)

Creative Latitude: Chugging down the tracks to Successville -Jeff Fisher LogoMotives, by Neil Tortorella (August 2003)

TCG eZine: Mastering Self-Promotion - Jeff Fisher Tells You How to "Toot-Toot" Your Own Horn (November 2003)

© 2009 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

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Toot! Toot!*: Newly released 'Typeface' volume showcases logo design by Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

A capital campaign identity design for the Oregon landmark Vista House, created by Jeff Fisher, the Engineer of Creative Identity for the Portland-based firm Jeff Fisher LogoMotives, is included in the recently released book Typeface: Classic Typography for Contemporary Design. The volume, by The Society of Typographic Aficionados (SOTA) Executive Director Tamye Riggs, was published by the Princeton Architectural Press. Featuring contributions from nearly 100 international type foundries, type designers and graphic designers, the book presents a historical perspective on a wide variety typefaces, exhibits examples of type in use and suggests options designers may consider for comparable results.

Fisher created the Vista House identity for the Oregon State Parks Trust and the Friends of Vista House to support restoration fund-raising efforts. His sister, Sue Fisher, served as creative director for the project as owner of TriAd Advertising at the time.The logo design also appears in the books Graphis Logo 6, 100's Visual Logos and Letterheads and Letterheads and Logos from North to South America. Vista House, built in 1916-1918 on a bluff overlooking the Columbia River as a memorial to Oregon pioneers, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In the book Typeface, the Vista House image appears and an example of the font Bembo in use. Copperplate compliments the primary type selection within the design.

Designer Jeff Fisher is the author of Identity Crisis: 50 Redesigns That Transformed Stale Identities into Successful Brands (HOW Books, 2007). He has received over 600 regional, national and international graphic design awards for his logo and corporate identity efforts and his work is featured in more than over 100 books on the design of logos, the business of graphic design, and small business marketing. His first HOW Books offering, The Savvy Designer’s Guide to Success, appeared on bookstore shelves in late 2004, and has been re-released in PDF format on CD. Fisher is currently writing a book about typography in identity design.

In January, Fisher was named one of design industry publication Graphic Design USA’s “People to Watch in 2009.” In 2008, Jeff Fisher LogoMotives was recognized as one of the top 100 U.S. home-based businesses by the web presence StartupNation.

More information about Jeff Fisher, and his design and writing efforts, may be found on the Jeff Fisher LogoMotives blogfolio.

(* If I don’t "toot!" my own horn, no one else will.)

© 2009 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

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LogoMotives Design Tracks: Black & White - Part 1

A variety of themes may be found in the identity work of Jeff Fisher LogoMotives. One is black and white imagery.

In my earliest design courses, over 30 years ago, instructors always stressed that a logo must work in black and white, or one color. (That "rule" may have been a close second to "The K.I.S.S. Principle" of "Keep It Simple, Stupid.") With the limited technology of three decades ago it was incredibly important that a logo successfully communicate its message in a single color for photocopying, printing in newspapers, possible screen-printing needs, and new-fangled fax communication requirements. Multi-colored printing was a luxury for many small businesses - so one-color, possibly multiple spot color, was all many design budgets allowed.

While black and white may not be the identity design must it once was, I will not proceed with adding color to a logo design until a client has approved the one-color final concept. For me, it defines the design in its simplest form - and the client who is convinced they will never need their logo in black and white will most certainly have that requirement in the future.

From my archive of past logo designs there are many creations that were created in only black and white. The following identities continued to be used in only black and white after their client approval.

Peggy Sundays
Client: Peggy Sundays
Location: Portland, OR USA

The identity for this high-end gift and home furnishings store is featured in the books The Big Book of Logos 3, New Logo & Trademark Design 2 (Japan), Letterhead and Logo Design 7 and The Big Book of Design for Letterheads and Websites. The one-color application was used on signage, hangtags, metallic stickers, and as a rubber-stamped image on shopping bags.

DataDork
Client: DataDork
Location: Fontana, CA USA

A stylized computer geek is the centerpiece of this design. DataDork was honored with a Gold in the Summit Creative Awards. It has also been featured in The Big Book of Logos 3, Letterhead and Logo Design 7, Graphically Speaking, Global Corporate Identity, LogoLounge, Volume 1 (icon), Logo Design for Small Business 2, and New Logo: One (Singapore).

Crossings
Client: Crossings at the Riverhouse
Location: Bend, OR USA

The resort hotel restaurant Crossings is located on the Deschutes River at the site of a historical cattle drive crossing. Lettering in the name is "off" a bit on purpose - to give the word Crossings the look of a hand set 1800's western poster. The logo won a Drake Award from the Central Oregon Ad Club. It also appears in the books Restaurant Graphics 2, New Logo & Trademark Design (Japan), LogoLounge, Volume 1 and Logo Design for Small Business 2.

Main Street Playhouse
Client: triangle productions!
Location: Portland, OR USA

The primary element in the design of the Main Street Playhouse identity is one of the historic street lights outside of the theatre space - with the masks of comedy and tragedy reflected in the globes of the light fixture. The design was recognized with an American Graphic Design Award and publication in the PRINT Regional Design Annual.

