Some New API Evangelist Art

When I first started API Evangelist I spent two days trying to create a logo. I then spent another couple days trying to find a service to create something. Unhappy with everything I produced, I resorted to what I considered a temporary logo, where I just typed a JSON representation of the logo, mimicking what a JSON response for calling a logo through an API might look like. Seven years later, the logo has stuck, resulting in me never actually invested any more energy into my logo.

The API Evangelist imagery is long overdue for an overhaul. I stopped wearing the logo on my signature black t-shirts a couple years back, and I do not want to reach the 10 year mark before I actually do anything new. My logo, and the other artwork I’ve accumulated over the last several years played their role, but I’m stoked to finally begin the process of evolving some artwork for API Evangelist. To help me move the needle I’ve began working with my friend Bryan Mathers (@BryanMMathers), where I have experienced his Visual Thinkery induced journey, where he generates image ideas by engaging in a series of conversations. Producing some whimsical, colorful, and entertaining images for anything he can imagine out of our discussions. It is something I’ve experienced as part of our parent company Contrafabulists, and stoked to experience as part of my API Evangelist work.

Bryan doodled the butterfly image while we were talking, and didn’t anticipate it would be the one I’d choose to be the logo. Honestly, at first I didn’t think it was logo quality, but after spending time looking and thinking about, I feel it suits what I’m doing very well. It still has the technical elements in the brackets in the wing outline, and the digital or pixel nature of the color in the wings, but is moving beyond the tech and represents the natural, more human side of things I would like to emphasize. The logo represents my API Evangelist ideas, and what I want them to be when I put them out there on my blog, and in my other work.

At first, a butterfly didn’t feel like Kin Lane, but I’m not creating a Kin Lane logo. I am creating an API Evangelist logo. When you think about the caterpillar to a butterfly evolution, and even the butterfly effect, it isn’t a stretch to apply all of this to what I work to do as the API Evangelist. I’m just looking to plant ideas in people’s heads with my work. I want my ideas to grow, expand, and take flight on their own. Making an impact on the world. I enjoy seeing my ideas fluttering around, adding color, adding motion, and presence around the API community. At the moment where I couldn’t imagine any image to represent API Evangelist, Bryan was able to extract a single image that I think couldn’t better represent what it is I do. #VisualThinkery

Bryan has created a horizontal, and vertical logo for me, using the butterfly. He’s also created a handful of stamps, and supporting images for my work. I will be sharing these other elements out as part of my storytelling, and see if I can find places for them to live more permanently somewhere on my network of site(s). Luckily, my website is pretty minimal, and the change of logo works well with it. I’m pretty happy with the change, and the introduction of color. Thanks Bryan for the work. I’m a little sad to retire my other logo, but it has run its course. I’ll still use it as a backdrop / background in some of my social profiles, and other work, as I think it reflects the history of API Evangelist. However, I am pretty stoked to finally have some new art for API Evangelist, that adds some new color to my work.