Tactix Buzz

Software Icon Design

2011-08-25T13:40:00.000-07:00

We were asked by a development team in Connecticut to design a set of GUI icons for an online software interface. We created "off," "hover" and "click" states of each icon commissioned in the job.
Below, you will see just a sampling of all the iconography we generated for the programming. Our main challenge was to marry graphic impact, simplicity and a universally decipherable visual language.

Tactix Logo and Branding Design With Celebrity Appeal

2010-12-20T11:12:00.000-08:00

OK, so we don't laugh at ALL of Russell Brand's jokes here at Tactix, but we were very excited to see a photo of him practicing his Los Angeles driving skills in December's issue of US Magazine in a Toyota Prius training vehicle branded by Tactix Creative! Drivers Ed Direct has been a great client. They are a prime example of how success follows bold innovative branding language.

Good luck to Russell and his driving lessons... With his last name being 'Brand', Russell can't be seen endorsing companies with poorly designed brands, right? LOL! (Thanks James and Patty Pettus for the scan, Photo by Brad Witter)

The Power of a Logo...

2010-11-09T14:22:00.000-08:00

About four years ago Tactix Creative was commissioned to create mascot logos for seven different Arizona schools in the Higley Unified School District near Gilbert Arizona. One of the logos was for the brand new Williams Field High School... "The Blackhawks."

Well... we are proud to announce that the Williams Field Blackhawks just won their tenth and final regular season game with an undefeated 10-0 record and will be advancing to the Arizona State 4A High School Football play-offs! Congratulations Blackhawks!!

I'm sure that the school has a great coaching staff, and some very talented players... But... we like to think it was all because of the logo ;-)

We love mascot and athletic graphic design...

Creative Director: Paul Howalt
Illustrated by: Von Glitschka & Paul Howalt

Tactix Creative Design | Answers to Life's Deepest Questions...

2010-11-09T11:49:00.001-08:00

How fast...?

If you were traveling the speed of light and you turned on your headlights, what would happen?

Hmmm...

MARKETING | WEBSITE DESIGN | SIGNAGE | GRAPHIC DESIGN ARIZONA

Paul Howalt's Phoenix Design Week Presentation

2010-10-14T10:45:00.000-07:00

Phoenix Design Week has been over for about a week now, but I just received this photo from Von Glitschka of me presenting in my session on Sunday at the Phoenix Convention Center, and I thought I'd post it. What a great time it was meeting everyone who stuck around after the session. Big thanks to Jim Nissen and crew for coordinating such an overwhelmingly complex conference. The Phoenix design community is lucky to have you all.

I would have liked to see all the speaker's presentations, but the standouts for me were Von Glitschka, James Victore / Paul Sahre, Joe Ray & Jon Arvizu. I hope everyone took away a little bit of inspiration to last through 2011. I can't wait to see what's in store for next year!

B to B Magazine's 10th Anniversary Marketing Trends Icon Design

2010-06-18T11:15:00.000-07:00

Tactix Principal, Paul Howalt was commissioned by B To B magazine to Illustrate10 'icons' to accompany their feature article in the 10th anniversary issue, highlighting the top trends of the last 10 years in Business to Business marketing. Each of the spot illustrations conveys one of the top 10 trends. Thanks to my reps at Three In A Box. (Click image for more detail)

Cellular Service Map Icon Design

2010-06-14T10:50:00.000-07:00

Tactix was recently commissioned to develop a group of icons to represent states in which this particular client provided cellular service. Some states were definitely easier to brainstorm on than others! After final art was generated, these icons were then placed onto a cellular service coverage map to help sell the service to residents in each featured state. (Click on image for detail) Icon Design: Paul Howalt, | Art Director: Sherwin Schwartzrock.

Target Stores "Well-Being Program" Icon Library: 100 icons designed in less than a day!

