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Logo Design & Branding Oeuvre
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logos • vectors • brands • icons • stickers, badges, lanyards, patches, coins, & ephemera • packaging • exhibits • internet things • anything fit to print |
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Melanie Warner, Founder & Graphic ArtistMelanie Warner is an award-winning American graphic artist known for her logo design, illustration, and brand development for researchers, companies, and conferences in the cybersecurity space. She graduated from high school in Idaho and founded the graphic design firm Hotiron Creative in 2002. She designed for Fortune 100 companies and helped build a multimillion dollar luxury audio brand before joining BSides Las Vegas and designing almost exclusively in the information security community. Who I Am
I’m an artist who understands your industry. Hackers and artists share a common quality: imagination. Education is not enough to stop threat actors or drive progress. The ability to imagine what we cannot yet see is what sets us apart from machines. I admire the crucial role of security researchers, and I play well with the hacker mindset. I appreciate hackers for being uncommonly curious, hard-working, creative, resourceful, scrupulous, and lateral, divergent thinkers. They embrace the power of good design. As someone who manages to inject humor into otherwise mundane branding, together we can be a greater influence and have fun doing it. What I DoI turn ideas into memorable experiences. Like DNA, a single, powerful logo design drives the unifying graphic and color scheme and informs the creative direction for way-finding signage, online advertising, slide decks, and branded ephemera. From rich concept to sparkling execution, the impression lives on in the eyes and memories of those who were there. Everything I design is vector art: scalable, malleable, and economical. With brand guidelines, I provide assets and instructions for the brand visual language that help consequent design projects happen faster and look cohesive for maximum impact, including color codes thoughtfully formulated for fidelity across digital and analog media. I design with the end in mind, with skilled and detail-oriented production technique so that the final printed piece, imprinted product, or website matches the intent. I can help you sort out which solutions are going to help you the most. I love talking strategy, and it’s never too early in your planning phases to invite creative thinking to the table. Designing rad stuff for my clients gives me so much joy. I put my heart and soul into my work. I’ve helped several non-profits that help underrepresented talent advance their careers in infosec. Please consider supporting conferences that lift more than they climb. Let’s design a hotter brand. | ↓ BRASS TACKS ↓ |
Featured Clients
Absolve Security: Absolve Security logo Other ClientsAltum Strategy Group, Autonomic Controls, Bounce (P&G), BSides JXN, bugcrowd, Canon, Cedar Fair (FunTV), Cellular One, Chiquita Foods, Circle City Crossroads, Cincinnati Bell, ClearOne Communications, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, DEF CON Group 201, DEF CON: SpeakerOps, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Epson, F+W Media, HOW Magazine, hyperquake, Kodak, Krause Publications, Mead Westvaco, Memory Makers Magazine, North Light Books, NuVo Technologies, Ogilvy & Mather, OGIO, Procter & Gamble, RealTegrity NYC, S1Digital, SAP, SeaPak, Slack, Writer’s Digest Special Projects
Honorable Mentions
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I am humbled by the kind things people have said about my work. Here are some of those words. |
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Melanie has a great eye for design and a heart for the information security community. She has the ability to tie several themes in her designs and logos to tell a story. She created the design for the BSidesJackson 2016 logo, incorporating music themes along with hacking themes that perfectly represented the conference. I highly recommend Melanie to anyone looking for creative and meaningful designs in the security industry.
