Lucky. Thankful. Humble. Proud.

Michelle and I were going through our client and vendor list—prepping addresses to send Christmas cards and goodies—and we realized that local logo design has been a significant percentage of our workflow this year. While we provide many other creative services, we averaged two to three logos a month. That's quite a lot for such a small team, especially in a market the size of ours. The Parker Brand may be small, but we feel like we pack a punch that's not indicative of our size.

Michelle and I feel very blessed to have helped our clients develop new marks, or update old ones. The real joy has come in the collaboration with our clients. We take pride in the fact that we listen to our clients and put the input they give us to good use. We never blindly go off in a direction without first getting a strong idea of what they want their mark to accomplish. Of course, there's the added bonus of growing relationships with some really great people.

Many times our first set of designs have been approved with very few edit requests. I'll never get used to the way it feels to get that message saying "approved" after only one or two proofs. It's a feeling of pride, to be sure, but it's also humbling. When it really settles on you that your clients trust you... well, that's a powerful thing.

We thought it would be nice to collect the logos we've designed this year in one place. When I see this collection of logos I feel thankful for all of the clients that have hired Parker Brand this year. They've made it possible for us to continue doing the job that we love in the southwest Louisiana community we call home. The clients that trust us keep Michelle and I motivated. Their confidence in our brand pushes us to work harder and get better at what we do.

If we're currently working with you, or have worked with you this year, please accept our sincere thanks. If you have a business, organization, club, or manage an event in southwest Louisiana and you haven't worked with our brand, don't hesitate to contact us. We understand the challenges that small businesses face, and we're here to use our combined creative skills to help those in our area build stronger brands. That's our prime directive. That's all we do. Who knows? If you have a small business in southwest Louisiana maybe we can help you too, and if we can't then we'll help you find someone who can.

-Oran Parker

Posted via email from The Parker Brand Picture Post!

Related articles

• Small Thinking = Social Media Success (outspokenmedia.com)
• When Rival Brands Swap Logos (adweek.com)
• Bad Logo Designs (olgalf.wordpress.com)

Fusion Five's "Social Media 2.0" Is Almost Here!

What's an "Oran?" It's easy to find out. I'm all over the place! See where... Why not share this with your network? Share | "Social Media 2.0" is almost here! Have you sent in your RSVP? Fusion Five, a professional organization in Lake Charles, Louisiana, is hosting a Social Media Summit for Southwest Louisiana professionals. The event, titled "Social Media 2.0" is this Friday, August 27th at the Willis Noland Resource Center (The Chamber) from 2-4 pm. There was a great turn-out for last year's Social Media Summit, and it appears that Fusion Five is preparing for this to be a "standing room only" event, so please make sure you take a moment to RSVP. It was my pleasure to share "My Tweet Story" presentation with the attendees from last year's Social Media Summit. This year I'm really "egg"cited (I know, I know) to share my thoughts on using social media to develop your personal brand in my new presentation, "ID Thy Self: Using Social Media to Build the Brand of You." This is an "egg"cellent (Sorry!) presentation for those who are well versed in using social networks, and it's even better suited for a beginner who is interested in using the tools to step into the spotlight. After this presentation you'll have a better handle on how to identify the things that make you who you are, and learn how to use them to build and manage a strong personal brand... even if you have to break a few eggs in the process. So, what the heck should you be using Linked In for? Make sure you RSVP for the Fusion Five: Social Media 2.0 event to see Becky Girola's presentation, where she'll give us the Linked In low-down! This is sure to be an eye-opener for those of you who have a Linked In profile, but haven't quite put it to work just yet. I'm really looking forward to sharing what I've learned by putting Social Media to work for my personal brand over the past few years, and I know that Becky is pretty pumped as well. This should be a lot of fun for everyone, and a great professional networking opportunity. See you at the social! -Oran

ID Thy Self: Using Social Media to Build the Brand of You

View more presentations from Parker Brand Creative Services.

American Graphitti: Hulk vs. Thing!

