Toot! Toot!*: Jeff Fisher LogoMotives identities deconstructed in 'Design DNA - Logos' volume

Two logo designs by Jeff Fisher, the Engineer of Creative Identity for the Portland-based Jeff Fisher LogoMotives are featured in the newly released book Design DNA - Logos: 300+ International Logos Deconstructed. Written by brand consultant and designer Matthew Healey, the volume was published by HOW Books.

Design DNA - Logos analyzes over 300 exemplary designs from around the world; giving designers a clear understanding of how to target specific markets and convey brand values. Showcasing inspirational design, it is also a practical and problem-solving handbook covering general process and specific detailing. Every logo is deconstructed to show how each element works to make the design an effective one, and case studies walk the reader through the reasoning behind successful design decisions.

The Jeff Fisher LogoMotives designs presented in the book include the logo for the short-lived Balaboosta Delicatessen and the identity for VanderVeer Center.

Featured in the "Food & Drink" section of the volume, the Balaboosta logo (above center) was designed to compliment the neighboring local eating establishments of Portland chef and author Lisa Schroeder. The tile design and colors of the historic restaurant setting were incorporated into the logo design, referred to as "old-fashioned and tasteful" by Design DNA - Logos. Unfortunately, after a short time in operation, Balaboosta was closed and the restaurant space was reconcepted.

The VanderVeer Center identity (above right), an element of a total rebranding of the facility providing non-surgical cosmetic procedures, is cited in the volume for the "soothing" colors used in the design. The use of "naturalistic" typography is also recognized by the author, in the "Health & Beauty" industry logo example.

Fisher, a 30+ 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. 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. He often travels – nationally and internationally – to present courses, seminars and workshops on design, branding, marketing and social networking. In addition, Fisher is a nationally-recognized speaker, making numerous presentations each year to design organizations, design schools, universities and business groups.

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.)

© 2010 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

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Theatre Logos

(Clockwise from upper left)

Anytime Tickets
Client: triangle productions!
Location: Portland, OR USA

An identity for the live theatre ticket sales for a local production company. The image appears in LogoLounge, Vol. 1 (Rockport Publishers,USA, 2003), Logo World (P.I.E. Books, Japan -2001) and LogoLounge, Vol. 1 (Paper-mini, Rockport Publishers,USA, 2006).

As Bees in Honey Drown
Client: triangle productions!
Location: Portland, OR USA

Logo for a theatre production. The identity is featured in The Big Book of Logos 3 (HBI, USA, 2002), The Big Book of Logos 3 (Paper, HBI, USA, 2004), Logos From North to South America (Index Book, Spain, 2005), Logos Cafe (Page One, Singapore 2005), and Logos from North to South America (Paper-mini, Index Book, Spain, 2005)

Beirut
Client: triangle productions!
Location: Portland, OR USA

This logo for a play is one nearly 100 I have designed for one theatre company over the last 16 years. Honored with a Bronze Summit Creative Award, this logo is featured in The New Big Book of Logos (HBI, USA, 2000), Logo World (P.I.E. Books, Japan -2001) and The New Big Book of Logos (Paper, HBI, USA, 2003)..

The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr: Abridged
Client: triangle productions!
Location: Portland, OR USA

Logo for a theatre production in which three actors perform all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays in a madcap style worthy of Groucho Marx. The design won a Silver in the Summit Creative Awards, and appears in the the books The New Big Book of Logos (HBI, USA, 2000), Logo World (P.I.E. Books, Japan -2001) and The New Big Book of Logos (Paper, HBI, USA, 2003).

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

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Toot! Toot!*: Jeff Fisher offers career advice in "2011 Artist's & Graphic Designer's Market"

Jeff Fisher, the Engineer of Creative Identity for the Portland-based firm Jeff Fisher LogoMotives, shares career advice for industry professionals in an article published in the recently released book 2011 Artist's & Graphic Designer's Market. In his piece, "Getting the Gig: Find Work and Develop Business Relationships Through Planning, Perseverance and Patience," the former art director and creative director offers numerous suggestions of how designers, illustrators, artists and others can best market and promote their efforts.