brilliant She’s brilliant and can do anything and do it beautifully. razor-sharp strategy
Melanie has an incredible grasp of brand strategy within--and beyond--design. Part brand designer, part marketing sherpa, she offers clients razor-sharp strategic thinking, guiding them to new, effective levels of integrated branding. Her special passion for technology helps tech clients hit the ground running without that grinding climb of the learning curve. organized creative leader
Melanie is an artful, organized, and detail-oriented creative leader. She is skillful in pursuing collaborative endeavors and always aims to achieve the best results for any challenge she faces while also listening to outside perspective as a means to arrive at the best solution. Her creative skill, experience, and expertise and sense provides a clear articulation of ideas which makes her a well-rounded, design-driven entrepreneur who is always hungry for the next big opportunity. build something meaningful
Melanie has great design approach and the drive to build something meaningful. perfectionist
If I have to describe Melanie in one word, she is a perfectionist. Her attention to detail is hard to go unnoticed even if you are with her on non work related things. Her thoughts about Technology and entrepreneurship always echoed mine. We went to meetup groups, always chat about the next wave of technology and generally talk about how to constantly update/retool ourselves to keep pace with technology. She never sees an issue or a task as a single encapsulated entity but how it fits in the overall picture and that I think is very important quality that hardly gets noticed. an invaluable partner Melanie is responsible for the identity of my company - she worked in her beautifully intuitive way to create just what I needed for my logo, web design, and all of the elements of design for the interior and exterior of my first book. She has been an invaluable partner. meets challenges head-on
Melanie is smart, very talented, and possesses a deep knowledge of human centered design and user experience. She is very comfortable meeting technical challenges head-on, is a resourceful collaborator, and is deeply curious about how things work. She has a tireless work ethic and is always committed to getting things done and having a real impact. knowledge of branding
Melanie has been a guest lecturer in my NYU course on "Positioning & Brand Development" several times, as well as an advisor on my brand consulting work. While her background is mainly in graphic design, she is unique for her comprehensive, yet practical knowledge of marketing and branding and her extraordinary creative talents. Compared to most designers who just focus on artful executions, Melanie starts with the brand concept and creates new themes and ideas that reflect the core brand personality and impression, so that ALL touchpoints and communication vehicles consistently reflect the brand message. The holistic impact is captivating and memorable. Melanie would be an ideal advisor to any company seeking a fresh creative approach to re-position a brand and/or market their product or services successfully. |
I like that you create. amazing designer
[Melanie] is an amazing designer who makes some amazing $#!t dedication unlike anyone
Melanie is one of the very few people I've worked with that I would recommend to anyone. Her design sense, attention to detail and most importantly, her immense dedication is unlike anyone I've worked with. top-quality work
Talented, knowledgeable, thoroughly professional. Melanie’s always delivered top-quality work for us, and I'd gladly hire her again. immaculate craft
Melanie's attention to detail and immaculate craft in production was really a lifesaver. She's definitely a pleasure to work with. a dream to work with
Melanie has been a dream to work with on every project and position she has accepted from Creatives On Call. She provides our clients with great design options and provides the reps at Creatives On Call with peace of mind that the clients will be thoroughly satisfied. I would recommend her time and time again. expertise in branding
I cannot recommend Melanie highly enough for her creativity and expertise in the area of brand design. She listens closely and offers more than one concept after thoroughly interviewing the client to assess the client’s vision of their business and its future. Hotiron Creative is a highly professional, yet thoroughly personable company to work with! out-of-the-box thinker
Melanie is a very creative person. She's incredibly talented and very good at what she does. She's extremely passionate about design and everything design-related as well as a typography expert (a.k.a. typography geek). She's open minded and very intelligent. Has a great personality and is someone you want to know. I would recommend anyone who has the chance to meet her, to do so, as she has a whole lot to offer in terms of personality and creativity. She's truly an out-of-the-box thinker. superb production skills
Melanie's production and prepress skills are superb. She has a strong attention to detail and the ability to meet even the most pressing deadlines. It is always a pleasure to work with her. professional, passionate
I have known Melanie Warner for two years as a business associate and fellow member of AIGA Cincinnati. Melanie is a highly professional, ethical and passionate designer. She offers clients truly creative solutions to a variety of visual communication needs. Her design savvy distinguishes her work offering sophisticated graphic concepts to her clients. She is an active member of AIGA Cincinnati participating and supporting events and programs that promote the field of design and give back to the community at large. logo I’m getting tattooed
