Leslie Haines Design

Nashville is the base for this graphic design studio, which pairs commissioned identity work with the owner's own art and illustration.

Identity work that begins with an interview

Logo and identity projects start with a one-to-one interview in which the designer learns about the business, its competitors, the outcome the client wants and its target audience. That research becomes a creative strategy, which the client and designer review together before any design work begins. The site puts its philosophy simply: know the client and their needs before putting pen to paper.

A radio station identity built for every medium

One example is the identity for an Americana radio station, which the site calls the area's only one of its kind. The logo had to work from merchandise to social media, so the brand used letterpress type and a shared color palette across the logo, the ads and the signage. The same body of work covered a music festival, with logo, merchandise, signage and advertising.

Campaign artwork for a free speech education group

The studio designed advertising for a national First Amendment education campaign run by The Free Speech Center. Ads that featured celebrities appeared in print and on the web, and strong color was used to draw the viewer in and carry a theme across the campaign. When misinformation about COVID-19 spread, the studio made imagery that pointed viewers to a reliable news source, using short direct copy and close-up photographs of people wearing masks. The same imagery appeared as banners on the organization's website.

Nonprofit work at reduced or pro bono rates

The designer says that using design skill for the public good has long been a goal, and that many nonprofit clients have been served at a reduced or pro bono rate. The organizations named on the site include the Tennessee Breast Cancer Coalition, Donate Life Tennessee, Kids Global Outreach, the Nashville Film Festival, Water City USA and the Metro Nashville Arts Commission. Other projects listed include a lettering piece, an arts alliance and a Tennessee artisan market.

Animal Abecedary and the portrait series

Animal Abecedary is an alphabet series that turns an ordinary alphabet book into unusual and amusing pairings. It is built from letterpress type, engravings, original drawings, found objects, photography and old book pages, and it is available as a hardcover book with a poster, as well as prints, cards and t-shirts. Two of its pieces were accepted into a juried print exhibition in Queensland, Australia, and an international books blog featured the series. Separate personal work includes a portrait series of breast cancer survivors that has been shown at a Nashville airport.

Editorial design and small-format publishing

The studio also does editorial work and has art directed magazines from scratch. One example uses type as shape in a magazine feature on Florida beaches. A small-format New York publication was written, photographed and designed by the same person, and each issue was printed on uncoated paper stock.

Leslie Haines Design is the studio of a Nashville graphic designer and artist. It combines client design work, such as logos, identities and advertising, with personal art projects and exhibitions.

Products and services

• Logo and identity design: starts with a one-to-one client interview covering the business, competitors and audience, followed by a written creative strategy.
• Advertising design: campaign artwork, including work for a national First Amendment education campaign.
• Book design: including the studio's own hardcover alphabet book, Animal Abecedary.
• Event branding: logo, merchandise, signage and ads for a music festival and a local radio station.
• Fine art series: portraits of breast cancer survivors, shown at Nashville International Airport in 2019.

Key facts

• Based in: Nashville, Tennessee, United States
• Recognition: two Animal Abecedary pieces were accepted into an international print exhibition in Queensland, Australia
• Products: prints, cards and t-shirts from the art series are sold