Brand Interview: Leon Zernitsky, Artist and Illustrator

By Susan March 5, 2012 art, Blog, Brand-Interviews 1 Comment

Brand Interview: Leon Zernitsky, Artist and Illustrator

How long has your company been in business and tell us a bit about your company’s mission and goals…
I am a graduate of the Moscow State University of Printing Arts and since 1980 I’ve been creating illustrations for international magazines, book publishers and major corporations like IBM, Sony, McDonalds, Adobe, Hilton, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and many other clients around the world.

Do you donate to charities? Tell us about that also and why.
Yes, I usually donate time and work to some non-profits and have been doing so for many years like Jewish organizations: Maon Noam, JRCC, Ner Israel, etc.

How did you know what typeface (font) would be right for your company wordmark or logo? If your logo has an illustration, describe why that art was the right thing, animal, place, object, etc.
There have been so many different logotypes for Zernitsky Illustration over the years. I consider myself an artist illustrator, and I like to think that my logo reflects this.

How did you decide on the right color palette to fit your company look and feel?
The color palette to any painting or illustration should work with the idea of the art.

How did you decide which type of designer to work with, or did you design your own identity and web presence?
I designed my own brand and everything that goes along with it, that is after all what I do. I am a designer and illustrator.

In what order did you present your company to the world? Did you start with marketing and products, or website, blog and social media?
As we know, there was no world wide web or social media in 1989. We relied on referrals, running around with a traditional portfolio and word of mouth. I built my own website some time in the mid 90s and have been involved with social media only in the last year.

How long after the launch of your company did you start pitching in social media?
I have been involved with Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn only starting from the last year.

Did you do research or study any software, take webinars, teleclasses, before approaching any area of your marketing or web presence?
Yes, I take webinars, webclasses and study and use needed software before approaching my marketing projects. I also hired a promotional service agency to help me to do it right.

Do you advertise locally in newspapers and/or nationally in magazines? Are they effective?
My printed images on packaging, posters, books, magazines, ad campaigns do most of my advertising. In the 90s, I advertised in hard copy creative directories, like everyone else, but they are all dead now. Then I used web directories for illustrators but they became very overcrowded and don’t work as good as before, so I use technologically new, affordable and effective methods and help me in the best way to showcase my style to potential clients.

Do you advertise online using Google, Facebook or on other company sites? Are they effective?
Professional design and illustration services to media and don’t deal directly with the public, so these sites don’t work here.

Did you know anything about different types of papers, when you wanted to print your marketing materials?
I don’t usually print any hard copy marketing materials, only sometimes (when client needs it) I use old reprints from the creative directories, I have thousands of them.

Have you ever used “green” technology in printing, using FSC certified papers or recycled paper and if not, how likely are you at trying this on a next project?
This question is to my clients. I just make the images!

If you sell products, are they produced in the USA or abroad?
Some in USA, some abroad.

Is there anything you haven’t yet tackled, but will want to do soon?
During my long artistic career I have done many projects in almost any art medium : mosaic art, murals, stained glass, metal sculpture, fine art, design, thousands of images. I think now I would like to write and illustrate children books about my memories from my childhood in a small Russian Jewish shtettle…