What's For Dinner?
Client: What's For Dinner?
Location: Portland, OR USA

What's For Dinner? is the business of a personal chef and caterer. The logo is featured in the books Logo Design for Small Business 2, New Logo and Trademark Design (Japan), and Logo and Trademark Collection (Japan).

Black Dog Furniture Design
Client: Black Dog Furniture Design
Location: Portland, OR USA

Brett Bigham, the designer of new furniture from recycled parts, had his own drawing of his dog incorporated into the logo for the business. The logo was honored with a 2002 American Graphic Design Award. It also is represented in the The New Big Book of Logos, Letterhead and Logo Design 7, Graphically Speaking, American Corporate Identity 18, Global Corporate Identity, the 2002 PRINT Regional Design Annual, Logo Design for Small Business 2, 100's Visual Logos and Letterheads and Graphis Logo 6

"Critters" is another LogoMotives Design Track for your review.

Note: Many of the books mentioned in this post may be found at the LogoMotives Design Depot Bookstore.

© 2009 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

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Business Logos

(Clockwise from upper left)

DataDork
Client: DataDork
Location: Fontana, CA USA

A stylized computer geek is the centerpiece of this design. DataDork was honored with a Gold in the Summit Creative Awards. It has also been featured in The Big Book of Logos 3, Letterhead and Logo Design 7, Graphically Speaking, Global Corporate Identity, LogoLounge, Volume 1 (icon), Logo Design for Small Business 2, New Logo: One (Singapore), Logolicious, 2011 Artist's and Designer's Market and I Heart Logos, Season One.

Samuels Yoelin
Client: Samuels Yoelin Kantor Seymour & Spinrad LLP
Location: Portland, OR USA

Graphic representations of two heavy law books formed an S letterform and became the perfect icon for a law firm. The identity was honored with a Bronze in the Summit Creative Awards. It has also appeared in the the 1997 PRINT Regional Design Annual and the books International Logos & Trademarks IV (Madison Square Press, USA, 1998), New Logo & Trademark Design (P.I.E. Books, Japan -1998), Letterhead & Logo Design 5 (Rockport Publishers, USA, 1998), The Big Book of Logos (Hearst Books International, USA, 1999), Global Corporate Identity (HBI, USA, 2003), The Big Book of Logos (Paperback – Collins Design, USA, 2003), The Best of Letterhead and Logo Design (Rockport Publishers, USA, 2004), LogoLounge Master Library, Volume 1: 3,000 Initials & Crest Logos (Rockport Publishers, USA, 2010) and Relogo: Re-designing the Brand (Sandu Publishing, China, 2011).

More information about this identity design project is available on bLog-oMotives.

Just Out
Client: Just Out Newsmagazine
Location: Portland, OR USA

The redesign of the identity for this statewide newsmagazine, for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered communities, gave the publication a fresh, contemporary look. It recently won an American Corporate Identity 22 award, and appears in The Big Book of Logos 5 and 100's Visual Logos and Letterheads.

Read more about the logo on bLog-oMotives.

Shleifer Marketing Communications
Client: Shleifer Marketing Communications
Location: Lake Oswego/Portland, OR USA

This logo was designed in the early 90's for a public relations and marketing specialist. It appears in the books Letterhead & Logo Design 4, The Best of Letterhead & Logo Design, International Logos & Trademarks 4, Letterhead & Logo Design 5, More Logos & Letterheads, and the Japanese offerings New Logo & Trademark Design and Logo & Trademark Collection.

Additional information about this identity effort is posted on bLog-oMotives.

All logo designs © 2015 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives. All rights reserved.

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Toot! Toot!*: Fisher to present HOW webinar onplanning, packaging and promoting yourself

Jeff Fisher, the Engineer of Creative Identity for the Portland-based Jeff Fisher LogoMotives, will present the webinar "Planning, Packaging and Promoting Yourself" on August 13, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. PT. The one-hour session is sponsored by HOW Magazine and the fee is $69. Those interested in participating may register on the HOW website.

Designers are always creating complete brand identities to help clients sell their products and services. But how well are these creatives selling themselves? According to author and designer Jeff Fisher, the key to attracting new clients and more work is planning, packaging and promoting oneself as a product.

Fisher will help participants determine what “product” should be in their package, then offer tips and advice for creating the appearance of the product, getting it on the right shelf in the market, explaining the product to potential customers, and getting those customers to buy that product again and again.

Jeff Fisher, author of Identity Crisis!: 50 redesigns that transformed stale identities into successful brands (HOW Books, 2007), is a 30-year design veteran. He has been honored with over 600 regional, national and international design awards and is featured in over 100 books about logos, the design business, and small business marketing. The industry publication Graphic Design USA named Fisher one of its "People to Watch in 2009." His first book, The Savvy Designer's Guide to Success was released in 2004 and has been reissued as a PDF on CD from HOWBookstore.com. Fisher is currently writing a new volume, with the working title of Logo•Type, on the topic of typography in identity design.

More information about Jeff Fisher, and his design and writing efforts, may be found on the Jeff Fisher LogoMotives blogfolio.

(* If I don’t "toot!" my own horn, no one else will.)

© 2009 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

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