5 May 2023
Today, I would design these on a computer in InDesign, but when I started out in design things were very, very different. Let me explain the process . . .
Before I could get started on the artwork I’d create a pencil thumbnail (also known as a scamp) with the rough layout of the piece I was to be working on. In this case, a standard UK Business Card is 85mm x 55mm (although this does vary from printer to printer and country) – this gives a rough idea of what sizes the logos and text will need to be.
Type had to be sourced from a typesetting house, so I had to learn to spec type in a way that a typesetter could supply me exactly what I needed – getting this wrong could be expensive, so you had to check, and check again, that you’d supplied the correct information. It could take a couple of days before you got the typeset piece back from the setting house.
Logos and any decorative elements would need to be resized on a reprographic camera. Again this could be an expensive process, so first I would create a “dummy” using photocopies, just to be sure my sizes worked. (To work out the percentages for reducing or enlarging I use this simple equation “Divide what you want by what you’ve got”.) Then I’d head off to the dark room to do the camera work, including the processing and drying, this could take around an hour.
Photos required the area to be used to be masked. I already knew the size of the Business Cards (85mm x 55mm) and the width of the photo (184mm), so I needed to work out how deep (x) the mask needed to be. This is where a wee bit of mathematics comes in handy! Here’s the equation I used: x = (184 x 50) ÷ 85. So x = 108mm.
That complete, I would go back to my drawing board. I’d draw up the layout on an artboard using a non-reproducing pencil (blue), marking on the crop marks in black ink and, using a scalpel and metal ruler, I’d cut out my text and my logos before pasting them with SprayMount into position on the artwork. When the artwork was completed, a colleague (with a fresh pair of eyes) would double-check that everything was straight and correct before proceeding to the next stage. This process could take around an hour, to an hour and a half.
Full colour work (generally things which include photos) went to a repro house in order to produce colour separated films for the printer. An overlay (tracing paper) would be added to the artwork with everything hand coloured, and CMYK values added, along with any further instructions. The artwork would then be sent off to the repro house – the one we used was in Singapore – so it could take around three weeks to get the final films and Cromalin proof back! After those had been checked, and only then, could the artwork finally go to the printer to be printed.
After a week to ten days, you’d finally have your beautiful Business Cards in your hands.
So, do you still think they’re effortlessly simple?
Yes, the production method may have changed beyond all recognition, but the design fundamentals and principles that I learned all of those years ago still remain the exactly the same.
17 Jul 2020
MALLORCA REFLECTIONS
“Dare to live the life you’ve always wanted . . .”
Adrian approached me after he had seen the work I did as part of the Elevate with the Brand Stylist mentoring programme on Instagram. He really loved my work and decided that I was the perfect designer to create a new brand identity for his blog – Mallorca Reflections – a lifestyle blog aimed at travellers, settlers and expats alike.
Owner, Adrian Petersen had worked hard to create a blog which features insights, information and impressions regarding food and wine, hotels and travel, as well as life on Mallorca. It also includes features from other local trusted bloggers and businesses. Over the years, the current branding message had gotten a little muddied and Adrian wanted a new brand identity which “reflected” the high quality, professional and well-respected source of information that his blog has become.
For Adrian’s brand I took inspiration from the Island itself; reflecting its’ dramatic and distinctive Mediterranean personality.
The cool, intense, bright and clear colours, are evocative of a sunny summer spent on this glorious island: the intense dark of the night sky, the deep blues of the warm water, the turquoise of sea over a sandy beach and highlights of yellow and orange taking inspiration from the many fruit farms, all offset with the cool grey tones of the Mallorcan pearl.
The serif font which I’ve used, beautifully combines thick and thin strokes, which provide the perfect contrast, creating a simple, yet distinctive brand identity.
Adrian was delighted with the results, here’s what he said:
If you’re thinking of branding or rebranding your business I’d love to hear from you! Please get in touch here
11 Jun 2020
I received such a fabulous response after sharing my “this house runs on island time” poster on my grid a few weeks ago, that I have decided to sell it as a Limited Edition print . . .
