Excavated design artifact #23

I've worked as a professional graphic designer for just over 32 years. In that period of time, I have collected a great many project concepts, doodles and roughs. As I continue to go through three decades of design files, these excavated artifacts are coming to the surface.

In the mid-to-late 1980s, while living in Seattle, I did quite a bit of design work for gay and lesbian businesses, organizations and events. One such group was the Washington Privacy Lobby, founded out of concerns related to personal medical records privacy during the AIDS crisis.

My original doodle for the organization identity was executed in dark blue felt-tipped pen, on the back of a sheet from a pink "While You Were Out" message pad. With a certain alignment the "O" letterform in "WASHINGTON" and the "A" in "PRIVACY" formed a graphic keyhole, symbolizing the keeping of medical information under lock and key (above left). To add what I thought would be strength the logo, a key element would fill the open space created by the placement of the words.

As I began to fine-tune the design, I made use of Letraset pressure-sensitive type (remember, this is pre-personal computer) to produce the primary text in Italia Bold (above right). An outline of the State of Washington became part of the key. The remaining available space in the design allowed for the placement of an address for envelopes, letterhead, business cards, labels and other printed material.

With the Italia type treatment seeming visually too heavy, I opted to change to the oh-so-1980s type of Serif Gothic Outline (above). Again, at the time, this was a Letraset or Chartpak pressure sensitive typeface. The graphic element of the key was eliminated to reinforce the issue of "privacy" within the design. If you want something to remain private you would not provide anyone with the key. The center of the keyhole image was darkened to symbolize blocking someone from peeking at what may be inside - in this case, medical records needing to remain confidential.

Take a look at the complete Jeff Fisher LogoMotives excavated artifacts collection.

© 2011 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Toot! Toot!*: Jeff Fisher LogoMotives designs included in 'Basic Identity' from Index Book

The design work of Jeff Fisher, the Engineer of Creative Identity for the Portland-based firm Jeff Fisher LogoMotives, is included in the recently released book Basic Identity. The volume, from Spanish publisher Index Book, is currently available online and at bookstores worldwide.

Fisher's identity for Emerge Medical Spa at Bridgeport is featured in the book, along with branding projects from 151 designers and firms, representing 30 nations. The Emerge logo, stationery package and signage are highlighted in Basic Identity (below).

The Emerge Medical Spa logo also appears in The Big Book of Logos 5, 100s Visual Logos & Letterheads (UK) and American Corporate Identity 2008.

Fisher, a 33-year design industry veteran, is the author of Identity Crisis!: 50 redesigns that transformed stale identities into successful brands and The Savvy Designer's Guide to Success: Ideas and tactics for a killer career. Several other book projects are currently in the works. The designer has received over 600 design awards and his work has been published in more than 140 books on identity design, self-promotion and the marketing of small businesses.

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.)

© 2011 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives