DesignMarks.biz

US Gypsum Company
A Construction Materials Manufacturer

US Gypsum were the largest manufacturer of gypsum-based building materials in North America, including paints, wallboard and other high-volume building products. DesignMarks was assigned to develop a new corporate logo, as well as design out its usage on corporate business materials; product labels and watermarks, retail displays, and trade show exhibits.

Our designers felt the strong United States identification – both in the company name and production – would be assurance of both material quality and stable delivery for the domestic construction industry. Red, white and blue was a natural.

US Gypsum Company has now become USG Corporation, allowing it to expand its range of materials manufacturing beyond gypsum. And sadly, our Old Glory logo no longer waves from wallboard o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

TEI Analytical, Inc.
An Industrial Testing Laboratory

TEI provides analytical testing and documentation for a wide range of industries for compliance with Federal regulatory agency requirements, as well as manufacturing quality control. TEI can delve as deeply as necessary into virtually any natural or industrial substance using traditional chemistry, high tech instrumentation or highly specialized analytical techniques.

Scientific companies tend to favor a simple, clean style in their graphics, in the spirit of letting the facts speak for themselves. DesignMarks took simplicity as a worthy goal, creating TEI’s signature T with three small squares and a single line.

“Other things being equal, a simpler explanation is better than a more complex one.” That’s Occam’s Razor, a principle of scientific investigation. Also logo design.

TEI Analytical

Testing Lab Logo Refocused

Corporate and brand identity accrues and strengthens over time. So it’s important to keep as much continuity as possible for as long as possible. But change happens – in companies, markets and product focus. For DesignMarks, the challenge was to transition TEI’s established logo to accommodate new requirements – while preserving the essential identity and character of the logo.

Our designers started with the company’s established T-form, expanded it to a 3-dimensional block letter, then stacked the letters in deepening layers to give the logo a more dynamic character. And voila! The shaded sides of the letters resemble the vertical bars of a spectroscopic analysis display.

Perhaps we were lucky. We prefer to think it was good creative chemistry.

Society of Typographic Arts
A Professional Association

Since its founding in 1927, The Society for Typographic Arts had been a vital force in Chicago’s mid-20 th Century design, printing and publishing industries. In 1990, the STA reorganized as a contemporary membership organization supporting the graphic design community through education, publications, design competitions and public exhibitions.

As one of the initial members and supporters of the revitalized STA, DesignMarks created the STA logo, suggesting the laborious (to us, joyful) process of typographical selection and placement.

My name is Nate. I’m a typoholic. Hi, Nate!

Severtsen Murray Inc.
A Healthcare Consultancy

Severtsen Murray provides hospital construction, management and organization expertise to hospitals and their associated clinical specialties. The majority of their work is with Catholic-based hospitals and affiliates.

Severtsen Muray’s servicemark is composed of square and triangular elements defining a cross, symbolic of both religious and compassionate care organizations – and also suggesting the architectural layouts of institutional buildings and additions. The contemporary color palette gives the logo a bright, upbeat tone.

It’s just what the doctor ordered.

MAJOR SENSELESS
An Online Comic Strip

What does a graphic designer do, laboring alone under a Luxolamp into the wee hours? Naturally, he invents an alter ego – a Superhero who conquers evildoers and stamps out ineptness for a grateful world.

Unfortunately, this would-be Superhero is a befuddled hare who acquires some superpowers – and now must develop his own collection of superhero stuff. A cool costume and (no surprise here) a logo. Something strong and distinctive that can be projected onto low clouds and the walls of evildoer hideouts… something to bring hope to the downtrodden and strike fear in hearts of the downtrodders… hmmm….

Oh, did we drift off? Next logo, move cursor down.

Gloria B. Miller Real Estate

A Real Estate Firm

Gloria B. Miller Real Estate specialized in the high-end mansions, townhouses and luxury highrise condos in the Gold Coast area, long-time enclave of Chicago’s Old Money. Gloria B. needed a logo that symbolized her firm’s focus on mansions, townhouses and highrise apartments – and suggested both personal and financial growth.

The DesignMarks solution stacked and aligned squares to suggest the area’s highrises and townhouses. The imposed leaf shapes added the growth factor and softened the image to appeal to female clients, often the key players in a home purchase. The “SOLD” sign is up.