Let's Define Our Terms

What's the difference between a logo and marketing artwork? Is a signature character different from marketing artwork? How is marketing artwork different from an actual poster or website design? Read on to see how Sinister Visions defines its individual services.

PLEASE NOTE: Graphics created for a website only ARE NOT SUITABLE for print usage. If you think you'll want to use the imagery from your website for print purposes, you MUST make this clear at the outset so that your marketing artwork / signature character can be created at a high resolution from the beginning.

Otherwise, an artwork re-creation fee will be required.

LOGO

Also called logotype. A graphic representation or symbol of a company name, trademark, abbreviation, etc., often uniquely designed for ready recognition. A stylized treatment of text and sometimes accompanying graphic elements.

I graduated college in 1991 with a degree in graphic design and illustration; less than 5 years later, most of the techniques I'd been taught for creating the work I did were rendered obsolete by the advent of the PC and programs like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

However, the concepts and theory about what constitutes good design work remain true no matter how you execute them, and it's with this in mind that I approach logo design.

In my opinion, a logo needs to work in plain black & white, with no frills, or it doesn't work at all. So that's where I start.

Why, you ask? Let's say you want to have your logo engraved on glass or a trophy, or you want to do t-shirts but can only afford one color. I make sure that you're able to do that. Further, because of the software and file formats with which I build the base black & white logo (called vector), you're able to size it down to an inch or up to 50 feet, without losing any quality at all.

Below are samples of logos I've done for various clients - the approved black & white version, and the final color version. Hopefully this will give you an idea of the process.

NOTE: Please do NOT confuse your logo with Marketing Artwork.

LOGO PORTFOLIO

SIGNATURE CHARACTER

Disney has Mickey Mouse. Warner Bros has Bugs Bunny. Sinister Visions can create a memorable Signature Character for your business or attraction. Need a psychotic clown? A deranged doctor? A wicked witch? No problem! SVi specializes in sickos and psychos! Examples:

But what if you already have a living, breathing character at your attraction? No problem! Sinister Visions can work with you to create high-resolution artwork of your existing signature character. Examples:

Silas, the Caretaker of Kingsbury Cemetery

James the Werewolf, beloved long-time face of Six Pines Ranch

The Captain of the USS Nightmare was created from several photographs of the actor in his costume and mask.

SIGNATURE CHARACTER PORTFOLIO

FLASH

While HTML 5 has gotten a lot of buzz in the last year or so, it still can't compete with the animation and sound capabilities of Flash.

Adobe Flash allows you to include sophisticated motion and sound effects in your website, and can be integrated seamlessly into your site design.

It costs more because it requires significantly more time to create and code the animations involved.

Sinister Visions does not typically do all-Flash websites for a number of reasons, chief of which being the fact that Google, Yahoo!, etc. can't read Flash content (meaning poorer search engine placement), and Apple/iDevices don't support it. That said, Flash can add a serious WOW factor to your website that'll be visible to 90% of its visitors.

WEBSITE PORTFOLIO