2010-06-10T13:49:00.000-07:00

Target's in-house design team concepted a visual system to promote it's new inter-office Well-Being Campaign. It supports the idea of wanting greater harmony between the many facets of one's life. Well-being is not an end, but a means, and by making a simple decision to improve one area of your life, you positively impact another. It’s all about you and your choices... In health, career, financial, community, social and family life.

This visual promotion system demanded the design of a library of 100 icons in a carefully crafted, hand-cut style.

Target's hired gun, Sherwin Schwartzrock, turned to Tactix Creative to flesh out the design of all 100 icons in less than a day! It was a tall order, but after a well caffeinated sleepless night, we delivered a massive set of 100 icons, ready to drop into Target's design layouts. Below, you see a sample of 50 of the 100 icons done for the library. (Click image for larger view) Icon Design: Paul Howalt | Poster Design Above: Target In-House Team.

Hilarious Neutraface Font Parody Video! - Sans Lady GaGa...

2010-03-19T15:33:00.000-07:00

Mad love to these fellow designers - who seem to have too much time on their hands. When Richard Neutra designed his incredible typeface, 'Neutra', I don't think he ever imagined that it would have inspired a, um, well, 'music video' based on Lady Gaga's 'Pokerface'. House Industries issued a (more than complete) set of this layout staple font in 2001, but it seems that the glitter has not faded after all these years for many of us... including Jason Kinney and pals. Check their ode to this geometric typeface backed by a "Weird" Al style vocal tribute! Too Fun! Go To Neutraface Video!

Permaguard Logo Design & Stationery

2010-03-16T11:52:00.000-07:00

Changes, changes, changes... sometimes it seems to be 90% of what we do every day. This logo design and identity project for Permaguard Termite and Pest was the exact opposite, however. (I suppose that could be called a "welcomed change.") After brainstorming and presenting a broad range of logo design concepts, they ended up adopting our favorite solution... with no changes. We then moved quickly to the stationery system which sailed through a fast approval process as well. Permaguard is now up and running with a new identity. That's how we like to see things happen for clients... efficient and effective! (Click images for larger view)

"Holmes on Homes" Magazine Icon Design

2010-03-10T11:41:00.000-08:00

We've just finished up a set of icons for a Canadian Magazine called "Holmes On Homes" - published by HGTV star Mike Holmes. We infused some of the linear designs with personality and even a sense of humor. Everyone was very happy with the final set. They will see their first printing this month. Thanks to Holly at 3 In A Box for negotiating the deal and art Director Patricia Cavazzini, who made the job run as smooth as any project we've worked on! - (Design and Illustration by Paul Howalt) Click Image to enlarge.

Hasbro Operation Game Logo Design

2010-02-17T22:14:00.000-08:00

Last year Tactix Creative was called upon by Hasbro to redesign the Operation game logo; arguably one of the most memorable type treatments of our time... Rarely does such a magical opportunity come around.
As children's games go, this just so happened to be my very favorite. The first Operation game actually rolled off the assembly lines in 1965, the year that I was born... Coincidence? I think not! ;-) Needless to say, I felt honored and privileged to be a part of this process!
We produced many conceptually sound, and appropriately whimsical sketches, but in the end, Hasbro decided on going with the option that most honored the visual heritage of the original logo done in the 1960's.
I also was asked to do illustrated concepts for the box top and "Cavity Sam" character buzzer board, which I will be displaying at a later date on this blog. Mike Swiatlowski dished out some great art direction and made this entire overhaul a joy!
Side note: A few weeks back, while walking through Target, I happened to stumble upon a very entertaining marketing effort. I saw a box of Operation "gummy-snacks' shaped exactly like the little plastic medical 'ailment' icons that I illustrated as game pieces... LOL! (Click image to enlarge)

Benadryl Pause Button Design

2010-02-08T10:12:00.000-08:00

A big part of what we do on a daily basis is the designing of "Visual Components" to be used in large campaigns crafted by Ad agencies across the country. It can be something as complex as an interchangeable modular page layout for a print campaign, or even as 'simple' as a tastefully rendered icon to be used as the focus of a brilliant line of copy. That's exactly what we did here.
Billy Faraut from JWT called upon us to work out a perfect pause button for the copy they had sold through to Benadryl. We did many more visual studies than are shown here, but you can get a feel for the process we went through, from the tight sketches and final layouts shown below. (Click on images for larger view).

