Prefrontal Cornflakes

Have Mercy on My Logo

2009-12-11T12:19:00.000-08:00

Great post on Brand New about the Mercy Corps logo design and how it actually changed out in the field for the better.

Idea Box

2009-10-30T12:55:00.000-07:00

This place is on my dream board. I must have one. In fact, as soon as the market gets better, we're selling our home and getting one of these. Seriously. It's not too big and not too small. The lines are nice and clean and the place really seems huge when you're in one. They are built right here in Salem, Oregon and they are seriously cool. Check 'em out here.

Al's Place

2009-10-18T19:26:00.001-07:00

My dad owned a beer tavern back in the 1950s called Al's Place. It was named for him and built by hand by him as well. I always felt a little pride seeing his name up there on the sign even though in retrospect, it was just a little bar out in the middle of nowhere. Still, it was "Al's Place" and that was so cool. I played pool there on the weekend as a kid and the Conjunto Tex-Mex music that blared through the jukebox had a huge influence on my musical taste.

I had some time on my hands and decided to design a logo for a place that was long ago and faraway, but never forgotten.

Cool Tractor

2009-09-29T07:46:00.000-07:00

I was a farm boy in deep central Texas in another life. Maybe that's why I find this so cool.

Diana F+ CMYK Edition

2009-09-15T11:48:00.000-07:00

This looks like a cool little camera.

The Lost Art of Type Spec'ing

2009-09-02T20:14:00.001-07:00

Gah! I remember this - too vividly!

Steampunk Keyboard

2009-07-29T21:38:00.000-07:00

I love steampunk anything. I came across this cool steampunk computer keyboard created by Datamancer for a new TV show called Warehouse 13 for the Sci Fi channel. Cool!

Cowboy duds

2009-07-27T22:53:00.000-07:00

I wish I had a ton of money. If I did, I'd buy several pairs of boots from this website.

The Bazaarium

2009-07-24T10:25:00.000-07:00

I thought this was very cool. From a place called, The Bazaarium. Click on the image for a link.

Bryan Adams Honored With His Own Stamp

2009-07-20T22:40:00.000-07:00

With numerous hit singles, a Grammy Award, Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, and an induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame to his credit, Bryan Adams may have earned the ultimate tribute from his native Canada: a postage stamp. [Read More]

Coco Shinomiya

2009-07-02T23:20:00.000-07:00

I came across this cool new Bob Dylan album cover with lettering created by L.A. graphic designer Coco Shinomiya. I googled the heck out of her name, but there seems to very little written about her. She's designed a ton of album covers and has even published a book about hot rods. Must find out more about her.

Anonymous Western Swing Band # 15

2009-06-29T19:49:00.000-07:00

I dig these old photos that mrwaterslide came across in his travels. Check out more here on his Flickr site.

Celebrating the summer with Lenny Dee

2009-06-01T21:28:00.000-07:00

Here's a little something to celebrate the coming of summer. I can't quite make out what is on top of the keyboard. Is that an animal of some kind? This cover is just so mind blowingly wrong.

Chinese A-Go-Go

2009-04-29T12:03:00.000-07:00

I love it when I run across random bits of weirdness.

Man Sells Mac Ephemera to Save Wife

2009-04-23T06:27:00.000-07:00

A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. This man loves his wife.

http://www.saldanah.com/applesale/

The Album Is Alive

2009-04-03T14:44:00.001-07:00

This made me happy.

Funky Town

2009-04-01T05:46:00.001-07:00

Just plain funky.

Kix Cereal Boxes Go Retro

2009-03-13T10:35:00.001-07:00

I love all things retro, so I am quite pleased to see that General Mills is releasing some retro themed cereal boxes to your local grocery store. The brands include Kix, Golden Grahams, Cheerios, Trix, Cocoa Puffs, Lucky Charms, Wheaties, and much, much, more!
[source]

New CD Baby Logo

2009-03-12T13:57:00.000-07:00

This just in...CD Baby, the online music distribution juggernaut for independent bands has changed it's beloved logo.

