As I mentioned in LogoMotive Design Tracks: Black & White - Part 1, 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. I appreciate that a mention of Part 1 was recently posted on CreativePro.com.
From my archive of past logo designs there are many creations that were created in only black and white. Below are some additional identities that continue to be presented in only black and white.
Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
Client: Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
Location: Portland, OR USA
Being my own worst client, creating my own logo was a ten-year evolution. Color was never even a consideration throughout the process. My identity was always going to be in black and white. The identity is featured in Letterhead and Logo Design 5, American Corporate Identity/14, New Logo & Trademark Design (Japan), the 1998 PRINT Regional Design Annual, The New Big Book of Logos, PRINT’s Best Logos & Symbols 6, Logo Design for Small Business 2, The Big Book of Business Cards, Logos from North to South America (Spain), New Logo & Trademark Collection (Japan), and The Savvy Designer’s Guide to Success.
Neighborhood Service Center
Client: City of Portland, Office of Neighborhood Involvement
Location: Portland, OR USA
Designed for the City of Portland, the Neighborhood Service Center identity was always going to be used as a one-color image, especially for simple, easy-to-read street signage. It received the Gold in the Summit International Creative Awards, and appears in The Big Book of Logos 5 and 100's Visual Logos and Letterheads.
Beirut
Client: triangle productions!
Location: Portland, OR USA
Beirut was a dark late-1980's theatrical production about HIV-positive individuals being quarantined in the Lower East Side of New York City. All promotional materials for the play, and its program, were being printed in black and white. This design is one of nearly 100 I have designed for one theatre company over the last 20 years. Honored with a Bronze Summit Creative Award, this logo is featured in The New Big Book of Logos and Logo World (Japan).
Jeff Maul
Client: Jeff Maul
Location: Portland, OR USA
The guy who cut my hair wanted a simple, one-color graphic representation of his name to promote his work. The design appears in International Logos & Trademarks III, the 1996 PRINT Regional Design Annual, Letterhead and Logo Design 5, New Logo & Trademark Design (Japan), Bullet-Proof Logos, The Best in World Trademarks 1- Corporate Identity (Korea), LogoLounge - Volume 1, The Best of Letterhead and Logo Design, Logo Design for Small Business 2, and New Logo: One (Singapore). (Read more about this logo project)
Al Bauer Advertising
Client: Al Bauer Advertising
Location: Portland, OR USA
Initially this client considered using a process color image of an abstract painting for his business identity - until he investigated the printing costs associated with the implementation of the design. In 1981, I was commissioned to create an abstract logo for the firm. The owner immediately liked this image; saying that it was a great graphic representation of the advertising profession - just when you think all things are going alone fine, one element of any given project will be out of whack. A couple weeks later he called; just realizing that the design was actually very abstract lower-case "a" and "b" letterforms. When not being printed in one-color, the image was also blind embossed on white paper stock.
WordWright
Client: WordWright
Location: Portland, OR/Seattle WA USA
There was never any intention that this identity for a technical, business and grant writer would be anything but a one-color design. The image appears, in its various forms, in the books New Logo & Trademark Design (Japan), Logo and Trademark Collection (Japan), Print's Regional Design Annual, the Japanese book Logo World, Letterhead and Logo Design 7, Logo Design for Small Business 2, The Big Book of Logos 3, and the Spanish book Logos: From North to South America. (Read more about this logo project)
"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
