An archive of older logo designs created at Sumack Loft.
You too could have a fabulous new logo. Go ahead and give me a shout. Let’s work together!
(Click on any of the images below to open up the full gallery).
This practitioner of yoga and massage requested that the tree in her logo suggest the notion of being both upright and upside down like the Ashvattha tree in Hindu mythology. She also requested that the Indian Om symbol be hidden within the leaves of the tree. A design was developed with a hand as the trunk, with another hand dropped out in white at the top to suggest an invisible second trunk. Website also designed at Sumack Loft: http://www.massagemovementmeditation.com.
One of the interesting kinds of projects I occasionally get tasked with is taking someone’s existing logo and improving upon it. Homesol Building Solutions had a logo that kind of perfectly represented what they do, but just didn’t seem finished. The basic form was examined and enhanced, including containing it within a form that suggests a house. Along with some careful upgrades to typography and layout and Bob’s your uncle. Website also designed at Sumack Loft: https://homesolbuildingsolutions.com.
The new owners of the Carp Garden Centre, a popular local centre offering unusual and hard-to-find plant varieties as well as the more standard fare, came to us for a new logo and website. Now thoroughly delighted, these fine folks kept the faith through one of the more circuitous developments I’ve had to date when their brief morphed mid-process! Website also designed at Sumack Loft: https://carpgardencentre.ca.
Logo designed for a client in the field of human development – helping individuals and organizations to improve themselves to their greatest capacity. The dragonfly image was chosen to represent the duality of the ancient combined with change. Requested brand character included keywords “lighthearted, spacious, deeply purposeful”.
Branding designed for an annual exhibition featuring vintage bicycles on loan from museums and private collections. The event also serves as a forum for avid cyclists to explore and share culture and information. A stylized illustration of a antique bicycle was developed and placed in a charming badge with retro colours and vintage styling.
4Syte Design Build specializes in sustainable residential construction with a focus on designing, building or renovating homes to be at least 50% more energy efficient than current building code, along with integrating natural building materials and ecological design. The ribbons in the new logo convey the notion of a continuum, of looking forward and building towards the future; this constancy can also signify the notion of sustainability and the natural cycle of using sustainable products.
A local family farm that doubles as a bed and breakfast approached me for a logo. It was important to the owner that her livestock be featured in the brand, yet still get across the notion of a comfortable B&B. Piggies and chickens it is, then. I don’t know that I’ve ever had a client more happy with her logo!
The Pakenham Public School in Mississippi Mills is proud to be at the top of the Fraser Institute for all schools in the Upper Canada Board area. It offers an intimate setting where they have few issues due to the close knit nature of the community, the staff, and the children themselves. This design is based on the unique heritage 5-span bridge for which the town of Pakenham is famous, depicting the charismatic arches wth the rushing river beneath. The new logo improves on the original design, making the brand more contemporary with better visual harmony, and including a version to celebrate their 50th year!
Nebbs Transport has been providing transportation solutions to manufacturers and suppliers throughout North America for almost 30 years. In 2016 the team recognized that their existing brand was badly in need of modernizing to keep the company competitive and credible in a busy marketplace. The new logo conveys a forward-thinking and modern company featuring a stylized illustration of a map with a visual effect that recalls
the era of the crinkled map in the glove compartment, yet also powerfully suggests the notion of distribution to different areas of the continent.
This project was a donation to a silent auction for a local not for profit. Black Bear Healing Home is a one-woman community development service offering guidance and workshops for a variety of functions, including violence prevention, harm reduction, as well as ASL conversational interpreting. Client requested that her new logo contain the image of a bear and Queen Anne’s lace flowers.
The Two Willows Art Studios ran for several years with biannual art shows offering a variety of art and handicrafts by diverse artists. The studio space features two magnificent willows on the property.