In the literal sense, the three triangles are “play” symbols – like on your MP3 or CD player. In a less literal interpretation, we see the mark as symbolizing the CD Baby community (artists, music lovers, and CD Baby) and the three channels (CDs, downloads, and promotional items). We also worked hard to find a logo style and tag line that kept some of the playfulness of the original “baby” logo but spoke a little more to what CD Baby is really all about.

Old logo is on top, new one on the bottom. What do you think about it?

Egyptian cleric blasts Starbucks for using Queen Esther in logo

2009-03-10T16:31:00.000-07:00

I thought she was a mermaid. From the Jerusalem Post:

As Jews around the world are celebrating Purim, one Egyptian cleric has used the holiday to launch an attack against Starbucks, claiming that the woman in the logo of the international chain is Queen Esther, and her presence warrants a boycott of the company throughout the Arab world.

"Starbucks is to be found in Mecca, in Al-Madina, opposite the King Abdul Aziz Gate in Mecca, opposite the Al-Majid Gate in Al-Madina, as well as in Cairo," Egyptian cleric Safwat Higa said during a sermon which aired on Al-Nas TV, and which was documented by the MEMRI watchdog group. "Starbucks is to be found everywhere, with this logo."

"Have any of you ever wondered who this woman with a crown on her head is? Why do we boycott Starbucks? I will tell you, so you will know why you should boycott this company, and what this logo stands for," he continued. "As I've already said, it is not enough to avoid entering this coffee shop. It is not enough to refrain from drinking this coffee. You must urge people never to go there, but none of you should even consider throwing a stone, breaking anything, or burning [the place] down."

"The girl in the Starbucks logo is Queen Esther. Do you know who Queen Esther was and what the crown on her head means? This is the crown of the Persian kingdom. This queen is the queen of the Jews. She is mentioned in the Torah, in the Book of Esther. The girl you see is Esther, the queen of the Jews in Persia," the cleric said.

"The Crown you see here [in the Starbucks logo] is the crown of the kingdom of Xerxes," Higa said.

"We want Starbucks to be shut down throughout the Arab and Islamic world," he concluded. "It is inconceivable that in Mecca and Al-Madina, there will be a picture of Queen Esther. Can you believe that in Mecca, Al-Madina, Cairo, Damascus, Kuwait, and all over the Islamic world there hangs the picture of beautiful Queen Esther, with a crown on her head, and we buy her products?" (link)

New logo for Jack in the Box

2009-03-02T08:49:00.000-08:00

The new design by Duffy and Partners. As much as I hated their "old" logo, I don't like this one much better.

Record Sleeves

2009-02-20T16:26:00.000-08:00

What a cool idea for a blog. Kavel Rafferty collects old record sleeves for her blog, Record Envelope.

Fifty Dollar Logo Experiment

2009-02-18T09:13:00.001-08:00

This is just too funny not to post.

The fifty dollar logo experiment.

Typewriter Tin Collection

2009-02-10T10:56:00.000-08:00

Now this is cool. A collection of old typewriter ribbon tins. I didn't even know there was such a thing to collect!

Every Super Bowl Logo

2009-02-08T01:24:00.000-08:00

Every SuperBowl logo ever. Check it out here.

Twitter Tweaks Logo Size

2009-02-03T12:22:00.000-08:00

Twitterland was all abuzz with the realization that the twitter logo was smaller.

Is it just me or did the Twitter logo shrink?
Funny, i shrunk my logo and twitter followed me...
I didn't log in for 2 days and the twitter logo got all tiny on me.

And so and so forth. I haven't been able to track down a reason for the size change. Stay tuned.

Pepsi Optimism Project

2009-01-27T12:13:00.000-08:00

"There's been a lot of discourse about the logo," acknowledged Cooper. "It makes a good news story, but I don't know if it's rooted in reality. It's a 110-year-old brand. Red, white and blue has been part of the brand for a long time."

