Logo design and custom wordmarks

A good logo is often just a few letters, drawn very well. That's where my type design training adds real value. Through my studio, Sister, I design wordmarks, logos and lockups for organisations in Auckland and across New Zealand, and I can work with you wherever you are. Every curve and space is considered and finished properly, on budget and without big-agency timelines.

Start-ups and new businesses that need their first proper logo. Established organisations whose mark has started to feel dated or needs optimising for scale. Agencies that want a type specialist on a logo project. And anyone who needs extra versions of an existing logo, like an anniversary lockup or a sub-brand.

• a custom wordmark or logo, drawn from scratch and finished in professional type design software
• lockups: stacked, horizontal and with a tagline or sub-brand
• special-edition lockups, such as a centenary or campaign version
• colour, mono and reversed versions, sized to work from a favicon to a billboard
• final files in the formats you need, plus usage guides

We start with a conversation about your organisation, your audience and where the logo will live. I sketch and explore a few directions, then we choose one and I refine the letterforms, spacing and details until it holds up at every size. You deal with me directly the whole way through, wherever you're based. Your feedback goes straight to the person drawing your logo, so nothing gets lost and things keep moving. I'm easy-going about the process and fussy about the details, which is the right way round.

Most logos are mainly lettering, and small details like the curve of a bowl or the space between two letters decide whether a logo feels right. I trained in typeface design at Type@Cooper and draw letters in Glyphs and Robofont, the same tools typeface designers use. So your wordmark is designed letter by letter, not just typed.

• KM Industrial Automation: a modular-letterform logo and a black and white system
• Cawthron: an identity evolution and a 100-year centenary lockup (with True)
• Nestled: a logo within a new brand identity
• Erskine Owen: logo and brand refresh concepts (with True)
• Te Anau Lakefront Backpackers: type lock-ups and iconography across signage and web (with Brand + Butter)

What's the difference between a logo and a wordmark?

A wordmark is a logo made purely from your name, drawn as lettering. A logo can also include a symbol or icon. Many strong brands use a wordmark on its own, and that's where my type training is most useful.

Can you create an anniversary or special-edition version of our logo?

Yes. For Cawthron I designed a 100-year centenary lockup that sits alongside their main identity. Special lockups work best when they're designed as part of the family, not as an add-on.

Do you work with clients outside New Zealand?

Yes. I work remotely from my studio in the Waitākere Ranges, so I can work with clients across New Zealand and wherever you are. We can meet on Microsoft Teams, or catch up for a coffee if you're local.

Need a logo or wordmark that's truly yours?