Logo design work honored in LogoLounge 10.

I am truly honored to be included again in the latest volume of Rockport Publishing's LogoLounge 10 by Bill Gardner and Anne Hellman. To date, I've had nearly 100 logo designs featured in 12 of the LogoLounge series books. It's a tremendous collection from some very inspiring designers across the globe. 

A little about this edition

LogoLounge vol. 10 presents the 2,000 best logo designs as judged by a select group of identity designers and branding experts. Logos are organized into 20 visual categories for easy reference. Within each section, case studies allow a closer look at designs from diverse firms such as Hornall Anderson, Lippincott, Tether, Von Glitschka Studios, OCD and more. Each story details the logo design journey, from concept to finish. LogoLounge vol. 10 is the definitive logo resource for graphic designers, brand managers and start-ups looking for ideas and inspiration.

The publishing release date is set for October 20, 2017.

New interview with Illustrative Designer, Leighton Hubbell on VoyageLA →

These things always amaze me. One of the editors from Voyage LA came upon my website and portfolio and approached me about an interview. I am always happy to oblige. You never know who you might inspire or eventually help with design services. Check it out.

Logo design work honored in LogoLounge 9

So honored to be included again in the latest volume of Rockport Publishing's LogoLounge 9 by Bill Gardner and Anne Hellman. This will be my 90th logo featured in 11 LogoLounge series books. A little bit about this edition:

LogoLounge vol. 9 presents the 2,000 best logo designs as judged by a select group of identity designers and branding experts. Logos are organized into 20 visual categories for easy reference. Within each section, case studies allow a closer look at designs from diverse firms such as Hornall Anderson, Lippincott, Tether, Von Glitschka Studios, OCD and more. Each story details the logo design journey, from concept to finish. LogoLounge vol. 9 is the definitive logo resource for graphic designers, brand managers and start-ups looking for ideas and inspiration.

If you'd like to get your own copy, here's a link.

Astute Graphics April 2015 Featured Artist: Leighton Hubbell

A few months before I started putting together my March of Robots vector illustrations, I had purchased the full suite of Astute Graphics plugins for Adobe Illustrator. Let me just that they are amazing! Lots of time-saving tools and features that definitely make a difference in my workflow. So significant, I had to spread the word to many of my colleagues.

Well, go figure. Back in April, Astute Graphics has a Twitter contest of users tweeting their creations using the AG plugins. Lo and behold, yours truly gets a shout out and with that, they wanted to interview me. In addition to some usual chatter, I share some behind-the-scenes info about how I used them.

Featured work in Rockport's Design: Logo.

I am especially excited about this announcement. In late 2012, I was contacted by Paul Howalt and Von Glitschka about submitting some of my logo work for a new book they were putting together for Rockport Publishers entitled, Design: Logo. First of all, I was flattered to be included in the group, and have the utmost respect for both of their work. Between the two of them, it was going to be a cool book, for sure. Well, after chatting more with Paul, they decided to not only include a number of my pieces in the volume, but also feature a project I did for Avocadoville in one of their Closer Look spreads. I was more than happy to get some images shot of the work to be included in the feature. Thanks to Will Hare for the photography.

As it turns out, there were around 1,700 logos selected for the book, and work being included from some of the best logo folks in the business: Tim Frame, Chris Parks, Carlos Fernandez, The Greteman Group, Hatch, Jeremy Slagle, Joe Bosack, Jon Flaming, Joseph Blalock, Rule 29, Luke Bott, Mint, Randy Heil, Rian Hughes, Felix Sockwell, Thinking Cap Design, Gyula Nemeth, Ty Mattson, Ty Wilkins & Brent Couchman.

Not to mention, some great essays from five of the top branding industry thinkers: Bill Gardner, Alina Wheeler, Sherwin Schwartzrock, Justin Ahrens & Tracy Sabin.

Well, to see it in all of its glory was pretty exciting. Not only is it well designed, the content does not disappoint. Having a pretty extensive logo design library of my own, I have seen my share of design books. The essays are pertinent to the industry and nicely written, the logo work exemplary with little to no filler, and the art direction is well done, without taking over the work. It's definitely a nice addition to my collection, and certainly a nice cross-section of what's going on in the identity arena. You should certainly pick up one for yourself, now available on Amazon.