In fact, Cooper suggested that maybe it was Obama who committed an act of sub rosa homage in his quest to become, ahem, the voice of a new generation. "I'm not sure who followed who," he said. "This [Obama] logo was developed probably a year and a half ago. We've been around for 110 years."

Read the entire article here...

Mexico: Alleged drug hit men using 'Jackass' logo

2009-01-19T16:39:00.000-08:00

I thought this was mucho amusing:

TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) — Soldiers in Tijuana have detained three suspected drug assassins with uniforms featuring a skull above crossed crutches, apparently patterned after the logo of the "Jackass" television show and movies.
The men are suspected of working for a Mexican cartel operator nicknamed "Muletas," or "Crutches."
The 15 black uniforms found in the men's SUV in Tijuana, across the border from San Diego, had arm patches with the logo and the slogan, "Muletas Special Forces."
An army statement issued Friday said the men were pulled over because their car had bullet holes in one side.
Soldiers found 20 guns in the SUV and another vehicle and suspect the men were involved in kidnappings and killings. No charges have yet been filed.

The Stories Behind Hollywood Studio Logos

2009-01-04T19:13:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the delay in posting. I blame it on the snow and ice that made me feel like hibernating for the rest of the winter.

Just found this link to a web page that gives a little history on some of Hollywood's most famous studio logos.

Getting Literal With The Apple Logo

2008-12-20T07:38:00.000-08:00

A farmer in Japan is either a marketing genius or a person who has spent a little too much time in the orchard, if you know what I mean. More here.

Sol Sender Interview on Obama's Logo

2008-12-15T11:53:00.000-08:00

Sol Sender interview on the development of the now famous Obama logo. Click here to hear the interview.

Peoria's new logo

2008-12-10T11:56:00.000-08:00

"PEORIA —It's out with the Indian head and in with a new logo and image for the city of Peoria.

By an 8-2 vote Tuesday, the City Council endorsed Peoria-based Converse Marketing's logo design proposal featuring a yellow, blue and green circular image highlighting Downtown Peoria, the Illinois River, Interstate 74 and the Murray Baker Bridge.

'Doing something like this equates to change,' Mayor Jim Ardis said shortly before the vote. 'There is a large reluctance to change sometimes. I think (the new logo) is a step forward.'"

Peoria paid $30,000 for this logo. I don't know exactly what would scream "Peoria" to me, but nothing in this logo does. This wasn't even the public's first choice for the final design (I guess the public got to vote on it). The logo replaces the Indian head which first appeared in 1975.

Padres 40th Anniversary Logo

2008-12-07T11:18:00.000-08:00

"SAN DIEGO -- The Padres unveiled their specially designed, 40th anniversary logo on Thursday to celebrate a historic milestone for the franchise. The logo will be displayed on a uniform patch and sewn into three of the Padres' four jerseys -- home, away and the alternate blue tops. The logo will also be featured prominently in 2009 in advertising for the team, promotional materials and throughout PETCO Park.
The Swinging Friar is at the center of the logo. The Friar's origins predate the Major League Padres, debuting as the official insignia of the Pacific Coast League Padres in 1961. The image, originally sketched by San Diego High graduate Carlos Hadaway, was utilized by the team from 1969-1984 and, after a break, since 1995."

I like it. I think it's nicely designed and balanced. I like the fact the bat is breaking out of the logo. I'm not wild about the friar, but still, it's nicely done.

NCAA unveils 2010 Women's Final Four logo

2008-12-05T22:07:00.000-08:00

SAN ANTONIO — The NCAA, in conjunction with the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and the San Antonio Local Organizing Committee (SALOC), unveiled the 2010 NCAA Women’s Final Four logo at a Friday news conference and women’s basketball celebration held at the newly opened Young Women’s Leadership Academy. The 2010 NCAA Women’s Final Four logo pays tribute to Texas, the Lone Star State, and the rich history of San Antonio, with a single five-point white star embedded within the “o” of the word “Four” in the design. Logo colors are red, white, blue and gray.