A4 Limited Edition Unframed Print.
Litho printed on 225gsm Premium Matte stock to give an artisanal feel. This print has a Limited Edition run of 50 copies, each print is hand numbered.
The print is available to purchase from my brand new Esty shop, here’s the link:- https://bit.ly/islandtimeprint
UPDATE: The print is now sadly all SOLD OUT! Let me know if you’d like me to make some more!
13 May 2020
CHRIS JOHNSON ART
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
LEONARDO DA VINCI
I’ve known Chris Johnson since I moved to the Island in 2016. Although I knew of his work before I met him – I’d seen his paintings hanging in the Cala d’Or Yacht Club.
Chris produces the most gorgeous, high quality paintings and drawings from his idyllic Mallorcan country studio. He wanted a brand identity which would elevate his beautiful artistic style and attention to detail of his future heirloom artworks. He was keen to build his recognition and reputation as a professional artist on an already thriving art scene. He also wanted to produced a Media Kit document, that could be sent out to potential clients, containing all the essential information they would require to know, if they chose to commission him to create a piece of artwork.
Chris did not have an existing brand identity, so after he completed my Brand Questionnaire, I got to work helping Chris stamp his personality on his new identity. To begin with I curated a beautiful, personalise mood board showing the overall design direction – which totally blew Chris away!
For his brand identity, I had the idea of using a hand written typeface, paired with an elegant serif font – which would convey the gentle, artistic style of his work. The gorgeous, soft colour palette references the colours which Chris uses in a lot of his work. In the end, we decided to use a digital version of Chris’s very own signature – now branding just doesn’t get more unique or personal than that!
Chris was delighted with the results, here’s what he said:
If you’re thinking of branding or rebranding your business I’d love to hear from you! Please get in touch here.
29 Aug 2019
ROYAL OAK, CULLEN
“Mighty oaks from little acorns grow.”
Caroline was referred to me by my lovely web designer friend, Neil Hedley. She had recently taken over the 1894 Grade C Listed building, which was the Royal Oak Hotel in Cullen. The hotel had been closed for a number of years, however, Caroline had a very clear vision about how she wanted to breathe new life into the building again as a restaurant with rooms. She wanted the Royal Oak to be known as the “go to” destination in the north east of Scotland for high quality food and drink, where provenance of the produce was at the heart of everything.
The business did not have an existing brand identity, which meant that I had a free creative rein in order to help Caroline stamp her individuality and personality on her new business.
The project began when I met with Caroline in person – after giving me a guided tour of the hotel, complete with, Art Deco style oak-lined bar area, spacious dining room, and gorgeous bedrooms – we sat down with a cuppa and Caroline told me all about her hopes and dreams for the business, and together we filled in the brand discovery questionnaire which I’d sent to her. It turned out that we actually had quite a lot in common – we’d both grown up on Scottish farms and both had a passion for food, where it comes from, and how it is produced.
After going over the answers which Caroline had given me, I began to distill down the brand characteristics, until I came up with the absolute essence of the brand, which was modern, warm and friendly. Then I curated a beautiful mood board showing the overall design direction which I felt the brand should take.
Once Caroline had approved the mood board, I began the search for the ideal typeface for the main logo – I wanted something with a bit of weight and gravitas to it, which could convey the brand essence in an intentional way. I also began to pair it with supporting fonts, which could be used for headings and body copy, and created a gorgeous colour palette which would complement the brand perfectly.
I created a hand drawn oak leaf illustration, which was then digitised and incorporated into the main logo and brand mark, as well as being utilised, as a recurring design motif, throughout the marketing material. The unusual display font which I finally selected required some customisation of the letters and kerning in order to accommodate the hand drawn oak leaf illustration, and allow for the words to be read clearly, this all adds to the overall character of the final logo.
Caroline was delighted with the results, here’s what she said:
If you’re looking at branding or rebranding your business I’d love to hear from you! Please get in touch here.
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