BRANDING, IDENTITY DESIGN, LOGO DESIGN, ICON DESIGN, STATIONERY, PACKAGING, BROCHURE DESIGN, MARKETING PROMOTIONS, WEBSITE DESIGN, SIGNAGE, GRAPHIC DESIGN ARIZONA

East Valley Wellness Center Logo Design

2009-10-13T16:28:00.000-07:00

We've just finished a new identity for East Valley Wellness Center. Internally, we had a hard time deciding which one of the 9 concepts to pitch the hardest. They were all pretty solid. The one on the top is the direction we felt was the most conceptual and appropriate... each initial E, V, W & C woven into a sitting yoga-esque human form. However, in the end, the one that we sold through was a bit more genderless and risky. Click on image for larger view (Design: Paul Howalt)

BRANDING, IDENTITY DESIGN, LOGO DESIGN, ICON DESIGN, STATIONERY, PACKAGING, BROCHURE DESIGN, MARKETING PROMOTIONS, WEBSITE DESIGN, SIGNAGE, GRAPHIC DESIGN ARIZONA

Arizona State University Sparky Sun Devils Mascot RE-Design (ASU)

2009-10-13T10:29:00.000-07:00

Having graduated from ASU's design program, I am continually surprised at how poor reproductions of Sparky find their ways onto shirts, unofficial merchandise and especially websites. I've always respected Walt Disney's mascot illustration / design that seems to be derived from a costumed character that appears in Peter Pan's "Never Never Land".

I never purposely set out to redesign ASU's "Sparky" mascot, however... a couple years back, I was asked to do a cover illustration for a local paper here called The New Times, depicting Sparky's face in a board room. I had fun with it and the rest just snowballed from there.

Now, like it or hate it, I've stopped periodically revisiting this fun little uncompensated side project.
This is how Sparky would look if I had a chance to put my 'spin' on him... I didn't make huge drastic changes; this version below is just a bit more modern, polished, dimensional and has a better balance of positive and negative space. (Design/Illustration: Paul Howalt 480-688-8881)

COLLEGE MASCOT, COLLEGIATE LOGO, SPORTS MASCOT, ASU SUDEVILS, SPARKY, BRANDING, IDENTITY DESIGN, LOGO DESIGN, ICON DESIGN, STATIONERY, PACKAGING, BROCHURE DESIGN, MARKETING PROMOTIONS, WEBSITE DESIGN, SIGNAGE, GRAPHIC DESIGN ARIZONA

Tactix Client, Driver's Ed Direct, makes an appearance on The Tonight Show!

2009-09-24T00:26:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month, Eric at Driver's Ed Direct (a Tactix-branded company) let us know that they were asked to help out Conan O'Brien out with a little on-air 'driving lesson for one of their producers on The Tonight Show. It turned out to be a pretty funny spot on the show! We did a 'head-to-toe' branding and identity package for this start up company back in 2006... It's great to see that they've really carved a niche for themselves out in the Los Angeles, CA area! We're so proud!

M.G. Peterson Logo Design Update

2009-09-23T17:23:00.000-07:00

Sometimes clients just need a bit of an update to modernize the logo design they already have. We brought a bit more structure and embellishment to this CPA's old logo, done quite some time ago. We also developed a less ornate version of the logo to appear in smaller applications such as on business cards. (Click image for detail)

Effectiveness vs. Accuracy

2009-08-28T09:50:00.000-07:00

Unisg the icndeblire pweor of the hmuan mnid, aocdcrnig to rseecrah at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mttaer in waht oderr the lterets in a wrod are, the olny irpoamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rhgit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whoutit a pboerlm. Tihs is bucseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey ltteer by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Aaznmig, huh?