I can't say that I like this logo much at all. It's not absolutely horrible, but mostly horrible. It does have a little bit of a "sports" look to it - but just barely. The star in the middle of the "O" in "Four" is too big and the points are too close to the edge of the letter. The grey banner at the bottom with its beveled funkiness and type treatment doesn't help things at all. And those two little white dots on the ends of the banner...what are they fastening the banner to, other than thin air?

I hate giving the old thumbs down to anything from my home state, but here goes...

Barf-claycard Logo

2008-12-02T12:03:00.000-08:00

"Awarded the project after a competitive pitch, The Brand Union chose to focus their creative energies on 'liberation from complexity', a concept that inspired the new brand mark and a multi-coloured look and feel. 'It's about a brighter world opening up, free from restriction, free to explore and experience new things,' says Nick Payne, Creative Director for Corporate Branding at The Brand Union."

I say, this is a completely horrible logo and I am stymied as to how 1) The designer thought this was good, and 2) The client paid for it.

Apple wins lawsuit in China

2008-12-02T09:50:00.000-08:00

Apple has won a small lawsuit in China. The computer company has been awarded $58,000 from a tiny computer manufacturer that ripped off Apple's logo and name.

The Shenzhen City-based New Apple Concept Digital Technology Company makes PCs and other computer hardware. It's logo, an apple with two wings, had been stamped on every product it sent out.

Apple has had its trademark and logo registered in China since 1993 and holds exclusive trademark rights until 2013. In 2006, Apple made a formal request that the company cease using the logo. Apple filed a lawsuit in a Chinese court in April of this year.

The court ordered NAC to stop the infringement practices and pay the money to Apple.

Art Foundango

2008-11-28T11:18:00.001-08:00

This is a logo I did for the assemblage artwork that I do (www.artfoundango.com) in all my spare time. I really enjoy doing this kind of art and I wanted a logo for my website that reflected the artwork process itself. Since the assemblage artwork that I do uses "found objects" in the design, I tried to design the logo to look like a kind of finished assemblage art piece in itself. I'm happy with the result and I think it communicates the idea clearly.

When Logos Collide

2008-11-25T14:32:00.000-08:00

The Boston Globe recently launched an arts and entertainment section called, "g." The Griffin Museum of Photography who uses a logo very similar to it caught wind of it and according to Paula Tognarelli, the Museum’s executive director, the "g" logo is trademarked.

“My primary reason for calling was to say that down the line I want people to know that we did it first,” said Tognarelli. “We do have a trademarked logo, but I think they’ve altered it enough that they could use it. I’m putting a positive spin on it.”

I don't know. Looks like the letter g to me.

The Obama Campaign Logo

2008-11-22T07:53:00.000-08:00

Whatever direction you voted, as a graphic designer I think you have to admit that the Obama campaign logo was brilliantly executed. Here's a link to an interview that the New York Times did with the logo's designer, Sol Sender. [link]

Band ID: The Ultimate Book of Band Logos

2008-11-18T12:25:00.000-08:00

This looks like a book that I would really like to add to my personal library. Note that Gerard Huerta is included in this collection (AC-DC). From the Amazon review:

From the Rolling Stones' tongue-and-lips trademark to the Grateful Dead's lightning bolt skull to Prince's glyph, logos embody an identity and experience shared between musicians and their fans, who proudly display these graphics on T-shirts, posters, pins, stickers—even tattoos. Collecting more than 1,000 rock, hip hop, metal, pop, reggae, and country music logos from the 1960s to today, this catchy design survey captures the coolest and most powerful examples of music made visual. Including interviews with key logo artists and presenting the graphics large and over extended gatefolds, BAND ID will wow music fans and designers alike.

Color us unimpressed: Montreal goes ballistic over new logo

2008-11-14T09:03:00.000-08:00

It's been described as a, "patchwork of hot pink, tangerine, rhubarb, turquoise and green apple." Two years and $487,000 later the Montreal Metropolitan Community unveiled the region's new logo.

