Logo Design is one of the most challenging areas of graphic design. To create an image that contains within itself the core identity of the organization in question, in a way that is easy to read, easy to remember, and recognisable at a distance, is a very challenging thing.

I feel like creating a good logo is like mastering another language. When you really want to speak another language well, it’s not enough to memorize vocabulary, irregular verbs, or key phrases, piecing together the elements that the language is comprised of. There’s much more to it. Language is the verbal expression of a whole cultural reality, and in order to speak the language “like a native”, you have to assimilate that culture at an intense level.

Logo design works the same way; you have to understand what a company is about, what it stands for, the geographical context it operates in, the age, dreams, desires, and fears of its customers. You have to take all that information, and create something that brings it all into one small space. And that is tough.

I think this is why there are so many who attempt freelance logo design, and yet so few who really excel at it. So when we find someone who has really nailed the logo design process, it’s a remarkable achievement.

This week we’re highlighting Nicholas McCann, a graphic artists from Austin who’s fascinating logo work encapsulates the look and feel of the southwest, blending bright colors, cultural elements, and a focused approach that makes his logos both appealing and memorable.

In his own words:

“I am a freelance graphic artist and brand consultant based in Austin, Texas.

I specialize in creating hand-made and sleek-modern graphics for small and large business’s visual identity (logos, icons, illustrations, patterns, typography, color libraries etc.). The style that I work in is uniquely southwestern at its core and can adapt to meet your needs. Whether the need is for a set of vintage icons that use the desert for inspiration, a gritty campaign that taps into the roughness of the cowboy lifestyle, or establishing a brand to have an overall feeling of the American southwest, I’m your man to do the job!

Give me a holler if you want a southwestern spin to your business and want the job done well!”

— Nicholas McCann

Check out Nicholas’ portfolio here! The variety that he has been able to create, while paying such close attention to his clients’ cultural reality, is outstanding.

My main takeaway from studying Nicholas’ work a little more deeply is that our art is valuable and it is needed. In a world so full of ugliness, so many people around us are waiting for more beauty to be added to their lives, and very often they’re ready to pay for it. Don’t be afraid to get your work out there, to grow it, build it, improve it, sell it. Find your market and go to town. You’ve been entrusted with the sacred spark of divine beauty; don’t hide it under the bushel basket of fear, self-doubt, laziness or excuses. Let it shine.

Feel free to contact Nicholas or hire him to make you a great logo!