It's f@¢%ing sexy. I'll have you know, that is the logo. THAT logo is the one I am getting tattooed on me. incredibly talented
Melanie is an incredibly talented designer. She can take an industry she isn't very familiar with and can create an identity that meets her client’s every need. |
I mean, if you want the gold standard, [Melanie] is it! the answer
The answer to logo designers is always [Melanie] exactly what you need
Melanie is extremely talented. What I value most about designers are those who can take a creative brief and breathe new life into an otherwise run-of-the-mill project. Her designs are sophisticated and she pays attention to every single detail. Moreover, she's extremely pleasant to work with and in this fast-paced, high-stress business. Melanie is exactly what you need! part of the client’s team
Melanie works as part of the client’s team. When freelancing for Memory Makers Books, she was a creative problem-solver and an excellent communicator, working with us to figure out how we could get the jobs done together, either on tight budgets or tight deadlines or both. I feel confident entrusting her to projects because I know they will be done well and on time. Highly recommended. overwhelming feedback
Melanie is an expert in the graphic design field, so much so that we not only interviewed her for an article about design on Cincy Chic, we let her write the entire article from a subject matter expert standpoint because we value her expertise and credibility so much. The article got an overwhelming amount of positive feedback and is still one of most read/searched-for articles on our Web site. I recommend Melanie to anyone who wants to hire a leader and expert in the design industry. emphasis on client needs
Melanie is a super sharp and creative marketer who puts more emphasis on client needs and objectives versus just good design. Once she knows her clients, she then creates outstanding designs that represent them perfectly. I gladly recommend her. produces successfully
I have known Melanie for quite awhile and recently had the opportunity to produce a printing project for her. She did an outstanding job making sure we had everything we needed to produce the job successfully, such as properly prepared computer files, mockups, and clear instructions. She is very conscientious, is quite knowledgeable, and pays very close attention to all the details. Melanie is definitely the person you should work with if you want to make sure your project is a success. I look forward to continue working with her in the future. style, chemistry, flexibility
Melanie shows creativity, style, skill, chemistry, reliability, flexibility, and speed. She works hard at getting it right and attention to detail. Truly enjoyed working with her! versatile + creative artist
Melanie is one of the most versatile and creative artists I know. Her work is both beautiful and modern and she has a real knack for expressing complex ideas in a clean design. keen eye for type + color
I hired Melanie to perform an array of design tasks as part of a very fast-paced new magazine launch. She delivered what I needed--and then some--on time and always with an awareness of how the work was going to be incorporated into the whole. She has a keen eye for type and color, great attention to detail, and is dedicated to delivering superior work. |
Melanie is a legend; best artist in our industry. creates beauty
You create beauty. extremely pleased
Melanie for the past two years has designed our invitation and reply card and we have been extremely pleased with the results. She works was able to secure a paper donation and helped keep the cost down on each invitation. In the non-profit world that is huge. I would recommend Melanie to anyone wanting superior work. unparalleled work ethic
Melanie went above and beyond on a recent project we worked on. I asked her to do "X" and she completed "Y" and "Z" before I had even thought of them! She's extremely proficient at design and her work ethic is unparalleled. detail, integrity, dedication Melanie took on a deep project [Bounce, P+G] with fine detail and artistic integrity, and helped us put a strong product redesign on shelf with a great new look, and we couldn't have done it without her dedication. Her attention to detail through both the creative and production process was phenomenal. professional acumen
As President of AIGA Cincinnati, I have had the opportunity to interact with Melanie Warner on multiple occasions; most recently Melanie offered her insight and professional acumen having been chosen as a select participant in this year's Roundtable Discussion. AIGA Cincinnati has utilized the annual roundtable discussions as an effective way to gather and focus feedback from members at the local level on issues that are addressed while later meeting collectively at the local and national level. on time + on budget
Melanie is a highly creative individual who always comes up with excellent concepts and follows through with great attention to even the smallest details. She has always delivered on time and on budget. attention to detail
Melanie is an excellent designer and has a tremendous attention for details. She produces an excellent product and is a strong advocate for her customers. We enjoy working with Melanie. makes graphic sense of it all
Melanie is able to take a general idea, and make graphic sense of it all. She is detail oriented, EASY to work with, creatively sound, and brings structure to almost every situation into which she is placed. I would heartily recommend Melanie as a design resource at pretty much every level. fabulous logo design
Melanie did a FABULOUS logo design and ad layout work. Very well done. amazing layouts that sell
