Hinton Software Solutions

Created for a scaffolding enterprise, this was one of those rare projects that yielded an outcome that was as enigmatic as it was simplistic. Equally fortunate was the shared admiration for M.C. Esher between the owner and me as a matter of pulling the whole idea together. Here, an impossible “H” worthy of the great artist himself connotes the feeling of traversing space forwards and backwards, upside-down and right-side-up all at the same time. Going further, the shape of the “H” represents a number of scaffolding and software-related ideas. For example, the basic physical gridwork of the structures and the stairways between different levels of platforms, or a connection between two entirely different buildings. One might also take the emblem as symbolizing a conduit of information amongst a multiple project management processes with all-encompassing competency, flexibility, and imagination.

Fox Den Customs

Commissioned for a boutique auto works shop, the logo features a spectre-eyed fox which appears to be leering (and leaning) over the word mark as a matter of asserting the company’s daring presence and prowess as a top-tier independent customization foundry.

Created for a nurse practitioner, a pair of hands gently cradles a heart (perhaps the most popular and archetypal symbol of health one can imagine) to convey the message of tenderness and careful observance of need. The graphic is also reminiscent of a pair of wings in four distinct regards: they resemble those seen at the top of a caduceus; can be taken as “angelic,”; resemble those of pilot’s wings (this as the client is in fact a licenced pilot); and finally, elicit a spirit of worldliness and accessibility, a kind of “have health will travel “attitude that dictates care for all whenever, wherever. A traditional, “conservative” serif font was used to create a feel of establishment with regards to the length, breadth, and depth of the client’s career with the remainder of the text utilizing more contemporary-looking sans-serif font to imbue the logo with a modern feel that speaks to younger or more progressive individuals. To this end, the two sets of text strive in tandem to create a sense of all-inclusiveness, tradition, and forward vision.

Vintage/retro logo created for rural electrician featuring barn-shaped design elements as an homage to the company’s servicing residential and agricultural clients. The name of the company derives from the name of the road where its workshop is situated.

Recently, my oldest niece informed me of her borderline addiction to scotch mints. So, being the responsible uncle that I am, I put together a retro/vintage logo for a fictitious brand of her favourite confection. The “since 1990” tag line refers to her birth year and yes, her last name is “Parker” (there has to be some truth in advertising nowadays!)

An isometric approach was utilized to create a stylized “N” and “E” along with flat tones to make the graphic look more solid, as if hewn from a block of silver. The “N” in the graphic appears to cradle the “E,” affording it a feel of unity and self-containedness. It also possess an illusionary quality in the fashion of a Necker cube where the logo might be perceived as convex or concave depending on manner in which one contemplates its shape and shadow. Additionally, the graphic is pictured from below, creating the impression that it is floating above the ground: a design strategy that implies the company’s status as an innovator to look up to. Finally, as a playful nuance, rotating the graphic 180 degrees creates a stylized “thumbs up.”

The tenets of Gestalt psychology (specifically, the phenomenon of “completion”) were used towards creating a logo for an energy trading credit company. In short, the appearance of the graphic seems discontinuous and nonsensical until one perceives the “E” comprised of negative space in the middle of the graphic which also features an implied right-pointing arrow to infer forward progress. Finally, the two horizontal lines of the logo lend themselves to a secondary act of invention. In short, if they are taken to represent an equals sign (i.e., “=”), the letters and symbol can be rearranged into E=NC2: a play on the infamous formula E=MC2 devised by the renowned physicist Albert Einstein.

Here, a highly stylized “K” bears a resemblance to some mythical figure or superhero carrying some unknown weight upon its shoulders. Indeed, it is a perception that takes on added relevance and reality given that it was designed for a corporate services consultancy, and whose name also begins with the letter “K.” The white/yellow gold colour scheme and metallic effect was used to imbue the graphic with both a sense of strength and promote a sense of high-end, “sterling” service. Finally, the flowing curvature of the graphic speaks to the gender of its female owner.