The new volume, published by North Light Books and edited by Mary Burzlaff Bostic, is the 36th annual edition of the Artist's & Graphic Designer's Market. A resource for artists, illustrators, designers and cartoonists who want to establish careers, and make more money, the book provides readers with contact and submission information for 1000+ markets, publishers, galleries, art fairs, ad agencies and more. In addition, purchase of the current edition includes a free annual subscription to the companion site Artist's Market Online.

The featured article by Jeff Fisher is illustrated with examples of his internationally recognized identity design work. Logos displayed include images for Jeff Fisher LogoMotives, Chameleon, Cat Adoption Team, the Holocaust Remembrance Project and DataDork (shown above).

Fisher, a 30+ 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. 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. He often travels – nationally and internationally – to present courses, seminars and workshops on design, branding, marketing and social networking. In addition, Fisher is a nationally-recognized speaker, making numerous presentations each year to design organizations, design schools, universities and business groups.

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.)

© 2010 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

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Designer/author Jeff Fisher takes readers ofThe Squall Line for a ride on the 'Paper Train'

In his 'Paper Cuts' article series, designer Tad Dobbs - of the Texas design firm Creative Squall - interviews printers, paper reps, and designers for their insights into how paper can strengthen the brand of a business or organization. The third piece in the series, 'All Aboard the Paper Train', features the experiences and thoughts of 32-year print design veteran Jeff Fisher, of the Portland-based firm Jeff Fisher LogoMotives.

Check out other interviews with Jeff Fisher.

© 2010 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives.

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Toot! Toot!*: Identity design efforts of 'Logolicious' judge Jeff Fisher featured in newly released volume

Logo designs by Jeff Fisher, the Engineer of Creative Identity for the Portland-based firm Jeff Fisher LogoMotives, are featured in the newly released book LogoLicious. The volume, compiled by designer/author Peleg Top, features over 1,000 logos from identity designers around the world. Fisher's work is highlighted in the book as the result of being a judge in the Logolicious selection process.

Author Peleg Top asked 13 identity design industry experts to assist in judging the more than 3,000 logos submitted through the Crescent Hill Books website.

In addition to Fisher, Jeff Barlow (Jelvetica), Darin Beaman (OIC), Joshua Chen (Chen Design Associates), Jonathan Cleveland (Cleveland Design) and Jean-Marc Durviaux (DISTINC) selected published logos. Kit Hinrichs (Studio Hinrichs), Debbie Millman (Sterling Brands), Steve Morris (MORRIS), Robynne Raye (Modern Dog Design Co.), Cheryl Savala (Menagerie Creative), Rochelle Seltzer (Seltzer) and Petrula Vrontikis (Vrontikis Design Office) were also judges of submissions.

Judges each reviewed hundreds of logos. Top also requested that each industry professional provide their definition of a "good logo" and representative examples of logos they, or their firm, had produced.

Jeff Fisher LogoMotives designs featured in the book include images for the triangle productions! theatrical production "2 Boys in a Bed on a Cold Winter's Night," hair salon Chameleon and Holocaust Remembrance Project - a nation-wide high school essay competition sponsored by the Holland and Knight Charitable Foundation, Inc. The logo for computer consultation firm DataDork and the Cat Adoption Team logo concept are also presented in the designer's two-page spread.

Fisher, a 30+ 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. Future books are in the works by the author.

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.)

© 2010 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

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Event Logos

(Clockwise from upper left)

Young Native Writers Essay Contest
Client: Holland+Knight Charitable Foundation, Inc.
Location: Tampa, FL USA

A nationwide essay contest, sponsored by the Holland+Knight Charitable Foundation, is represented by this logo featuring an eagle feather as a writing instrument. The input of tribal leaders was sought in the process of creating the image. The logo appears in The Big Book of Logos 5 and 100's Visual Logos and Letterheads.

Learn more about the process of creating this logo on bLog-oMotives.

St. Johns Window Project
Client: St. Johns Window Project
Location: Portland, OR USA

This pro bono design represents an annual art event in Portland during which art installations are featured in retail storefronts. The effort received a 2003 American Graphic Design Award from Graphic Design: usa magazine. It appears in The Big Book of Logos 5 and 100's Visual Logos and Letterheads.