This not-for-profit organization promotes the values, ideals, and life of James Naismith, most importantly celebrating his invention of the game of basketball, and runs a museum in order to educate the public on the admirable man who created one the worlds most popular sports. Brand keywords: “traditional, fun, historical, and respectful of Naismith’s values”. Please see web site under web design.
RedFish, sadly, is a now defunct restaurant in Toronto specializing in sustainable seafood. Client requested a design that reflected the playful quality inherent in the name, recalling as it does the children’s book by Dr. Seuss, while retaining a contemporary character in keeping with the sophisticated menu and fashionable locale. Please see print section for further collateral.
The Town of Mississippi Mills requested a logo design based on their existing identity but which would reflect Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations. The client asked that there be a maple leaf reference of some kind, and that the temporary brand be fun and dynamic and promote diversity. The new logo contains the original Town logo’s M, which doubles as a bridge and waterfall, with a new containing graphic of a maple leaf that brings to mind a fireworks display, as well as suggesting diversity in its use of form and colour.
Gedawin Novo Controls is a relatively new company offering design and manufacturing of electrical control systems. The logo depicts a bolt of electricity wherein is hidden the G and the N in the company name. The brand characteristics requested were “corporate, controlled, knowledgeable – while imparting a subtle hint of innovation”. Website also designed at Sumack Loft: http://www.gedawinnovo.ca.
CCFC Financial is a boutique financial solutions provider for businesses and individuals. For their new branding in 2015, a stylized illustration was developed of a Griffin, a mythological creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. The lion is traditionally considered the king of the beasts and the eagle the king of birds, therefore the griffin represents power and dignity, and in mythology, they were known as the guardians of wealth. Website also designed at Sumack Loft: https://ccfcfinancial.com.
Lacelle’s Apiary and Beekeeping Supplies is a supply store offering a place where beekeepers can pick up beekeeping information, meet other beekeepers and get supplies at reasonable prices. A whimsical vintage-looking hive illustration was developed for the logo with happy bees flying about!
The midwifery group in Carleton Place needed a logo that reflected the beautiful Ottawa Valley, while also in some way speaking to their practice. A highly stylized illustration was developed of a deep amber moon rising over a vista of hills with two cut out leaves in the foreground. The moon representing the circle of life, the hills the Ottawa Valley, and the leaves the notion of growth. Website also designed at Sumack Loft: https://ottawavalleymidwives.com.
This little logo came about due to a nice serendipity. It was designed as an option for another client a couple of years ago, and, while they chose another design, it has always remained a favourite of mine. I posted it recently to a local women’s business group, explaining that it was “up for adoption”, and a local consulting firm, who happened to have a rabbit-themed business name, jumped on it.
Long established as one of the top designers in the field of Irish dance, this dress maker recently came to us to help revitalize a brand that had been critically overtaken by some of the big names in the industry. We created a powerful new visual identity of a phoenix rising from the flames, its shape a subtle reflection of a dancer standing in the ready position. Along with an effective new website, an exciting contest, and a series of stunning advertisements Phoenix Designs immediately captured the attention of the Irish Dancing world.
Every year I choose a worthy cause to donate my graphic design services (or the worthy cause chooses me), and a couple of years ago, Jeff Mills at Mills Community Support and I began what has become a wonderful collaboration on multiple projects. It all started off with this logo for the Neighbourhood Tomato. Jeff helped out by supplying some great picture references of vintage fruit and vegetable packing crates as inspiration, and one of my favourite logo designs to date was born.
A popular and successful craft show whose desired brand characteristics were described as hip, accessible, and fun. The resulting logo was best described by the client as “a mythical handmade creature risen from the dust bunnies of the church basement bazaar to a whole new level of awesome. Or something like that”.
LCB Consulting provides information technology consulting services to public and private sector organizations predominantly located in the Ottawa area. A ribbon style was created for the acronym, suggesting smooth workflow and seamless integration. Website also designed at Sumack Loft: http://www.lcbconsultinggroup.com