Musician's Website Logo Design

2009-08-26T16:32:00.000-07:00

Recently, I collaborated with Vianet Internet Services to resurrect a website identity that they had placed on their 'back burner'... MusicianAudition.com. The site connects musicians looking to collaborate, join bands, get gigs, etc. The first step in any well branded website design is a carefully crafted conceptual logo, right?, so... we began there. They had a pretty solid sketch of what they had in mind. I ended up designing a few versions for consideration, pulled it all together and polished it off for implimentation. (Design: Vianet, Paul Howalt)

Rainforest Stationery Design

2009-08-25T17:26:00.000-07:00

Rarely do we come across a client with such a tenaciously vigilant marketing drive! Ike Tippetts of Rainforest Plumbing and Air came to us with project after project where his street team was passing materials out sooner than the ink could dry on the sheets. His inititiative is inspiration to us all. We've also never run across a client that has wanted to be more playful with his identity. We've been pleasantly surprised with the creative latitude we are given with his materials... to the point of sometimes needing to encourage a little more structure and less whimsy just so we don't end up tearing down the solid credibility that he has built over the years. We'd love more clients like Ike! Click on image for more detail (Design: Paul Howalt, Dena Soukieh)

Frost Orthododontics New Blog Website Design

2009-08-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

Frost Orthodontics needed a blog site to keep patients and vendors more up to date with 'up to the minute' developments going on at their new office. It was designed around a Wordpress code skeleton, but is completely stripped and customized as far as the design implementation goes... It even contains an animated Flash header! We focused carefully on reflecting the look and feel of the office interior and new branding language that we developed for them a few months ago. Click Image for more detail (Design: Paul Howalt)

BizBuilder Logo Design

2009-07-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

Gibson, Ferrin & Riggs Law Office offers it's business clients a new service called BizBuilder. They unencumber and protect their clients by taking on necessary preventative and emergency legal work such as corporate compliance, human resource issues, license & copyright filing, retirement planning, etc. This logo was crafted to appeal to owners who need to focus on building their businesses with what they do best and don't want to get wrapped up in laborious legal work or potential lawsuits along the way. Logo Design: Paul Howalt

BRANDING, IDENTITY DESIGN, LOGO DESIGN, ICON DESIGN, STATIONERY, PACKAGING, BROCHURE DESIGN, MARKETING PROMOTIONS, WEBSITE DESIGN, SIGNAGE, GRAPHIC DESIGN ARIZONA

BiziBoom Logo Design

2009-07-08T17:15:00.000-07:00

Our law client Gibson, Ferrin & Riggs needed a logo for a new service offering that trains business owners how to make their practice billings grow exponentially in a short amount of time. They call the program BiziBoom. Here is the logo design that we just finished for them. Design: Paul Howalt

BRANDING, IDENTITY DESIGN, LOGO DESIGN, ICON DESIGN, STATIONERY, PACKAGING, BROCHURE DESIGN, MARKETING PROMOTIONS, WEBSITE DESIGN, SIGNAGE, GRAPHIC DESIGN ARIZONA

The Font Conference Video

2009-07-06T17:11:00.000-07:00

We came across this little gem of a video on CollegeHumor.com. We, as graphic designers, "spec out" fonts every day for a living... It's fun watching the drama as CollegeHumor puts human personalities to some of the most common fonts we have to deal with. This is a must see! (Click Image for Video)

CPES Homestead Program Brochure Design

2009-07-02T13:56:00.000-07:00

CPES (Community Provider of Enrichment Services), located in Tempe, AZ commissioned us to design a brochure for the latest venture, "The Homestead Program". It is a multi-bed facility in which troubled teens with severe behavioral disorders and/or substance abuse can be assessed by qualified health specialists and treated with lifestyle modification plans in order to reintegrate them back into their famiy environments. It is literally a last ditch effort before they are turned over to either the Juvenile Justice System or placed in a secure log-term hospital facility. This brochure needed to reflect the direness of the patients' situation, but also exude a sense of hope and warmth. Click image for more detail. (Design: Paul Howalt)

