The dean of the Chicago Swordplay Guild opened up a gym, and his business partners wanted to extend the CSG’s existing heraldry to include this new enterprise.
This is a special use logo illustrating the relationship between these two separate businesses. It was also turned into patches for sewing on jackets and other gear. Working on this project and coming to understand some of the traditional components of heraldry reminded me how old branding really is, and that graphic design was around long before it had a name.
The existing Chicago Swordplay Guild heraldry appears on a green, inverted triangle. By adding Forteza as a second triangle, the combined branding created a diamond shape, which in heraldic parlance is referred to as a lozenge. Other homages to the original CSG heraldry were added for the new business coat of arms as well. The white griffin is mirrored by an athlete. The green shield with waves, representing lake Michigan, was balanced by a burgundy castle shape, a reference to the name Forteza (fort, strength). The waves of brick represented the walls of the studio, a converted warehouse space. Crenelations on the castle are actually kettle bells, referencing the fitness programs at the gym, and also referencing the pints of beer hidden along the top of the CSG shield. And lastly, the white swords reflected the white feathers of the first logo, because the roots of Forteza lays in the growth of the swordplay guild, evolving from its parks and recreation days, to needing it’s own salle.
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