Darlene the Artist

If you are curious to know the story of how TSR’s Wizard face logo came into being, I discuss the design process in a little-known Wisconsin publication. In the fall of 1980, TSR Hobbies, Inc. wanted to update its logo. Along with two other artists, I was invited to submit eight logo designs to replace the little wizard man logo. From those 24 submissions, a TSR committee assembled to select the winning design.

My article, “A Personal Experience with Logo Design,” published in Scripsit(1), was written to provide tips to practising novice calligraphers venturing into logo design for the first time. “Relating calligraphic elements into the design of logo types is certainly challenging,” I admit and go on to explain: “This article means to relay my own thoughts and experiences concerning the nature of designing a logo.”

As a part of my discussion of the creative process I use–as one of many examples–those eight logo submissions I made to the TSR committee in October, 1980.

I don’t know how many people may remember that the final 1980 TSR’s Wizard Face logo was a combination of the lettering style from my Submission #2 with the pictorial elements from my Submission #5.

Here is a pdf of the entire article.

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(1) DARLENE, “Personal Experience with Logo Design,” Scripsit, The Wisconsin Calligraphers’ Guild Newsletter, Autumn 1980, Volume 2 Number 4, pp 5-9.