John Casado

In 1988, Casado became a professional photographer, shooting advertising and fashion photographs. His photographs have been in exhibits at galleries across the United States, and some of his photographs are in the permanent collection at the New Orleans Museum of Art.

In 1979, Casado developed and designed the stencil-effect logo for women's apparel company Esprit. In 1981, he moved to San Francisco, focused primarily on corporate work. He designed the branding trademark of the first Macintosh computer, introduced in 1984, for Tom Hughes, Steve Jobs and Apple. Often referred to as the "Picasso logo", its style was actually inspired by Matisse. Casado's original drawings of the logo are archived at The Art Center College of Design. He also designed the New Line Cinema logo.

Casado started his own design firm with his then-wife Barbara in 1970. He met Christopher Whorf, art director for Warner Bros. Records, and that relationship opened the door for Casado to do projects with Warner Bros., Capitol Records, A&M Records, United Artists and many smaller labels. He designed the Grammy Award-winning album cover for Mason Proffit’s Come and Gone (1973), art directed by Whorf. In 1978, he created the iconic logotype for The Band and The Last Waltz album and film, directed by Martin Scorsese and featuring appearances from Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison and others. During that time, he also created a Warner Bros. Records sampler album, featuring Frank Zappa, which replicated a blister package of baloney making the three records inside baloney color.

In 1966, Casado left advertising to work for Saul Bass Design. He was part of the team that created a new trademark for Continental Airlines and packaging for Northern Towels. He also helped storyboard the Academy Award-winning animated documentary short Why Man Creates (1968), directed by Bass.

Casado was born in East Los Angeles, California. He graduated from Dorsey High School in Los Angeles and then went to the University of California at Los Angeles. He graduated from The Art Center School in Los Angeles, now located in Pasadena and called the Art Center College of Design, in 1964.

John Charles Casado (born May 30, 1944) is an American graphic designer, artist and photographer, best known for designing logos for the first Macintosh computer, Esprit, and New Line Cinema, as well as numerous album covers for the Doobie Brothers, Carole King, and others.