Logo design work appearing in LogoNest 03 - Black and white edition

Today I am excited to announce my logo design work appearing in the new LogoNest 03 - Black and White edition. This series of inspirational logo design collections continues to get better with each edition, and this one explores the essence of a truly strong mark - appearing in, you guessed it, black & white. As with the first two volumes, the books from logo designers for logo designers asked me again to be a writing contributor. I guess they figure I've got something interesting to add to the cool stuff that's already in there. So, who am I to protest? In the previous books, I've written about the Power of a Good Logo, and Longevity in the Logo Business. This time, I chose to write about selling in good work entitled, They might look good in it, but does it fit? With each edition, my writing chops get better and better (I hope). Should you pick up a copy, take it all in and of course, I hope you like the article.

Well, here's some of the work that will be appearing in the new volume. Keep your eyes out for the new book at LogoNest.com.

The opening spread to my contributing article entitled, They might look good in it, but does it fit?

Featured showcase on Logopond

Since I first posted work on Logopond.com way back in January of 2008, I've seen the site grow from a hardcore bunch of logo geeks (my people!), into a thriving design community. It's been great to see the many designers from all over the world posting up work to show their wares, discuss the nuances of ligatures and line weights and get in a healthy debate about the many critiques happening every day on the site. I've made many an online friend from my days posting logo work - and even met a few in person. Now, I'm honored to be among the few that have my work showcased on Logopond. You can check out my collection and even peruse the site yourself. There's always plenty to see.

Logo design work to appear in LogoLounge 8.

I've been participating in the LogoLounge series by Bill Gardner and Catherine Fishel since submitting work to LogoLounge 2 way back in 2003. It's hard to believe it's been that long. And even though it's been ten years for me (and now the tenth volume that my work appears), it's still exciting when you get word that you've got work in the next book. I am honored to share the latest work here that will be appearing in the upcoming LogoLounge 8, scheduled to publish later this year. LogoLounge from Rockport Publishers is one of the premier design book series that celebrate and showcase the best in logo design throughout the world. There are only 2,000 logos selected for each book out of the now over 200,000 in their database. Some of the best logo work from the top designers and design firms in the business.

You can see my profile on the LogoLounge site under Hubbell Design Works.

The Logopond design book has arrived!

After a lot of discussion, blood, sweat and tears, the inaugural volume of the Logopond logo design book has finally been published. Much credit to David Blanchet, the founder and curator of the website, Logopond.com for making this all happen. All in all, from my initial thumbing through, it certainly is a nice first-time effort. I am honored to be included (and on the very first page, mind you! Sweet.) with all of the other 'Ponders. Some really nice work is in there.

As an added bonus, I was asked to include a profile page along with my logo wares, with some interesting questions about how I became a logo designer and other bits of info. If you decide to get yourself a copy, you can certainly take a look. As with most of these self-published efforts, there aren't a lot of copies available, so make sure you order yours now.

I certainly hope this first effort will be something we start to see on a regular basis. Cheers, guys!

Logo work honored in iheartlogos Season Three.

Once again, I am honored today to find out I  will have my logo design work in the upcoming volume of iheartlogos Season Three. The iheartlogos.comcompetition model is unique in the fact that the work is judged not by a group of select designers sequestered in a room, but by your own competitors. You are the judge. And so is everyone else. Every season, the work submitted gets better and better, so I am honored to be included in Season Three’s offering. I can proudly say I've had work in all three volumes to date, with this season being my strongest showing. After a strong showing in the first two books, this series continues to grow with greater and greater potential. As usual, I’m looking forward to seeing it in person in all its glory.

Congratulations to the other designers and firms on their selected work. Cheers.

Get your copy.

iheartlogos Season Two has arrived at the studio

Well now, it is here. After much anticipation, I finally got around to ordering my copy of the new iheartlogos Season Two to add to my ever-growing library of logo and design books. I received word last July that I had work selected to appear in this volume, but as competitions and books go, we can't always have our instant gratification. Sometimes we have to be patient and wait! If you're not familiar with iheartlogos, it is a logo design site and competition that has a slightly different approach – all the entries are collected, then voted on by the other participating competitors in the season. In essence, the group picks the best work to appear in the book. If you make it in, then your peers thought it was nice work as well. It's as simple as that.

