Pictorial Logos

In a career spanning more than 3 decades, Tracy Sabin has illustrated over 500 trademarks. "Pictorial Logos" examines the process of inventing the iconic part of a trademark, from early conceptual thinking, to brainstorming in pencil, to comping, to final realization.


From the foreword by Bill Gardner, founder of LogoLounge and Gardner Design:


There are master illustrators and there are logo designers. Seldom if ever does one individual possess the skills to create a marriage between the two. That person is Tracy Sabin. A name that baffled me for years as it showed up in the credits of only the very best work but for any number of studios or agencies. I believe Tracy to be one of the original hired guns of the identity world. A practicing enigma with chameleon skills, Tracy has never allowed himself to be labeled with a specific illustration style. That is not to say there isn’t a common thread, as the true signature is a remarkable level of excellence. I can only imagine the unaware will view this book and assume it is a compilation of many designers work. Contrast the eloquent one color draftsmanship of Brown Deer Press with the Giving Groves logo, reminiscent of vintage orange crate labels. See how wood engravings launched the seminal brand language for Deleo Clay Tile works. Stories behind every logo give a glimpse into the designer’s understanding of the craft; not only the inventive selection of analogous visuals to tell the perfect story, but the thought behind selecting the ideal medium to express the ideal soul of every mark.