Another month, another member to take our “Center Stage.” For December, we talked to graphic designer and illustrator, Sean Heisler. Based in Gretna, Nebraska, Sean has quickly distinguished himself as a designer to watch, with his passion and success in logo design and identity branding.
Tell us a little about yourself, your background and your work?
I’m a midwesterner who was born and raised in South Dakota and I currently reside in the Omaha, Nebraska area. I am married and have three kids. I received a BFA degree from Iowa State University in Graphic Design. I’m currently an Art Director at Webster in Omaha where I work on logo design, branding, web, environmental, print and more. In addition to my day gig I also tackle a bit of work of my own in the evenings and on weekends to help keep me sharp and fuel my passion for design. While I love working on all kinds of design and the challenges I am presented, I have a passion and love for logo design. I’m also a music enthusiast and a drummer.
When did you know a career in design was for you? How did you come into this profession?
While I had an interest in artistic and creative things when I was a child, I can’t say it was anything that was obvious I was destined for. In college I did have an interest in design and found myself going towards architecture and landscape architecture but found it wasn’t for me and decided to see if graphic design was something that was a fit. I loved the initial graphic design classes I took and based on how well I did in these classes I quickly realized this was my calling. I’ve always been into geometry, I’m sort of technical and liked math in school and so that combined with the interest I had in creating things I realized graphic design was a good fit for me. After graduating I landed a job here in Omaha at Webster and so here I am.
According to your website, your passion and specialty lies with logo design and branding? What makes them special to you?
I think I’ve always enjoyed very simple things and I enjoy minimalism. One of the aspects of my personality is I like to find the root, I like to get to the core and boil things down to a simple explanation. I’m also a bit of an investigator as well and very analytical. I think all of these aspects lead toward my love of logo design. One aspect of logo design is simplification. When you create a successful and unique mark that’s very simple yet communicates something more profound it doesn’t get much better than that for me. While a logo design is just one element of branding, it’s often an element that can visually drive other elements of a brand and so by extension I love branding. I love creating a system or visual language which becomes the brand. The shapes, patterns, typography, style, photography, compositions and everything that comes with creating a company brand is something I really enjoy doing.
When you start a logo project, where do you draw your inspiration?
I typically focus on key words and especially adjectives that come out of the creative brief and discussion with the client and then research imagery that reflects those words. I collect those images into a series of boards and then draw inspiration from them to generate ideas. Sometimes I’ll catch something inspirational out in the wild and snap a quick picture or quickly screen grab something I randomly come by on the internet that’s pertinent.
What work or works are you most proud of?
Last year I was fortunate enough to have designed the new logo for Turner Broadcasting’s cable channel TBS, which was a great experience and a lot of fun to work on. It is the most high profile logo that I have designed. The Killed Productions logo I designed has garnered a lot of accolades in social media. A while back I worked on a hard bound pop up book for donors commemorating the opening of the Holland Performing Arts in Omaha that was awesome to work on. It was recognized as one of 30 standout pieces designed by Iowa State University alumni over the last 30 years.
How would you describe your style? What makes you stand out from other designers?
I’ve been told by other designers that I have a style but sometimes it’s hard for me to pinpoint exactly what my style is. I am generally known for simplicity and at times a more minimalistic approach. My work tends to be structured and geometric. I like to use simple shapes to create imagery and illustrations and that may be a defining element of a style I might have. Because I have never been a very good fine art illustrator I have found ways to be resourceful and utilize simple geometric shapes to create illustrative elements. In the more recent past I think my designs that utilize a mono-line style have become a hallmark of my style as well. I also put a lot of effort into balance, composition and kerning which often results in a very clean, tight and more precise design which may be another hallmark of my style.
Can you tell us about a project you are currently working on and how it’s going?
I’m currently working on what I consider an ongoing project for Zendesk where I have created nearly two dozen logo designs for many of their internal, departmental teams. They utilize a mono-line style in their brand which I have been fortunate enough to help shape and so it’s been a lot of fun. It’s been challenging because I’ve worked directly with department team members and often these are software developers and engineers within Zendesk who are very technical and haven’t been through a process like developing an identity. Everyone I have worked with has been great though and it’s been a blast!
Do you have any advice for designers out there, whether they be just starting out or have been in the biz for years?
I would say as a designer you must keep pushing yourself. Stay fresh, challenge yourself, push yourself outside your comfort zone, practice your craft and get yourself out there and interact with other designers on social. Don’t give up or settle, take that extra step to produce exceptional work. Always produce work that has meaning and depth, and not just aesthetic. Don’t forget to sketch your ideas!
How would you define success? Any tips on how to be successful in the design industry?
Tough question but I would say it’s a number of things. I define success by how happy I am doing my job and I’m very happy with what I’m doing. I also find success in seeing my design skills, solutions and problem solving getting better and better over time. I find success in seeing the work I do helping a client successfully achieve their goals. I find success in seeing clients, and even my peers, take delight in seeing my work. I find success in being able to help financially support my family.
What would be a dream project and/or client for you?
This is tough, there are so many! I’ve always wanted a chance to do some work for Target, that’s one brand in particular. I would love to do retail branding and high end product packaging. I’ve branded a couple restaurants and I would love to do more of that as well. I’m a big craft beer fan and would love to do some beer packaging!
Click here to see what logos Sean has uploaded to the Lounge. To see more of his work, visit Sean’s website here. Stay tuned next month, as we bring you January’s featured member article.