"I thought my neighbour's cat puked on my paper again this morning" was just one of the negative comments that citizens registered in the Gazette. The president of the design firm that created the logo was quoted as saying, ""deliberately chubby, very welcoming, like a comfy chair."

Gerard Huerta - Logo Designer Extraordinaire

2008-11-12T09:20:00.000-08:00

I think pretty much every graphic designer has someone they have looked to for inspiration through the years. Mine is an artist by the name of Gerard Huerta. Huerta began as a designer with CBS records in 1974 and left in 1976 to form Gerard Huerta Design, Inc.

You've seen his logo design everywhere. Here's one I know you've seen (heck you probably drew it on your school book cover!). His masthead design reads as a who's who of magazines: People, Time, Money, Us.

Huerta works digitally now, but his lettering hand skills are what really blow me away. I used to letter by hand and I know how difficult it was for me to do and I am a barbarian compared to Huerta.

Herb Lubalin wrote in Print Magazine's Typography issue "Gerard Huerta, whose work is a throwback to the intricate, complicated and colorful style of the early 20th century cigar-box labels, never ceases to amaze me with the beauty of his design and technical proficiency."

Take a look at Huerta's website when you have time and meet a designer who has had a huge influence in logo design over the last 30-plus years.

www.gerardhuerta.com

When your client is you.

2008-11-10T12:32:00.000-08:00

You probably have gathered by now that I'm a drummer. I started playing a drum kit when I was 14. You never forget your first drum kit. Mine was a gift from my parents for my birthday. It was from a Sears and Roebuck catalog and blue sparkle. It had a little shield thingy design on the bass drum head where you could paste in your initials that they sent with the kit.

Here's a picture of it. This photo was taken at my very first gig at Buda Junior High in Buda, Texas in 1969.

I figured the other day that I should have my own drum logo, so off to work I went. I started with some sketches and ended up with the logo below. I like the way the sticks made the crossbar of the letter "H" and the vertical stick made the "I" and also how it ended up looking like a clock. You know, drums, timekeeping...clock. Yeah.

Bad case of the blues.

2008-11-08T12:42:00.000-08:00

I think nothing is sadder than witnessing a guitar player breaking the neck of his treasured guitar. I've witnessed it once.

It was many years ago. He was in a band with me and we had just finished rehearsing. He decided to start spinning around in circles with the prized guitar held high over his head.

In one gut wrenching second, the guitar slipped out of his hand and crashed to the concrete floor, ending up in two splintered pieces. He wept.

How blue can you get?

This logo was designed with that scene in my mind except this was for a Pacific Northwest blues band.

Nothing says the blues better than a dark night, a broken guitar, a raven and a yellow crescent moon...and lost mojo.

Oregon Valley Boys logo chosen for LogoLounge 5

2008-11-07T08:28:00.000-08:00

I'm very pleased (excited, astounded, bamfluzzled) to announce that the logo that my good buddy Von Glitshka and I designed for The Oregon Valley Boys (an Oregon western swing band, whose drummer shall not be named) has been chosen to be included in the new LogoLounge 5 book coming out in 2009.

It's a retro looking logo that was designed to make the band appear that it had been around for years, when in fact it's only about two years old. I think it works.

Thanks LogoLounge and a tip of the hat to Von.

Welcome to Prefrontal Cornflakes

2008-11-06T21:28:00.000-08:00

So, I know you're dying to know where the name for this blog came from, aren't you? You are? Good.

I was talking to a friend one day about our amazing brain and its prefrontal cornflakes. I mean, cortex. "Wait a minute" I thought. "I like that better." It was pretty random, much like this blog will probably be. And it's also the way my brain feels most days. Kind of like a big crunchy bowl of cornflakes.

So, go into the kitchen and grab a bowl, a pitcher of milk and a spoon. Let's dig in.