Gap
OHD approached me with a logo challenge for their upcoming new product launch: AeroFit. The device is engineered to make fit testing easier and faster for all respirators, including disposable N95s and elastomeric respirators. Simply put, if you wear a mask frequently for work, this device will test the fit of that mask to ensure it is protecting you the way it is designed to.
OHD wanted a mark that would fit nicely on the side of the device (size and shape was already set), but key to this particular project, and what set this product apart from others in this industry, was the technology behind it, which would feature lasers and particle testing. Those features needed to somehow be incorporated into the new logo.
You can see the original sketch idea that was sent to me, along with the final logo I created for OHD.
OHD wrote a terrific summary and case study about our process of conceptualizing, iterating, and eventually finalizing the AeroFit logo for their new product launch. Click the button below to read it.
Gap
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In the Fall of 2024, I was asked to create logos for a couple of recreational sports leagues in my local area. Two of the logos were for a brand new, all-girls flag football league, testing the waters for community interest, with hopes of growing the league rapidly over the next few seasons. Interest was massive! We wanted to playfully incorporate the female aspect, so the two teams were called the Hoover HERicanes and the Homewood RaidHers.
The HERicanes were a team formed from girls that attended two different school systems; Hoover and Spain Park. Hoover's colors are orange and black, and Spain Park's main color is a light blue, so with the team set to be named after a hurricane, that natural spinning motion of a storm worked perfectly as a way to blend the orange and light blue, representing those two school systems uniting on this team. And for a final touch of detail, I shaped the eye of the hurricane like a football, and added the seams.
For the RaidHers, the challenge was to take the iconic NFL Raiders logo, and give it a feminine twist. This was alot of fun to work on and watch it come together, and eventually see them printed on actual game jerseys. The only issue was that my niece, and my daughter, live in two different communities, and therefore played on rival teams.
The other three logos were for a local youth lacrosse league; two boys teams and one girls team. The team names were already established, but they wanted to upgrade their look, not just for the jerseys, but also for potential merchandise to help fundraise for the league.
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In 2023, I was commissioned to design a badge-type logo for the city of Cullman, AL, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the founding of their city. They wanted the German flag colors to be dominant in the logo, to reflect the strong German heritage of the area, as well as to have the following components represented: agriculture, railroad, and the Bavarian blue and white check pattern. This was my first draft:
After reviewing my first draft of the logo, the City of Cullman decided they wanted to go all-in on the history of Cullman, and fit as much as possible into the logo. As large as that new list of needs was, it was actually exciting to be challenged with hiding that many "easter eggs" into this new logo. The new requests included:
Community / Unity, Poultry, Religion, Education, Industry, Parks and Recreation (reflecting Quality of Life)
Also requested for the revised logo was to have it look more like a traditional Coat of Arms, and for the items represented to be more symbolic rather than iconic representations.
In the last few rounds of edits, we were able to nail down the really important features that would remain in the final logo. Incorporating a Phoenix (rather than a Griffin from a previous draft) made sense as the man that founded Cullman was run out of Germany, but was quite persistent to create a new thriving community. He intended to start a vineyard community, but strawberries grew better in that location, so the strawberries replaced the rooster icons; also because there was uncertainty about the timing of the rise of poultry there.
Inside of the final version of the Coat of Arms, you will find these historic representations:
German Heritage – Bavarian Blue and White Check Pattern; Black, Red, and Yellow Colors
State Heritage – Red and White Alabama Flag
Religion – Cross
Transportation – Railroad Tracks
Agriculture – Strawberries and Leaves
Strength and Community – Oak Leaf and Acorn
Resurrection – Phoenix
Education – Torch
Industry – Hammer
State Heritage – Red and White Alabama Flag
Religion – Cross
Transportation – Railroad Tracks
Agriculture – Strawberries and Leaves
Strength and Community – Oak Leaf and Acorn
Resurrection – Phoenix
Education – Torch
Industry – Hammer
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