So, in short, this season's volume did not disappoint. I thought the variety of work was strong and balanced, with less work appearing that seems to over-saturate the many logo design blogs out there. Apparently, I'm not the only one who feels that way, which is a testament to the iheartlogos voting structure.

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The paper quality was pretty good, but hopefully next season's volume will be able to budget a stock with less show-through of the surrounding pages. Overall, pretty good for a short-run printing of only 1,000 copies. If iheartlogos continues to grow and gain some traction, I'm sure the quality will improve exponentially in the coming seasons. Also, another nicety would be a directory in the back with corresponding page numbers for each designer's logo entries.

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Overall, I'm proud of the work that got selected and am glad to participate in the competition. I look forward to Season Three. Don't forget to enter your work.

Logo design work and writing contributions for Logo Nest 02

I am very proud to announce that both my logo design work and writing contributions will be appearing in the upcoming Logo Nest 02. There will be 12 of my latest logo designs included in this, now second volume of the book known as the 'design book for logo designers, by logo designers'. As the inaugural book, Logo Nest 01 was being conceptualized, I was flattered to be asked to contribute my writing and experience to the effort. Well, I guess they liked the article enough to ask me to write some more. Who knew?

Here is an excerpt from my new article for Logo Nest 02, entitled Longevity in the Logo Business,

When I think of long-term successes in logo design, names like Milton Glaser, Paula Scher, Saul Bass and Ivan Chermayeff come to mind. Of course, these people are the extreme – the pinnacle of design success.

Now, not all of us are poised to appear among the same levels of respect and admiration that they are, but it would be nice to work out a quaint, comfortable living doing something you love to do, wouldn’t it?

When I started out in design school, the orientation committee shared a statistic with us that has stuck with me to this day: Look to your right and your left. Chances are by graduation, both of those people will have dropped out of the program. Do the math and that’s roughly a 66% drop out rate.

Wow, I thought. That’s not going to be me. This is what I really want to do with my life. I never imagined that after going through all those hours of toil, late night study and work that anyone would dream of giving up. But, they sometimes do. Design is not for everyone.

Here is the collection of my work that will be included. Be sure and reserve your copy now.

Logo work included in the new Logopond design book.

This is pretty cool. After much discussion and preparation, the logo design inspiration site and forum, Logopond.com is publishing a design book. I am fortunate enough, with many of the talented logo design geeks of the world to be included in this inaugural volume.

The site has been a great, constructive avenue for me to help critique and discuss all sorts of inspirational logo work over the last 3 or 4 years, and make some wonderful online friends, too. With the amount of traffic the site gets, it has been a creative springboard for many a fledgling designer as well.

So, knowing in a more intimate sense of the level of designers that participate on a regular basis, I am looking forward to seeing the other contributor's work in all its printed glory. I suggest you reserve yourself a copy.

Logo work honored in iheartlogos Season Two.

I am honored today to receive word that we will have work in the upcoming volume of iheartlogos Season Two. The iheartlogos.com competition model is unique in the fact that the work is judged not by a group of select designers sequestered in a room, but by your own competitors. You are the judge. And so is everyone else.

I have a lot of respect for the work submitted this season and am honored to be included in Season Two's offering. The inaugural book was certainly a nice beginning to a series with great potential, and I'm looking forward to seeing in person in all its glory.

Congratulations to the other designers and firms on their selected work. Cheers.

Logo lettering design to appear in Letterhead and Logo Design 12

Just announced today is the shipping of Rockport Publishing's latest publication, Letterhead and Logo Design 12. And, with that I am proud to say that the logo design created for Zelos Winery will be included in this volume's collection. The logo design was a hand-lettering assignment I had been commissioned to do for Zelos' design firm, Damion Hickman Design, who also has additional work in the new book. I am certainly honored to be recognized with them for this project.

Awhile back, I did a little more in-depth blog post about this project and the other lettering options that were presented. You can take a look at that here. 