The concept features a shield shape symbolic of strength, security, and guardianship. The (lone) star (synonymous with Texas) is wrapped/cradled in blue and red ribbons representing fraternity between police and fire personal in the protection of the public. The silhouettes of a firefighter and police officer infer the notion of watchfulness, looking away from each other as a matter of looking out for the rest of us. Each are cloaked in their uniforms, yet adorned in attire that might be worn by most anyone, making the point that these individuals will always be firefighters or law enforcement personnel, employed or retired, in uniform or not. Finally, the graphic features a bold modern typeface that complements the heavy strokes of the crest and counterbalances the “SAFPPA” font in the blue ribbon.

This logo was created for an independent yoga studio and features a moon floating above a trio of ocean waves, each representing one of the keywords located beneath the company name. At the same time, one could also see the graphic as the top portion of a person holding their arms out and in so doing, keeping their head above water as a matter of participating in the discipline of yoga. A periwinkle hue was used to further imbue the logo with an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.

This crest was created for the Orillia Ladies Hockey League (OLHL) for wear on their team jerseys. The logo features a “titanium” tint, bold curves and shadowing to give it a sturdy, “tactile“ appearance, and chunks of flying concrete to intone the graphic with the feeling of motion, force, and competitiveness.

The logo features a stylized version of an ornate door knocker as it struck me as an archetypal symbol that always seems to say “welcome home” and a common feature of most any upscale residence. It is also done in pure black and white for ease of reproduction and to purvey a conservative, sophisticated, and vintage feel of establishment.

This concept was developed for a burgeoning music festival whose purpose is to promote increased awareness of solar energy and its benefits in terms of environmental preservation. The word “weayaya” is Sioux for “setting sun,” hence the somewhat traditional aesthetic of the piece (e.g., the wispy, filamentous look of the sun element and quarter-note flags contained in the “A”’s of the logo.) The logo’s colour scheme is also highly symbolic. For example, the brown/red outline that encompasses the whole logo represents the physical boundary of Earth, while the green and blue gradient symbolizes the ground (grass) and sky with the oranges and yellows represent the warmth and radiance of the sun.

It is difficult to not associate the term “orca” with its aquatic namesake. However, it is possible to apply the creature's intelligence and capability to the application. The stylized silhouette of a killer whale was used as a visual cue towards the “vigilance” required for risk analysis. The logo was also framed in a defined shape (that of an iPhone or Blackberry) to indicate mobility and impart it with a "self-contained" feeling. Also, a safety amber/orange was used as a predominant colour given its close association with caution and warning signs. Finally, a "+" sign was used in the word mark to attach the concepts of credit and accounting to one-another, add a mathematical flair to the graphic, and abbreviate the tag line. Risk management with a "porpoise," one might say.

This software insignia was created for a crude oil trading algorithm software application. It features a stylized capital "M" which stands for the Japanese word "moto" ("more") and "origin:" a notion that plays well into the concept of traders using the platform as a way of issuing orders. The shape of the graphic element is also meant to represent the shape of Fujiyama. Additionally, the Japanese logographic characters (or "kanji") used to spell "Fujiyama" can be translated as "abundance," "wealth," and "a man with certain status." To that end, one can derive a symbolic (even metaphoric) air of elevation when it comes to the MOTO product in terms of the advanced innovation and advantage it affords users (and the software’s developers) above their competitors; the "pinnacle" or "summit" in forward trade technologies.

Here, two stylized circuit board “hands” reach out to each other as if to shake hand. Alternatively, the top appendage may be seen as “selecting” some unknown object, concept, or solution from the lower one. One a more subtle level, the “finger tips” of the hands create the letter “S” as an added nuance. The blue diamond graphic element was also made to look somewhat reminiscent of a mobile icon or button to make it look more technologically-contemporary and/or tactile. It also features lighter shades of blue to make the logo look luminescent and “alive,” like a button ready to be pushed.

Here, a collection of isometric design elements representing single-family, mid-density, and high-density dwellings is used to promote the company’s expertise and versatility when it comes to locating rental properties for various housing needs. A warm, “vintage” look was employed to make the logo vibrant and “homey” at the same time.

Another trip back to an earlier era with the bold vintage/retro strokes of a badge created for the umbrella company of a local group of subsidiaries whose identities also feature a “neo-old school” look. This design features a clock tower modeled after “Big Ben” along with a starburst graphic to create the impression of a beacon that “towers” above the others in the group of which there will eventually be nine (quite a collection, courtesy of the company’s ambitious visionary and owner!)