RealRentals.com Website

2009-07-02T13:03:00.000-07:00

After designing a logo for RealRentals.com, we set our minds to fleshing out the look and feel of their website. The demographic they are going after is young college age renters, so the site had to be geared to fit that world. It also had to be a 'graphic universe' that the new logo could comfortably feel at home in. This is what we came up with. Click image for more detail. (Design: Paul Howalt)

Tactix Promotional T-Shirt 2009

2009-06-30T00:55:00.000-07:00

We are selling these t-shirts below while they last for $18 USD (plus $4 for shipping). They come in sizes L, XL, and XXL (all sizes are 'classic' fit/not 'athletic' fit). Originally these were produced for a golf tournament promotion, but we printed some extra to sell right here as a TactixBuzz blog exclusive if you missed out. We have a few left, and now ONE CAN BE YOURS! Give Robin a call to process your credit card order (480) 688-8881 - or pay via PayPal online. Send checks and money orders to Tactix Creative, Inc., 4838 E. Baseline Rd. Suite #120, Mesa, AZ 85206 USA, Click Image for detail. (Design: Paul Howalt)

The Vendor / Client Relationship

2009-06-26T16:34:00.000-07:00

Um, this video clip hits almost too close to home... I could barely bring myself to post it. Creatives, try your best not to cry... We hear this stuff every day! (video: Scofield Editorial, Inc.)

Dena's New Baby Arrives!

2009-06-25T12:08:00.001-07:00

OK - So around here, there are holidays and special occasions, but none, however are more revered and honored as iPhone Day! It could be a consequence of being immersed in Apple products all day long (being graphic designers); or it could be because the iPhone 3GS is the absolute coolest techno toy that any working individual can hold in his or her hand! - or, it could be a little of both. Anyways, after the preorder and long wait, Dena received a 'very special' delivery from the UPS guy this morning... and there was much rejoicing! (Click Image for Unpacking Sequence).

Vianet Real Estate Rental Website Identities

2009-06-25T02:01:00.000-07:00

When it comes to running online companies, Scottsdale's Vianet Internet Services has it figured out! They cross market and 'spiderweb' across multiple sites in order to promote themselves organically instead of having to pay for expensive Google Adword campaigns. They came to Tactix Creative to create identities for a couple new complimenting sites they've launched to service those looking for real estate to rent nationwide. The first, HouseForRent.us is a more traditional and targetted toward customers approximately age 35-65; the second entity, RealRentals.com is meant to speak to renters 18-35, and therefore has a more playful and illustrative typography / mark. Vianet continues to be a great client in that they always push us to do what we love to do... It's so refreshing! Logo Design: Paul Howalt

Greenhaven Community Identity

2009-06-25T00:46:00.000-07:00

National apartment community developer, Fore Property, has called upon Tactix Creative to craft identities for many of their latest residential projects. This particular one, Greenhaven, is located in McKinney, Texas; a city with a mission to leave one of the lightest 'carbon footprints' on our nation. This new complex is fully LEED Certified and fits in perfectly with the city's culture and mission. Our job was to create a visual language to reflect their dedication to environmental responsibility and lifestyle. We also specified recycled paper stock and soy based inks to be used to make all collateral materials more landfill friendly. It has been refreshing to work for a corporation that revolves around "going green" instead of just giving it a fashionable nod and buying a few CFL bulbs for their lobbies. (Click on Images For Detail) Logo and Signage Design: Paul Howalt / Brochure Design: Dena Soukieh