Melanie designed some amazing magazine layouts on really short notice for me when I worked at Writer's Digest. She also designed several entire special-interest publications for me, again, on really short notice. The SIPs had a very fresh, modern look and, as such, sold quite well. |
I LOVE the BSides Las Vegas logo and am excited to meet artist [Melanie] today! Love her description: “The solarpunk themes and retro psychedelia/folk-art style represent aspects of the hacker mindset: self-taught curiosity, DIY resourcefulness, right-to-repair autonomy and moral conscientiousness.” knowledgeable, creative
Melanie is a fantastic graphic artist. Besides her amazing graphic art skills, she is an amazing Mac operator. Our company was having some challenges with a few of our Macs and she went above and beyond and was able to figure out the problem, which was no small task. She is a very personable, detailed and knowlegeable creative person. I would hire her again without hesitation. creative problem-solver
Melanie is an outstanding designer, with great creative problem-solving abilities. She is very knowledgeable about technology and production as well, so her designs are not only beautiful but effectively produced. It is also a pleasure working with her. I would highly recommend Melanie as a design professional. innovative concepts
Melanie did a great job of coming up with an innovative concept, working within my budget, and meeting the production schedule. Her work is getting compliments from my consulting peers. among the best designers
Melanie is among the best graphic designers to work with. She not only does an excellent job with graphic design, I also relied on Melanie to be a project manager. I felt comfortable with Melanie being in charge of our largest client base, finding the right look/feel for the project, getting it done on time and in a professional manner. Great results, personable, expert in her field, excellent value, on time, high integrity and creative. Her attention to detail is remarkable and I highly recommend her. ads that get results
I recommend Melanie to ALL my clients that need ads designed both for print and online properties. She is prompt, her ads create results and all my clients have expressed gratitude for recommending her. meets deadlines + budget
Melanie has completed multiple magazine projects for Writer's Digest. She's project-oriented, creative and consistently meets deadline and budgetary guidelines. production, photography
Melanie is a hardworking professional who can efficienlty and effectively manage projects. She's very knowledgable about her craft and her attention to detail make her an asset for any design project. Her talents are many, from design, layout, digital production to photography, she approaches them all with the same artistic eye. professional + creative
I have had the opportunity of working with Melanie as a co-worker at Hyperquake and as a contractor for Hotiron Creative. Her level of professionalism and creativity made working with her a pleasure. I look forward to future collaborations and would highly recommend her to others. listens + understands
Melanie is a wonderful creative with the capacity to listen and understand what her clients want. Her work is on target and on message. |
What You Get with Logo Design
What You Need to Know
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Things I’ll Do for MoneyDesign the logo, make the logo bigger, convert the logo into a vector format, strait-laced branded materials, visual identity systems and guidelines, book covers, coins, crests, stickers, ephemera, media kits, corporate stationery, sales materials, business forms, templates, packaging, product graphics, icons, diagrams, vector illustration, exhibits, art direction, photography/creative direction, publications, web and mobile interfaces, email marketing, presentations, slide decks, social media, promotional items, ads, mediocre copywriting, and concept-driven, integrated marketing campaigns, served straight-up, dry, and with a twist. Things Beyond the Scope of DesignWeb/UI front-end development, maintenance, tech support, coding, copywriting, audio, video, animation, learning how to use your tools, teaching you or your staff, fixing your current branding system, extraneous meetings, participating in your Slack/Discord, pass-through expenses, business consulting, therapy, or travel. |
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How to Hire Hotiron CreativeI kindly request that new clients complete the project questionnaire. After I receive your responses, we’ll get together on the phone, then I’ll give you a cost estimate. Your answers to the questionnaire help me get to the heart of what you need. You have all the answers, and it’s my job to ask the right questions. After all, “knowing is half the battle.” Please review the full questionnaire ahead of time, then get in touch. What to ExpectIt’s not magic; it’s basically the engineering design process, but with fewer occupational hazards. After we agree on a budget, timeline, and Statement of Work, I’ll write a creative brief. I’ll work according to the brief, then we’ll compare my deliverables to the brief. (Step 3: Profit!) |
How to Pay
NOTE: I’m not in a financial position for discounted work. Hotiron Creative, LLC is a professional business service run by one artist financially supporting a mother in memory care. |
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Design a hotter brand |
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©2002–2024 Hotiron Creative | All trademarks are property of their respective owners and are used with permission. | +1 646 414 4114 | Text | Email | Blog | → PROJECT QUESTIONNAIRE |
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“It took me a few seconds to draw it, but it took me 34 years to learn how to draw it in a few seconds.” — Paula Scher |
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