Yes, it’s true. Jeff Fisher, the Engineer of Creative Identity for the Portland design firm Jeff Fisher LogoMotives, did in fact strip down to his underwear in making his recent 2004 HOW Design Conference presentation "The Savvy Designer’s Guide to Success." The session, which shared the title of Fisher’s upcoming HOW Design Books release, was part of the San Diego conference for design professionals and was attended by nearly 400 surprised designers.

Wearing a Jeff Fisher LogoMotives T-shirt, and black silk boxers provided by conference participant and photo/type retailer Veer, the designer shared snippets of information to be included in the book to be released later this year - including the fact that he occasionally works in his underwear in his home-based studio. The volume is currently available
for pre-sale through SavvyDesigner.com, which this fall will evolve into a web presence providing helpful design hints, industry anecdotes, links to book content contributors and a book excerpt.



The Savvy Designer's Guide to Success: Ideas and tactics for a killer
career is a somewhat irreverent look - based on the author's mantra of
"it's better to be a smart-ass than a dumb ass" - at the business of graphic design. Much of the text is from Fisher's own perspective on the industry after 25 years as a graphic designer. It also contains anecdotes and career lessons from individuals like Milton Glaser, Clement Mok, Jack Anderson, Art Chantry, Genevieve Gorder, Nigel Holmes, Jennifer Morla, Peleg Top, Ellen Shapiro, Petrula Vrontikis and nearly 100 other industry professionals. Creative Latitude members featured in the book include Habib Bajrami, Christopher Gee, Von Glitschka, Nigel Gordijk, Chuck Green, Karen Larson, Morgan Mann, John McWade, "Cat" Morley, Martha Retallick, Valarie Martin Stuart, Travis Tom and Neil Tortorella.

The book includes advice on the building blocks of a career, education options, what designers have learned in the "school of hard knocks," how to get more than your foot in the door in your quest for clients or a job, and various aspects of dealing with clients on projects. Communication issues are covered in some detail, as are establishing a business persona and the nitty-gritty issues of business - pricing, contracts and more. Marketing and promotion is a major topic in the book. In addition, a number of designers relate major career obstacles and how they were overcome - or avoided in the future. There’s also information on doing pro bono work, getting involved in the design community and basically trying to maintain some degree of sanity while working in the design profession. The book is full of industry-related quotes, business resources and materials to help designers be more successful as business people.

Jeff Fisher has received over 450 regional, national and international graphic design awards for his logo and corporate identity efforts. His work is featured in more than 65 publications on the design of logos, the business of graphic design, and small business marketing.

Fisher, a recent appointee to the HOW Magazine Editorial Advisory Board, was also recently named to the 2005 HOW Design Conference Advisory Council. Additional information about Jeff Fisher LogoMotives may be accessed at the designer’s web site at www.jfisherlogomotives.com.

NOTE: Photos by Creative Latitude member Karen Larson

Additional information about Jeff Fisher LogoMotives may be accessed at the designer’s web site at www.jfisherlogomotives.com

Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
PO Box 17155
Portland, OR 97217-0155

Phone: 503/283-8673
Fax: 503/283-8995
E-mail: jeff@jfisherlogomotives.com
Web Site: www.jfisherlogomotives.com
Hours: Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.