Aside from providing the audience with a, eye-catching study in isometric perspective, this version of the logo offers up a hidden message of sorts. That is, those keen of eye will notice that the geometry of the shape spells out "NETS." In short there is partial "N" on the left side of the logo, a highly-stylized "E" on the top portion of the graphic, a "T" on the right side, and an "impossible 'S'" on the bottom. Truly, and act of gestalt where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

This was, admittedly, my first attempt at logo created in the aesthetic of a wood-carved Victorian coat of arms. Overall, the graphic was designed to purvey a sense of opulence, old-world tradition, craft, guardianship, strength, and longevity.

Another "vintage" logo for the Time To group of companies, this time, featuring a vibrant vista of plant life and landscapes. The shape of the logo is that of a shield which imbues the graphic with a sense of protection and consciousness. To this end, it is not only the aim of the company to protect and maintain the green spaces and gardens of its clients, but the environment as well.

Created for a stock market strategist (yes, named "Lin"), this logo features market financial symbolism (e.g., the stylized chart "candlesticks") integrated with the firm's initials and the light/dark embossing lines which represent the rise/fall in market activity and stock prices. The owner is Chinese and so, the logo features a cultural reference to luck vis-à-vis its being red in colour.

This logo was designed to portray the client as a responsive, competent, and jaunty expert in all things mechanical. A super-hero of sorts, eager to serve and calm the nerves of his clients. The vintage look of the graphic imbues it with a sense of old-time familiarity, caring and compassion: A vendor who is as trusted as an old family friend.

Here, the blue curved portion of the logo embodies a number of concepts related to cognition and ingenuity (a thought bubble, question mark, or a stylized brain). The descender of the 'g' in the word mark portion of the design was modified to respond to) the curvature of the 'brain' graphic. The nestled look of the wordmark imbues the logo with added continuity and coherence.

Software mark whose curves and arrows represent the flow and exchange of oil and/or information. Those with an eye for optical illusions will notice that the graphic contains a subliminal 'e' (for 'energy') and two opposing 'D's (here, representing 'direct' and 'deal'). The use of glass and metallic effects were used to symbolize clarity and strength respectively.

The ‘retro’ look of this logo was intended to make a new enterprise look like it had been around for decades. Turquoise was used to mimic the colour of janitorial coveralls, while the logo's shape appears as some vintage brand-name ‘crest.’ Finally, the orange-white fill in the text of the logo infers a sense of daybreak as the name of the firm is a play on the classic phrase ‘rise and shine.’

Created for a military/academic think tank, this concept features three maple leaves ’wrapped’ around the world in a show of unity, nurturance and protection. The leaves themselves represent the three branches of the Canadian Armed Forces, specifically, the army, navy, and air force. A serif font in was used for the acronym to add a worldly, scholarly, conservative, and established feel.

Fritz Lang meets property management in this logo created for an up and coming leasing company. The buildings face west to accentuate the firm's being headquartered in the western metropolis of Calgary, Alberta. A bold vintage font was used to further encourage the perception of strength, establishment, and longevity on the part of the graphic.

This particular logo was effectively designed to capture the client's long-term vision of retiring in Hawaii. As such, it reflects the personality of the owner more than the nature of his business (that of energy markets risk analysis). However, the themes of analysis and awareness find subdued representation by way of the graphic's arches representing the lid of an open(ing) eye.

Created for an oil exchange, the gray portion of the graphic represents the top an oil drum or ERD database symbol, or horizon. The 'wisp' floating above (and apparently flowing beyond the shape) represents a pipeline or flow of information while the starburst symbolizes ideas, opportunities, possibilities, and the transmission of data, or a trail blazed by ingenuity and vision. The atomic symbol for neon ("Ne") was also employed as a manner of referring to the organization's brilliance (and rarity) of ingenuity.

Using elements of the Texas state flag to create a sense of optimism and certainty, the star (here representing TEXpers) blazes a trail in a symbolic proclamation of the organization’s mission to seek out bright and secure opportunities for its members, while the word mark contours/cradles the state to further the encompassing air of care, client synchrony, and conscience.