COMMUNITY LOGO

COMMUNITY BROCHURE

MARQUIS SIGNAGE

Tyrell Beavers Dentistry

2009-03-06T11:23:00.000-08:00

We designed this logo and stationery set for a local dentist. After doing so many dental identities, it's hard to come up with fresh new ways to express the essence of the profession and the client's way of doing business. For the logo, we crafted a multidimensional modern rendering of a tooth using transparency and the client's established palette. The stationery picks up on the transparency and patterns were applied utilizing the dotted line motif potisioned in front of the logotype. (Click image for detail) Logo design: Paul Howalt, Stationery design: Dena Soukieh

Pizza Hut Manhole Cover

2009-02-26T16:05:00.000-08:00

Pizza Hut underwent an interior makeover recently and we were invited to submit our design propsal for consideration. Everything was approved and just before the changeover went into production, they switched to a different concept submitted by a competing firm... UGH! This whimsical manhole cover below (shaped like a Pepperoni Pizza) was the only piece of ours that survived the cut. In the end, however, it was not applied to floors, but to the front surface of the retail counters... HUH?

Target Embark Luggage Icons

2009-02-26T14:39:00.000-08:00

I received a call yesterday from a friend of mine, Sherwin Schwartzrock (www.Schwartzrock.com) - a stellar designer operating out of Minnetonka, MN. He was in a timing bind and needed help on a project for an in-house brand of Target Stores. Sherwin had already established a visual look and feel for exploration, but needed additional icons designed to complete the system. Well, I was honored to be a part of the process on the project. The icons you see below are what I submitted to him just in the nick of time for presentation - Whew! (Click image for detail) Design: Paul Howalt

Kono Magazine Illustrations

2009-02-24T09:29:00.000-08:00

Last year, I was commissioned to render a handful of full page endangered animal illustrations for KONO Magazine. Kono is a monthly publication run out of Scottsdale, Arizona and geared toward kids who are involved with martial arts. Here are a few samples of some of the work I've done over the past year for them. (Click on images for more detail) Illustration: Paul Howalt

Crimshield

2009-02-23T08:32:00.000-08:00

You're looking at the stationery kit we designed for one of our favorite clients, Crimshield. They provide the most thorough background checks in the industry. The Crimshield team provides more than just a quick database search of public criminal record. They check aliases, close spellings and up to the minute arrest records. Nothing slips by these guys... Nothing! If you need peace of mind when hiring a new employee or even meeting a potential boyfriend, Crimshield is the company to contact. (Click image for detail) Design (logo+stationery): Paul Howalt

Clin1 Sales Kit

2009-02-20T09:09:00.000-08:00

One of our clients, Clin1, needed a sales folder to promote their award winning medical management software. We designed the kit to reflect the visual language that we had developed for their stationery suite. The tabbed inserts hit on key arguments and case studies for adopting the Clin1 system. (Click image for larger view) Design: Paul Howalt, Deena Phillips

Google Leaves Phoenix

2009-02-19T09:21:00.000-08:00

Phoenix Magazine called and needed 2 illustrations for their current issue. The one story was about how Google had left Phoenix, almost in secrecy... and the other was about how The East Valley Tribune had sliced it's employment and circulation almost in half. (Click image for more detail) Illustration by Paul Howalt

Workbook 31 (Illustration/Design))

2009-02-09T11:44:00.000-08:00

Workbook #31 is here! Every year we place an ad featuring some of our recent logo solutions in the Workbook. This set of 10 pound hardbound catalogs is a national directory of the country's best photographers, designers, lettering artists, and illustrators. This year (volume 31) we are featured on page 26 of the Illustration book. If you get the Workbook, look us up! If you don't, and you are in the mood for some serious eye-candy, you can order your copy at Workbook.com. If you want to download the ad that we placed in this year's publication, click HERE... It comes zipped and pre-bundled with all previous ads we've run in earlier volumes.

