GQT

When I first embarked upon establishing myself as a graphic designer, I began by finding role models in the industry and researching their trials and tribulations, best practices and general advice for those starting out. One such designer was Von Glitschka, an incredibly talented and diverse designer.

In a training video I found he talked about freelance work and said the work you do will determine the work you get. As in, as one client in a particular industry finds you, soon more will come calling because they liked the example set.

Since starting out I've found myself mostly designing logos for health and nutrition coaches. Some work with families to plan nutritious and affordable meal plans, others work one-on-one with clients looking to lose weight and detox.

Occasionally I get a fellow creative seeking an identity to professionalize their passion - most often these are photographers who want to have a logo to define them without detract from the stunning imagery of their work.

In the case of GQT I was presented with a whole different sort of client: Fashion consultant and personal shopper, Tova Dybvig. Tova has an eye for style and she appreciates how cringe-worthy shopping can be, especially for your average guy. She helps professional men aged 20 - 40 who lack the time and patience needed to pick out a wardrobe that will impress. With minimal effort she can turn the unstylish 'dude' into a gentleman who stands out from the crowd in the best possible way.

I had a lot of fun working on her logo and the final one she chose really emphasizes the classic with a modern twist as it uses the very beautiful but edgy Baskerville 'Q'.

Clothes don't necessarily make the man but they can certainly go a long way when it comes to first impressions. I'm extremely pleased with the result - as pleased as Tova's clients are when they can move from wallflower to eye-catching 'QT'. 

For an eye-catching logo to promote your business, fill in the booking form on my website. 

To get in touch with Tova and find out more about her services visit the GQT Facebook page.

More happy customers!

So just before heading off to New York I was able to sign off on two different logo designs for some clients. I'm happy to say that one has already started marketing with great vim and vigour! It's nice knowing I was able to create just the right illustration for their brand so they could take off with marketing it as quickly as possible.

Ragdolls Play is a children's care service in SW London.
They're having an Open Day on Thursday, 14th November 2013

JLR People Solutions helps match the right person to the perfect position. 

And happy 5th of November! 

From start to finish - Part 2!

Another logo from concept to finished product! This is part of a bigger project I'm working on with the client. In this case the logo is just the beginning (a logo is a great place to start) on what will be a brand look and feel for a resource website.

The brief? Create a logo that encompasses a sense of community and belonging.

The initial concepts shown with slight variations. 

I am always eager to give the client a few different options to work with so when they came back and wanted to play with Concepts #1 and #4 I was happy to accommodate. 

In both cases it was the fonts they wanted to play with. I gave them a few different options based on the feedback provided. This clinched it - Concept #1 was the way to go. They requested one minor change: to see it with the 'H' capitalised and with a space. 

And voila! The final logo: 

From start to finish - a logo's journey

I think understanding the creative process in a design project can help people to understand just what it is I can do for them as a designer. 

Recently I was hired to do a logo for GOSH food. 'GOSH' stands for Gourmet Organic Simpler Healthy food and works holistically with individuals and families to cater to their specific nutritional needs. It's a small business that's begun to pick up speed. I specialise in providing design services to small businesses and start-ups so GOSH food fit my niche perfectly. The client was happy for me to share the development of their logo on my blog. 

After a chat with the client and receiving a completed brief, I put together some concepts. 

The client reviewed them and fed back, choosing the apple from concept #2 but with revisions. 

Concept #1 made the cut and was further refined. 

Once again, Concept #1 was chosen and a few minor tweaks were made to get the logo exactly as the client wanted it:

The final product!

In a final email from the client following delivery of the logo with guidelines, she said: "People loved it and I am so happy."

As a designer that's how I measure the success of my work. 

Ready-Made logos just keep on coming!

Since completing my advanced Illustrator course the time it takes me to draw a vector graphic has reduced considerably. This is most reflected in my Ready-Made logo store, which does what it says on the box!

These are some of my latest additions of which I am very pleased. I love how ideas for logos come to me and enjoy the process of developing them from sketch to finished vector image.

Puzzle block

Gleeful Monster 

Inverse Fox

Communicate and Share

You can buy any of these designs through my online shop for only £75 OR, if you fancy it, you can order a customised logo for £150 - designed with your business in mind.  

lllustrator-tastic!

I've completed Advanced Illustrator training! It was a super fun course and my skills have improved so vastly in such a short period of time that I'm already seeing the benefits. For example, this logo concept I did a few days ago took me half the time it would have done before I did the course.

Of course it's helped that I have also been following the incredibly helpful advice of Von Glitschka, my illustration hero. Seriously - his stuff is genius and he's kind enough to share a lot of super helpful tips and tricks that even the most seasoned designer is likely to benefit from. I could sing his praises all day!

Anyhoo, the short of it is, my new skill development is already showing in my work. I also appreciate how unfortunate my current version of Illustrator is. I'm using CS5 and the version I've got never quite worked. Something went awry in the installation and I didn't bother to sort it out. It means that every time I close Illustrator I am greeted with an error telling me that the program shut down unexpectedly, despite this not being the case at all. The pop up isn't such a big deal, but it means that I can't save my workspace preferences.

I love badgers.
I figured that was a good
enough reason to illustrate one. 

Setting up my workspace each time I open a new document takes up a lot of valuable design time. Something I'm now acutely aware of having worked on a version of Illustrator that was installed properly and automatically saves your preferences - such as the colour palettes you work with or which windows open up with each new document.

Everything is on schedule for me to upgrade to CS6 and a far more powerful computer come April. I'm quite excited for this but April is still a long way off so in the mean time I'm getting on with developing all my new skills on the older version I've got to work with.

That being said, if you're looking for a custom logo design or perhaps you want a neat-o illustration for your Facebook Timeline or Twitter Header, I'm always on the look out for fun new projects. Feel free to contact me about any ideas you may have and you too could benefit from the skills I've gained from my Advanced Illustrator Training.

From concept to design

 I've been building the logo side of my design portfolio since the start of the year. I've had some great project to work on and wanted to share a bit of my creative process.

Personally, I don't like jumping straight onto a computer. I find it much easier when I can doodle my ideas on a piece of paper before tackling a project with mouse in hand. I'm a strong believer in figuring out your own way of working and sticking to it but I have to admit, I did a bit of a happy dance when I came across Von Glitschka, an incredible talented designer who firmly believes leaving analog (sketching) methods behind will only hinder you as a designer.

This sort of validation, like when I started the Intermediate Graphic design course at Saint Martins, helps boost my confidence and acts as a strong motivation. I have a lot to learn, we all do no matter what field we're in, but I already have a strong foundation to start with. 

Below is one of my recent projects, from concept to the finished product that the customer is now happily using to promote their business.

Concept sketches. This is for a painter/decorator

The brief included a suggested colour palette to work with. I wanted to incorporate the tools of the trade into the 'NBH' of the company name.

I came up with A few sketches and refined those into a selection of logo concepts for them to choose from. 

Mock-up #1
Simple, clean design

Mock up #4
I got the idea for this one
from looking at parquet flooring

Mock up #2
One way of working a roller
into the logo was to have
one painting the logo.
This was probably the most 'fun'
concept I came up with

Mock up #3
It was easy to imagine the
'H' as a paint brush

The client loved #1 but wanted to see it from a slightly different perspective. They really liked the look of MC Escher's signature on his lithograph drawings and requested something inspired by this. 

I modified the first design and ended up with what you see below, as the final product. 

The chosen logo

What I like about it is that the NBH can be used on its own or with the handle, depending on the context. I love the palette I was given to work with and the final product communicates the professionalism and artistic nature of the business owner.