Design

Responsive Branding

Currently knee deep in a strategic rebrand project, with ambitions for a durable identity which will be seen across the globe (more detail on that soon). I thought I’d share the approved logo, influenced in part by the responsive design age we now live in.

I believe that good design and great branding integrates a degree of flexibility, allowing a freshness into communications which maintains recognition of the identity across a range of mediums. Well-designed identities should have different variations available, however quite often there are some sensitivities – mostly relating to a sacred view of an identity being rigid and it’s permanent presentational form.

But with Google now favouring websites enhanced for mobile, it’s more important than ever to deliver subtle flexibility and ensure logos are adapted to break the screen constraints and work as best as possible at any size.

In fact with logo’s in particular, applying this ‘responsive design thinking’ can actually support and enhance the solution, which is why I include this as part of my design process (scalability is logo design 101, but developing a design that incorporates recognition through responsive simplification can be tricker).

See. Flexibility can support and enhance the identity. More on this project, and others, soon.

Web Wireframes

You’ll have read my previous post on the process of design? No! well click here. This is part two because I do websites too! All my projects begin with a kickstart meeting, where we discuss your vision and requirements. From there we can then agree a plan and begin.

In the case of websites, wireframes could be seen as the initial plans. Wireframes as the name suggests are ‘just’ simple line drawings of a pages that are used to plan out the website before it is truly designed.

However they are a lot more. Wireframes allow you to think logically about the design, they allow the structure to be visualised, discussed and agreed. Creating these wireframes identify and confirm the purpose for each page, key ‘Call To Actions’ and other important information which needs to be prominent on the page. Giving focus and a more efficient use of time.

I also create a sitemap which is useful to determine the structure of a whole website, it can however be quite daunting to look at, especially for more complex sites. With the wireframes we are able to visualise this sitemap and see how pages fall into place. This can be useful as it may bring to light ways the sitemap could be adjusted to make for a more simple user experience and improve the design, something I love!

This is a process which proved to be successful in delivering my latest website for Leeds based agency, Abyss Marketing. Allowing productive conversations and visualisation from both sides.

So there you are, a further insight into how I work. If you want to know more or work together and start a new project, get in touch

Design Planning

I’m currently involved in the early stages of what’s already proving to be an exciting project – to re-brand and effectively relaunch a business with an ambitious target, within a difficult economy. But there will be more on that later.

However because of this I thought I’d give some overview into the creative process I follow, although not exhaustive…as I can’t give away all the secrets now can I, but also because the design process is ‘organic’ (it’s alive!). Furthermore I’ve also shown some considerations for developing that killer brief and how that can help maximise the project – something I’m always aiming for. After all good graphic design is structured around ensuring the client gets high quality solutions appropriate to the business and marketing ambitions.

You can see these steps detailed below, how it plays a role in my work, and if you’d like to know more or use this to start a new project, get in touch. Oh, and stay tuned for more on that exciting re-brand project coming early 2015.

Designs for your big day

That’s right, I also do wedding stationery too! In fact I recognise that it’s completely personal when it comes to wedding invitations, and a bespoke design for your wedding stationery is something you will always treasure. Therefore I offer a completely personal design service, creating to suit you and your day, setting the scene and standard of your wedding.

I aspire to make the whole experience stress free and exciting. By combining the magical sense of occasion and romance, I can help you strike a balance between visual elegance and practicality, ensuring your unique wedding invitations deliver the ‘WOW’ factor when inviting family and friends to your big day.

Some samples are shown below and contact me for more information.