Native Youth Internship Program
Client: Holland+Knight Charitable Foundation, Inc.
Location: Tampa, FL USA

Another identity created for the Holland+Knight Charitable Foundation. This logo identifies the Native Youth Internship Program initiated by my partner, one of the business managers for the law firm. The logo received a 2007 American Graphic Design Award. It is featured in the book 100's Visual Logos and Letterheads.

Holocaust Remembrance Project
Client: Holland+Knight Charitable Foundation, Inc.
Location: Tampa, FL USA

One of a series of logos created for the Holland+Knight Charitable Foundation, this logo gives a graphic identity to the annual Holocaust remembrance essay contest for high school students. The triangle elements are used in a positive manner to take ownership of the negative image of the concentration camp uniform identification patches from the past. The logo appears in the books American Graphic Design & Advertising 25, 100s Visual Logos & Letterheads (UK), Logolicious, 2011 Artist's & Graphic Designer's Market and Logo Design Vol. 3 (Germany). It also was honored with a 2008 American Graphic Design Award.

Learn more about this logo project on bLog-oMotives.

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

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St. Johns banners finally see the light of day

I've always enjoyed creating designs for businesses, nonprofit organizations and events in my own North Portland neighborhood. Back in early 2002 I designed a series of banners for the volunteer organization Destination St. Johns. The banners were to be displayed on utility poles in the business district of St. Johns, less than a five minute drive from my home studio.

And then nothing happened with the designs and the banners never appeared in public.

In an October 2009 article in the late, great neighborhood newspaper The Sentinel (a past identity design client of mine), Meg Farra, one of the founders of Destination St. Johns, explained, “It was a group we put together to do some projects within St. Johns. For example, we planted native plants in the tree wells through downtown and organized some cleanups before the parade for a few years."

As reported in The Sentinel, "The group decided to create banners for downtown and applied for a grant from the North Portland Trust Fund [the Portland International Raceway noise mitigation funded.] They received $4000 along with support and in-kind donations from many businesses and other groups in St. Johns and North Portland."

I didn't realize that the banners had ever been produced - but instead of adding high-flying color over downtown St. Johns, the banners and all hardware were stored in the basement of the historic Kenton Firehouse.

According to The Sentinel: "...the set of 20 or so vinyl banners were never hung due to political squabbling and the high cost of insurance."

"When the banners were ready to hang, bureaucratic difficulties and a policy change at Portland General Electric entered the game. Partway through negotiations about the banners, PGE changed its insurance requirements. Instead of $1 million, groups now had to carry $2 million in insurance before PGE would allow them to use its poles. PGE also asked Destination St. Johns to coordinate with the St. Johns Boosters, who had a long-standing arrangement with PGE to use certain light poles at Christmastime. A rift developed between some of the leaders involved and for over a year the groups were unable to negotiate a compromise.

"At that point, according to Tom Griffin-Valade of the Office of Neighborhood Involvement, the banners were rolled up and stored in the basement of the Office of Neighborhood Involvement at the Kenton Firehouse. Seven years passed."

The mystery of the missing banners had always intrigued Sentinel publisher Cornelius Swart. With a little detective work, he learned that the banners were in the Kenton Firehouse all along. Swart presented the banners to members of the St. Johns Neighborhood Association in May 2009. At the time of the October 2009 Sentinel article, efforts to hang the banners were being driven by members of the St. Johns Boosters and the St Johns Main Street Coalition, which have representatives from both neighborhood associations, businesses, and individual residents.

I'm not sure what transpired over the past year in regards to insurance issues and neighborhood politics. However, My partner Ed and I recently decided to make a Saturday morning visit to the St. Johns Farmer's Market - and were very surprised to see the banners lining the streets and the farmer's market venue, St. Johns Plaza.

On a recent sunny afternoon, I went to St. Johns to photograph the banners in place (above). I popped into St. Johns Booksellers, the location of my 2007 book signing for Identity Crisis!, to say "hi" to co-owner Nena Rawdah and explain why I was wandering the business district with my camera. She told me that upon learning that the banners were actually going to be installed, she requested a red and yellow one for installation in front of her store (above center).

"I didn't know who was responsible for the design of the banners," added Nena, "but, I'm certainly not surprised."

© 2010 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives.

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