I'm driving my kids to work this morning, taking our usual route past the scenic refineries (pretty much exhaust, trains and big trucks), and my daughter shouts out, "Look, Dad!" I whip my head over and what a treat for the eyes!

There, painted on the side of a box-car, in super-bright colors, was the Incredible Hulk about to throw down with the ever-lovin' Thing! I thought you folks might dig on it, so I pulled over and snapped a few pics.

These refineries don't like for people to pull over and take pics so I have to be quick.

I tried to stop and snap a picture of a Louisiana habitat mural painted on the side of  an oil tank once and was quickly run off by Citgo security.

Driving by the refineries every morning is a big time bummer. Nothing nice to see there. A graphitti treat like this is kind of rare, but it's really nice to see. In fact, a while back I posted some cool Space Ghost art from the same rail-yard.

I always wonder how long it takes to pull something like this off. I don't know much about graphitti art, but I imagine that the artists would have to be really quick, or the box-car would need to be in one place for a really long time. If anyone has any info this then I'd love to hear from you.

How To Make A Real Gumbo... Gumbo Gator, That Is.

A few months back made plans to work on a Parker Brand version of the Southwest Louisiana pop culture mascot Gumbeaux Gator. I posted this quick little sketch of my concept, along with a drawing I had done of the original Gumbeaux Gator, which was used as part of a t-shirt design I worked on.

I let is rest for a bit, but this past week I've been pecking along in the evenings, trying to work on the final pen and ink piece. If you've been following this blog then you've probably seen it go through it's various stages. I finished up the inking and ink wash before lunch today, and I wanted to share the final drawing with you.

I'm pleased with the way it turned out. I was trying to mimic my own style from the Monster Mash series I did this time last year. I used Pitt Artist Pens on that series and I used my Sable Brush on this. I was worried that they wouldn't look similar in style, but I think there is a close enough resemblance to satisfy me.

I've had a pretty good response from this piece, so I may be selling prints of it over at my Etsy Store before it's all said and done. I hope you all dig it. Now, on to the next sketchy victim.

A Gator On The Go

I started working on my Louisiana themed piece for the "Drawing Board" show (I posted the concept sketch at www.oranparker.com about a month ago). I needed a break from my western heroes' portraits, so I figured I'd peck on this for the rest of the week. I'll probably sink in at least an hour a night. I'll post the progress as I make it. Thanks for taking a look-see.

Posted via email from The Parker Brand Picture Post!

Southwest Louisiana Arts Camp 2010: Celebrating the Arts and the Creative Spirit for 30 Years

I've been sending my children to the Arts Camp in Southwest Louisiana for the past four years. The camp is held during the first month of summer, beginning the first week that school lets out for break. It's turned into something that they both really look forward to each year, counting down the days as school ends and art camp begins.

For the last two years the camp has been held on the campus of the Lake Charles Boston Academy for Learning. It is a much larger facility than in years past. As a parent of participating children, I think the move to this facility was smart, and I take it as a sign that the Camp has grown.

Each year, on the final day of camp, they hold an open-house event for everyone in the community to come and enjoy the campers' work on display. This year the bulk of the work was displayed in the campus gymnasium, which made the viewing experience all the more enjoyable.

It was really nice to see the large crowd come out. When you see the parents, families and children all gathered in one place to see their individual camper's work you really get a sense that there is something special happening with this program.

They had a nice refreshments area at the event last night. I saw this sign at the station, and it was then that I realized the camp had been around for 30 years. What an accomplishment!

In the same area, there was a display of 30 years of Arts Camp t-shirts. A t-shirt can be a small thing, but when you see them collected in one place like this you realize that you and your children are a part of something special. There is history there. 

I'm always excited each year to hear about my childrens' projects. They really seem to get into them, and I love the way they share the details when they get home. It's always such a treat to finally see their work. What they share with their words paints a mental picture, and I find that what I see in my minds-eye is never quite correct.

