Leila Singleton

WINK : CLASSIC ROCK COVER BAND LOGO ///// Wink is a classic rock cover band in Anchorage, AK. I studied type from the '70s to guide the bespoke logotype design, which I distressed to evoke a vintage look. Not everything about the design draws upon the past: the dot on the "i" is created by a rotated semicolon, inspired by the "winking" semicolon seen in today's emails. Because Wink's sound is guitar-driven, the final design element (yellow) is based upon the neck, frets and strings of a guitar. ///// PUBLISHED: Design DNA: Logos, Logos 2: Bright Ideas in Logo Design from Around the World

USHPA : PROPOSED HANG + PARAGLIDING ASSN LOGO ///// The United States Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association (USHPA) launched a contest in 2006 to redesign their organization's logo. The solution I proposed sports a bold, cyan-infused black and saturated blue (evocative of the sky and high-performance sports beverages!). The shape of a hang glider appears in the logotype, while a 3/4 view of a paraglider canopy "embraces" and therefore softens the design -- important as the sport is widely perceived to be higher-risk than it actually is.

UNITED WAY : LOGO FOR MILLION DOLLAR CAMPAIGN ///// 2004 marked the first time United Way of Laramie County set their annual fundraising goal at $1 million. To mark the occasion, they commissioned a logo showcasing their campaign slogan, "Making a Difference a Million Different Ways." The logo was used alongside the national United Way mark, which is heavily iconic, so I opted for a type-driven mark, stacking the slogan in a way that accentuates the words' similarities. An alternating application of red provides contrast and interest.

STEP UP MUSIC VALLEJO : LOGO FOR MUSIC SCHOOL (1/2) ///// Researching the logos of competitors, I found many are formal in tone, use red and black, and employ straight-from-sheet-music symbols. Step Up Music Vallejo needed a less generic mark to communicate a non-intimidating environment and "pop" from a pane of glass (the storefront has only window space for signage). The unique name spawned a shape evoking stairsteps. A note and an exclamation point are stylized to resemble one another, dot and head playfully positioned as notes on a scale. ///// PUBLISHED: Logos 2: Bright Ideas in Logo Design from Around the World

STEP UP MUSIC VALLEJO : LOGO FOR MUSIC SCHOOL (2/2) ///// After creating the Step Up Music Vallejo logo (previous image), the client commissioned vinyl window decals, which function as signage for the school's storefront. City regulations allow only for a small percentage of each window to be covered by artwork; the decals were prepared with those limitations in mind.

PRICE AVIATION : LOGO FOR FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ///// Created for a flight instructor, this logo was designed to sleekly represent the single-propeller planes students would learn to fly. Sharp curves, intense thick/thin stroke contrast and extended horizontal lines give the logo a sense of speed and movement. The type choice -- an oblique, altered sans serif -- reinforces the logo's kinetic feel. Blues evoke the sky and tend to appeal to both genders, a plus for a company looking to attract more than the typical male student.

DIAPER RASH CLOTHING : LOGO FOR BABY APPAREL COMPANY ///// Diaper Rash Clothing, a San Francisco-based company, creates unisex baby apparel for parents who want their children to dress as hip as they do. I created a punky spin on the traditional cameo, with a mohawked baby silhouette reversed out of a spray paint splotch. The type is a didone unicase face -- it lends an elegant but quirky feel, and seemed an appropriate choice considering the kid-friendly roots of the monoalphabet. The initials have been stylized to appear stenciled.

CHEYENNE WOMEN'S CLINIC : LOGO FOR OB-GYN ///// The founders of a newly-established women's clinic had a solid idea of what they wanted in terms of colors and type when they contacted our agency regarding a logo. Open to a more abstract mark (vs. the typical, stylized illustration of a female), they opted for a unique, feminine icon I created using the initials of their practice. Its curves, sweeping movement and stress are echoed by the type, which I customized to flow in the manner of a connecting script.

WEBSTER HOME MAINTENANCE : LOGO FOR HANDYMAN ///// A one-man startup in a city saturated with similar businesses, it was key for Webster Home Maintenance to have a distinctive logo. I avoided the primary red and blue used by most competitors. With no storefront, the logo would appear primarily on the company's vehicle, so it had to read quickly. Combining a stucco-like mark with an architectonic variation on the letter "W" created a house icon, representing both home improvement and the company's founder. ///// PUBLISHED: The Big Book of Logos 5

LEARNING TREE ACADEMY : PROPOSED LOGO FOR PRESCHOOL ///// Learning Tree Academy's principal approached our agency about a possible new logo design for her pre-kindergarten school. Central to my design is a rudimentary tree scribbled in crayon. A clean sans serif creates textural contrast, while its humanist thick-thin contrast keeps it from appearing too clinical. Setting the type sans initial caps allowed for comfortable stacking and fusing of letters, which subtly captures the ideas of unity and passing down knowledge.

CAPITAL WEST NATIONAL BANK : PROPOSED LOGO ///// Proposed to a new bank, this logo's icon was inspired by the letterforms C and W, as well as a boot spur and a ruddy, Western sun. Rather than using red, a color associated with risk, I desaturated the hue into terracotta. The color is further tempered by navy blue (60% for the icon, 100% for the type) -- blues are known to be calming, and navy blue in particular represents dependability and wisdom. A friendly, humanist sans serif makes the bank seem approachable and less corporate.

THE WHOLE PACKAGE : LOGO FOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER ///// Created to represent myself -- a graphic designer who also brings photography, illustration and copywriting skills to the table -- this logo uses a box icon to convey the idea of a package, while an abstract representation of partially-popped bubble wrap personalizes the symbol with a capital 'L.' The sans serif type recalls bubble wrap with its full, circular forms, and a custom-designed cursive brings a playful and organic touch, echoed by the bow tie. ///// PUBLISHED: Basic Logos

COLORADO JOURNEYS : PROPOSED TOURISM LOGO (1/2) ///// Heritage tourism -- a branch of tourism dedicated to a locale's culture and history -- is the focus of this proposed logo, designed for the Colorado Tourism Office's heritage travel initiative. Colorado became a state during the Victorian period; I drew upon that era's typography to evoke a historical tone. The mark is an adaptation of the state flag's distinctive red C, the counter of which is filled by a golden disk.

COLORADO JOURNEYS : PROPOSED TOURISM LOGO (2/2) ///// Heritage tourism -- a branch of tourism dedicated to a locale's culture and history -- is the focus of this proposed logo, designed for the Colorado Tourism Office's heritage travel initiative. This lightly-distressed design takes its typographic cues from the Old Western and Victorian eras. Compass points -- sandwiched by decorative rules -- imply wayfinding. As with the previous design, colors were adapted from Colorado's state flag.

TRASHBAG : LOGO FOR HAND-SEWN PURSES ///// Trashbags are purses that give plastic shopping bags a shot at glamorous life. Though each is unique, all are characterized by quilted patches with visible backstitches executed in bold hues of thread. A gestural scribble pairs with an abstract handle, recalling the thread and creating a funky purse icon, which flows into the logotype. The script type is a custom design -- only appropriate for a unique, handmade product. ///// PUBLISHED: Really Good Logos Explained, Basic Logos.