Andersen Concrete Logo & Stationery

2009-02-05T13:01:00.000-08:00

Andersen Concrete in Mesa, Arizona designs and fabricates cart paths for golf courses. Their identity needed to reflect the graphic language of that world. The final logo incorporated a flag and putting green in the letter 'e', while the stationery suite took on the look and feel of a score card. The fold-over business card even displays a few photographs of Andersen's work. (Click on image for more detail) Logo Design: Cam Stewart / Stationery Design: Jason Lewis

Stanley Furniture Catalog Icons

2009-01-28T14:59:00.000-08:00

I received an email one day from the director handling the design coordination for Stanley and Young America furniture. It seems they were in desperate need of an icon set redesign for the publication of this year's catalog and website update. It was a job that was right up our alley. I submitted the initial round and after a few rounds of revisions, this is where we ended up on some of the finals. (Click image for detail). Design: Paul Howalt

Frost Orthodontics Stationery

2009-01-28T10:25:00.000-08:00

A few times every year we are blessed with a client who is visually literate and understands how we strive to elevate and unify every aspect of their brand. Frost Orthodontics had recently outfitted their entire new working space / patient lobby with a post modern style that would make any reader of Architectural Digest proud. We worked along side them to create the perfect reflection of that aesthetic in their new stationery suite. They were presented with three sets of comps, and ended up opting to go with the most exciting visual direction. After we got over the initial shock, we went into production on one of the most pleasant success stories of this year. (Click image for more detail). Design: Paul Howalt/Dena Soukieh Production: Dena Soukieh

StatServe Logo

2009-01-06T12:22:00.000-08:00

We've just finished off a logo for a sub-branded service of a client of ours. The company receives official legal communications as 'statutory agents' for clients of theirs.

Hasbro Partini Game

2008-12-31T13:49:00.000-08:00

We love Hasbro... Their legacy of games, their creative attitude & wonderful art directors!
One day we received a call to do some visual exploration for a new adult game going to market called "Partini." Hasbro was ready to go to print on all the materials, but they were unhappy with the 'game-play' cards. it was a quick turn job - everything went well, but I was surprised to see that the box top displayed a stock illustration from Shutterstock.com. I asked them if it was going to run 'as is', or if the stock art was merely a placeholder graphic. I was told that it was finished. I rendered a new illustration on spec and proposed it to them. It was too late. All the files had been approved and sent off to press. What you see below is the boxtop that went to press, and below that one, the one I proposed to them... complete with new logo. (Click images for Detail)

HASBRO:

TACTIX:

R•A•D Logo

2008-12-30T15:49:00.000-08:00

How do you design a logo for a construction and landscaping company located in Phoenix, Arizona? Hmmm... well, how's this? Below is the logo our client chose to rebrand their company. The old logo was a fairly literal translation of the town of Gilbert's logo (no fault of their own). We were more than happy to design them a new one. Rarely does a client choose the most conceptual option offered. We're shocked!

U.S. Postal Service Green "Pay It Forward" Ad

2008-12-19T13:51:00.000-08:00

With the USPS "greening" icons finished, focus turned to the corresponding print ads. This ad below was concepted by Brett Warkentien at Campbell-Ewald and illustrated by Paul Howalt here at Tactix. We submitted many tree explorations, and in the end, this one seemed to be the most fun while still maintaining a corporate feel. (Click Image Below for Detail)

U.S. Postal Service Green Choices Icons

2008-12-19T13:43:00.000-08:00

Campbell-Ewald needed us to design a set of icons that visually defined specific areas that the U.S. Postal Service was consciously "greening" up. Below are the icons that we came up with. They appeared on print ads promoting the new focus. (Click image below for detail)

Frost Orthodontics Skull T-Shirt - The Sequel

2008-12-17T13:05:00.000-08:00

You might remember the 'Frost Orthodontics Skull' posting a few days back. After reviewing Ed Hardy's work (the client referred his skulls to us for direction), we felt it looked a bit sloppy for reference material. We ended up submitting this version below with a new tagline in place... Here's hoping that they end up printing it. (Click Image for Detail)

* UPDATE:

There have been many comments about this T-Shirt being used by other Dental and Ortho practices in the Phoenix metro area. Let me clarify! - Using this this image without proper financial compensation and written permission is copyright infringement. We intend to pursue every instance of abuse!