I usually sign my daughter up for cartooning and drawing, since that seems to be where her strengths and interests lie. Right now, she's really into wolves and manga style art, so much of what she produced reflects those affinities.

Samples of Lily's Work

My son, seems to have a different set of interests. He loves making craft-art, so I try to get him in the classes that focus on building things, or making art from other objects.

Samples of Jonah's Work

I feel extremely blessed to live in a community that offers a summer program for children that is so enriching, and I am even more grateful that my livelihood provides me with the means to send them each year. It brings them so much joy each summer. It would be truly heartbreaking for me if I were not able to provide this for them.

I believe that the Southwest Louisiana Arts Camp helps my children express themselves creatively, helping them grow into more well rounded individuals. It teaches them to use their imagination, and shows them that if they can think of something in their mind then they can make it real with their tools and hands. This camp also teaches them that there is a large community of creative people out there with good hearts and kind spirits. To me this is the most important lesson of all.

Soon, my daughter will be too old to attend the camp, so I hope to see her stay involved by working as an assistant, eventually volunteering her time to teach, like many of the art campers from the past. I believe that teaching children to live well, be smart, be kind and utilize the creative aspects of their mind is truly holy work. If my children are motivated to take that path in life, then I'll give my bones to the wind without a fight.

As I browsed the plethora of art, several individual pieces and displays really stood out to me. Some were simply attractive because of color, others design, and some skill. There were many that simply made me smile.
I've done my best to clump these favorites together. I hope the young artists, assistants and instructors will forgive my titles.

"Psychodelica"

"Hoot Masquerade"

"Under Sea Glass"

"Twitter Birds"

"Random-O-Rama"

These faves are only a small sampling of the work that was on display. I took a lot of pictures of the works at the event, and have put them into the gallery below. Take a minute and treat yourself to the creative goodness that is the result of the 2010 Southwest Louisiana Arts Camp.

If you're interested in seeing some of the work from the 2009 Art Camp, you can click over and see that gallery here.

Anybody Like Thumbnails In Their Gumbo?

It was about this time last year that I decided to start drawing and sketching again, after a 10+ year hiatus from the hobby (more on that here). Not longer after that, I drew these five monsters for a local art show at the Henning Cultural Center, titled "Chaos Theory."

I felt that I drew these creatures in a very specific way, and since that time I haven't taken the opportunity to revisit that style on any of my drawings.

This year, I was one of three men asked to be a part of another local art show at the Henning Cultural Center, titled "The Drawing Board." This time we were asked to provide a variety of very quick sketches and drawings, then work on three pieces that we would develop further into finished pieces.

One of the subjects is "Local Flavor." My concept for this Southwest Louisiana piece is actually based on a local icon called "Gumbeaux Gator," but I plan to re-imagine Gumbeaux, then draw him in the style of the monsters I created last year.

Gumbeaux was created years ago by a local artist, and since then I've been asked to draw him on a number of occasions for the Southwest Louisiana Convention and Visitors Bureau. I've done my best each time to emulate the style of the original artist (Marty Myers), but each time I've received criticisms that my Gumbeaux Gator looked to "mean" in the face, where Marty's Gumbeaux Gator was playful and fun. 

I've decided to take those criticisms and use them as the inspiration for my re-imagining of Gumbeaux. What would a talking, dancing, Louisiana gator really look like if he were to stand up-right, play music, and wear human clothes? Certainly, there have been many toon gators out there, so I'm not really re-inventing the wheel here. I'm just taking my specific style of creature creation, and applying it to a local pop-culture icon... and making him look mean.

As required by the gallery, here is the thumbnail sketch of my initial "real" Gumbeaux Gator concept, side-by-side with the recent ink drawing I did for the 2010 Washington Mardi Gras t-shirt design.

I plan to start the finished piece sometime this week. I'll post it once it's complete. I think it's going to be a really fun drawing to work on, and I'm pretty excited to be revisiting my monster style of illustrating. I hope you'll follow along for the creative process.