Oxide Design, Co. has collected and curated this latest collection of stunning letterheads and logos. From logos to labels, business cards to envelopes, the creative techniques and full-color images portrayed in this broad range of work inspires new design solutions for age-old challenges that beg for a fresh approach. This invaluable resource contains hundreds of inspirational logos and letterheads that will leave a lasting impression and that both designers and their clients will refer to again and again.

Guest writing for LogoNest 01.

Greeting me in the mail this week was the first edition of LogoNest, an inspirational collection of logo design culled from the popular website of the same name. Awhile back, I was asked to be a contributing writer to the volume for which I was quite flattered (you know, being a DESIGNER and all) and maybe a little tentative.

Frankly, I thought I was just putting a few words together to help out the book. Little did I know, my piece would end up right up front for all to see, right there in print.

I did my very best, so please be kind. :)

Overall, I thought it came out very nice. I dig the very impactful and distinct, orange cover and mailing package. The pacing was nicely planned and the page layouts were well done. It was a great first-edition effort.

What made this book different is their premise of ‘The book from logo designers for logo designers’. So, it seems only fitting that they included a nice collection of work with some great articles from notable logo designers from all over the world. Designers like Steve Zelle of Processed Identity, Tim Lapetino of Hexanine, logo designer and blogger, Jacob Cass, Gareth Hardy and others.

Here is an excerpt from my article, The Power of a Good Logo:

At the heart of every great brand is a logo–a symbol, icon or typeface that is easily recognizable by the viewing audience. Something that, when viewed, sparks an impulse or emotion about the company or organization it represents. That reaction is what makes a good logo truly powerful.

To read the rest of the story, you can order your own copy of the limited-edition LogoNest 01 from the website.

I want to thank Alen, Sinisa and everyone at LogoNest for the opportunity to help out. We all look forward to LogoNest 02.

Logo work chosen for LogoLounge Master Library, Vol. 4.

I am very pleased to announce that three of my logo designs will be included in the upcoming LogoLounge Master Library Vol. 4, Typography and Enclosures – which is now available as of February 2012.

This is the latest installment of the celebrated logo design series by authors Catharine Fishel and Bill Gardner.

To date, their website, LogoLounge.com is one of the premier resources for logo design inspiration with over 140,000 searchable logos. The LogoLounge books are certainly one of the more popular series on graphic design that Rockport Publishers produces. To date, these represent more than 70 logos chosen over the 10 published LogoLounge volumes. Needless to say, I am honored to be a part of it.

Logo work appearing in the digital-only Trademarks USA.

Just received word today that 13 of my recent logo designs will be appearing in the upcoming 2011 publication of Trademarks USA, by David E. Carter. This is especially exciting because the new volume will be published exclusively online through Amazon, Google Editions and Apple’s iBookstore.

This means that instead of a standard hard or softcover edition, they will only be viewable digitally. I am very interested in how this works out. The iPad, Kindle, Nook and the many other soon to be released eBook readers have really changed the publishing world and how we view our content. Apparently, Amazon states that for every 100 softcover books sold, 115 Kindle versions are sold as well. We shall see.

In any case, I am honored to have my work included in this latest edition from David E. Carter. For the last 15 years, his books have dominated the best-seller lists for the category of graphic design and advertising. His compilations of outstanding creative work are among the industry standard.

Logo work to appear in the debut of iheartlogos.

Very excited to announce my logo work's inclusion in the debut volume of iheartlogos. This inaugural logo design competition is unique in the fact that the competitors are judges and vice versa.

It's a very different approach to a design competition and the only one of its kind. These five winners were selected among the many other entries by some very talented logo designers and firms from around the world. I am honored to be among the first to get published in this debut volume.

My selections appear on pages 170, 187, 209, 211 and 227, respectively. You can order yours here.

Logo work honored in the upcoming LogoLounge Master Library-Shapes and Symbols.

I just received notification today that six of my logos will appear in the upcoming 2011 release of LogoLounge Master Library Vol. 3, Shapes and Symbols

Of course, I am very honored to have more of my work included in this very prestigious logo design series. I also have work appearing in the two previous releases of the Master Library, Volume 1, Initials and Crests and Volume 2, Animals and Mythology, as well as several of the other LogoLounge titles. You can check out some of the other LogoLounge books by Bill Gardner and Catharine Fishel (Rockport Publishers, USA, TBD) on Amazon.com.