Allstate Website Icons

2008-12-16T23:32:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we get calls from other designers who get into deadline conflicts for one reason or another. Von Glitschka, a good friend of ours, was in a bind with an icon job that we were more than happy to help out with. Von had already established an 'Allstate icon style' and finished half of an set - and now Allstate wanted more. What you see below is my rendering of the 14 additional icons that Von hired Tactix to design for their website. The funniest thing about this job is that Von and I had submitted competing bids at the onset of this very job many months previous... (click image for more detail)

New Balance Ads for BBDO Worldwide

2008-12-16T21:15:00.000-08:00

I received an urgent call one recent Thursday from our friend Mike Boulia, an art director at BBDO Worldwide in New York. He was pressed for time and needed two ad comps for New Balance turned in less than 24 hours. After the initial panic of a imminent deadline wore off, I enthusiastically responded "YES, of course!" I hung up the phone, put all other projects on hold and the Tactix team went to work. We explored new logos, icons and layout systems - all to support their central message: "54 points of Total Fit." There was no sleeping that night. Many caffeinated beverages were consumed, lots of sketches were scrapped, and in the end, these images below were the two comps that remained. (click images to see larger)

Tactix Gets Cited In GDUSA's Logo Trends, 2008!

2008-12-15T02:29:00.000-08:00

In April 2008, Bill Gardner (Founder of LogoLounge.com), in an article written for GDUSA (Graphic Design U.S.A.), cited Tactix Creative's work as a great example of one of a few emerging trends for the year. In the annual article, Gardner categorizes emerging trends of the year and labels them with an appropriate moniker. In our case, he saw Tactix as being a great example of how the "Amoeba" shape is being brought into logo design effectively in 2008.
If anyone can spot trends in logo design, it's Bill. His LogoLounge books (volumes 1-4) have been on Amazon's Best Seller list every year since it's conception, and his website www.LogoLounge.com now boasts over 100,000 uploaded logos for display, competition and study. The article about Tactix' trend setting can be found HERE.

Desktop Wallpaper

2008-12-15T01:26:00.000-08:00

We have an insanely large repository of stock art that we have generated over the years. It would be such a shame to see these illustrations and designs banished to the "Island Of Lost Art," so we will do our best to release the best of these pieces reformatted into Desktop Wallpaper for your ever-changing Mac Desktop moods. Click on an image below and download at will. (Each image is 1920px X 1200px) Oh, and Yes, you may purchase these images for extended use in any layout project you are working on... Give us a call for rates.

iPhone Wallpaper

2008-12-12T15:20:00.000-08:00

We at Tactix Creative are crazy about Apple products... more specifically, iPhones and iPods. Paul even runs a iPhone Wallpaper site in his 'spare' time called www.iPodPaper.com. Periodically we will do wallpaper images promoting Tactix or our capabilities. Here are a few below that do just that. Click on an image and take a little bit of Tactix Creative everywhere you go! We've also included some highlight imagery from the panning multiplane image at our homepage at TactixCreative, illustrated by the incomparable Rian Hughes.

Frost Orthodontics T-Shirt

2008-12-11T14:36:00.000-08:00

Frost Orthodontics of Mesa, Arizona hired us to create a t-shirt that appealed to the children who were patients of theirs. We wanted to design something conceptual, hip, stylized and unique... a t-shirt that no one else in town would be wearing. We thought this one would be a "slam dunk" success, however, they are wanting to see another comp - a more 'mainstream' looking 'tattoo' skull, referring to Ed Hardy. This is still an amazing t-shirt and is now officially 'UP FOR SALE' in case you are an orthodontist and want to do something fun for your patients... Call us. (Click Image for Larger Image)

* UPDATE: