Bar 1880 is a cocktail bar located in Bulletin Place, Circular Quay, Sydney in the building which was the original home of ‘The Bulletin’ Newspaper. The rich history of Bulletin Place is explored through the brand identity and interior design of the venue.
When designing the Bar 1880 logo, traditional Newspaper Mastheads were referenced to create a timeless logo which nods to the history of the area and the building. Newspaper print taken from an original copy of The Bulletin Newspaper, alongside archive photos from the era sourced from the City of Sydney Archives blend seamlessly with the logo and colour palette to create a thorough brand personality across all touch-points.
My work on this project involved full brand identity design including logo, colour palette and typography selections which were pulled together into a brand style guide to be referenced and used by additional parties such as web developers, social media mangers and public relations agencies. I designed the business cards, coasters and menu and liaised with print suppliers to ensure a quality product was delivered. I also provided guidance for the website design and direction as well as the interior design and fit-out selections.
The Bar 1880 brand is one which gently nods to the past and rich history behind the brand story while still holding its place within our modern world.
Simple Supply is an all in one marketing hub based on the Gold Coast, QLD specialising in the Hospitality industry. Check out their website to find out more: www.simplesupply.com.au
The guys behind the brand had a good idea of the direction they wanted to head with their brand imagery, having previously worked with them before, I was approached to provide an external opinion on their design which led to some ‘renovations’ and further development to their current logo and branding.
The name ‘Simple Supply’ immediately lends itself to a modern, slimline and ‘simple’ looking logo that steers clear of any flourishes and hidden messages. The team behind the brand want to deliver their services without the usual marketing flair, the end result being a simple sans serif wordmark. By tilting the ‘e’ slightly a small sense of adventure is added to otherwise straight talking logo and lends itself to the youthful and creative nature that comes with the young team behind the brand. This slight amendment to the letterform lends itself to the fast paced ever-changing nature of the hospitality industry that they are targeting. The decision was made to capitalise the ’S’ on the word ‘supply’ to emphasise that the team are there to supply what you need within the marketing space and the full stop added to the end of the wordmark to finalise the name and nod to the simple, straight talking approach that the guys are looking for.
My work on the brand included the guidance and amendments to their current logo, partnered with a matching monogrammed version to be used on social media profile images or browser favicons. This also extended to colour palette research and design to achieve a consistent and strong brand image which flowed through to the iconography designs to be used across digital platforms such as websites and social media.
The Gold Coast Theatre Alliance Inc. were in need of a brand new logo and brochure design to promote and advertise the upcoming shows and programs for the first 8 months of the year.
The logo design was to be modern and simplistic with clear theatrical symbolism. By designing a stylised monogram logo utilising the classic comedy and tragedy theatre masks the logo meets the brief and provides the option to use a full variation with full text or a cropped acronym version. The logo is also just as powerful when presented in either gold or silver as it is in black or white.
The brochure design posed a challenge considering there was a large amount of information to fit into a standard trifold double sided A4 brochure. This brochure would typically be placed in an advertising stand amongst other community focused brochures. This meant the front cover had to be clear and direct considering only the top half of the brochure is usually visible in these stands. It was this element that was the deciding factor to place the logo at the bottom of the front cover rather than the top with the word ‘LIVE’ sitting where the logo would usually be. This makes for a more intriguing image as anyone interested in live performances will be more likely to react this this simple word rather than the logo. A standard grid structure using the brand colours to distinguish and segment information was used on the other 5 panels of the brochure to allow the key information to be easily accessible for people interested in attending a performance or finding out more information.
A basic style guide was also developed as part of this project, so that in the instance someone else had to take the reins with the visual direction, the Gold Coast Theatre Alliance Inc. can maintain some brand integrity.
Goodness Gracious is a brand that I established in order to sell hand made greeting cards and envelopes that I design and make. It started as an online Etsy store (etsy.com/au/shop/GoodnessGraciousAU) and is now also stocked in The Crepe Myrtle Tea and Coffee Rooms in Stroud, NSW.
When designing the brand for Goodness Gracious I wanted to create something that was reflective of my consistent use of vibrant colours and patterns, as well as being representative of the handmade element of the brand.
The logo features hand drawn type to draw on the true essence of the brand with the signature Goodness Gracious pattern being applied to the shape. The linking of the two letters within the monogram nods to the notion that greeting cards are often shared between friends and loved ones.
The overall structure of the Point of Sale display was determined by The Crepe Myrtle Tea and Coffee Rooms, however all design elements were left open for free creative reign. The aim of this design was to stand out and attract attention in a crowded retail space. A clean simple design with a focus on the Goodness Gracious logo and signature pattern was a key factor in the design as well as stating the key facts that these are handmade products and are blank inside for purchasers to write their own special message.
As a natural progression, Goodness Gracious has also become a platform to display my other creative work and endeavours.
Redicrete is a Newcastle based pre-mixed concrete supplier who ran an NRL Footy Tipping Comp within their local community. The prizes for first, second and third consisted of a fully branded Waeco fridge, 70L esky and bar fridge respectively.
When it came to designing the wrap for these products, I aimed to create something that was indicative of the concrete industry however put a slightly more arty twist on it through the use of graffiti as concrete is often the canvas used by graffiti artists.
The artwork was created through applying Photoshop effects and brushes to photos of the concrete trucks to achieve the graffiti effect. The black paint drips around the top edge of the bar fridge artwork were placed there to create a seamless design that incorporated the black door handle of the pre-purchased fridge.
The text that sits beneath the logo was hand drawn to represent the street art style of the artwork. With the patterns and scribbles that faintly appear above the artwork being taken from photos taken in the Melbourne laneways.
Favela Coffee was looking for a revitalised brand image to accompany the launch of their new cold brew canned coffee.
To create the new logo some research was done into the brand name which revealed that a favela is a Brazilian urban slum, also known as a shantytown. Within a favela there is a strong sense of community creating a real, raw and natural experience. I felt that it was imperative that this sense of community come through in the overall brand revitalisation.
An abstract symbol was developed as part of the logo providing a stylised visual of what a favela actually looks like; small houses seemingly stacked upon each other within the Brazilian hills. Fun, bright and energetic colours were chosen for this visual to evoke the Brazilian culture and lifestyle. The kerning on the typeface was pulled in tight to replicate the placement of the individual houses within a favela as well as to create a sense of a tight-nit community. By placing the full stop at the end, a notion is created that there are no airs and graces associated with the brand, it is real, raw and natural, nothing more to be said.
There is a fair bit of graffiti on display within a favela which was taken into account when creating the visuals for the packaging. A coffee bean tree was hand drawn, scanned and re-worked using Illustrator to create the hero image for the front of the packaging. This has been placed over the top of a favela style repeat pattern (taken from the original brand logo) to help lift the illustration and add some depth to the packaging. Colours have been used for flavour identification with the colour of the text being carried through to the coffee beans and as a transparency in the pattern.
This design did not progress past the conceptual stage.
Collective Health Australia were in need of a logo for their new initiative, featuring a collection of various health practitioners under one roof working in collaboration with one another. The collective of practitioners work towards creating a space where clients can relax and remove the medical connotations associated with clinical treatments.
The brief asked for a modern and clean look, utilising the light mint colour and modern fonts with small personable quirks.
Internal communication pieces have been created for various sections within the Optus brand using agency supplied brand assets. These pieces include documents such as small booklets, flyers and handouts which often incorporate the use of infographics.
The challenges that arise when working on these pieces is knowing how to work within the brand guidelines so as to hold consistency across all print and digital pieces. Depending on what section of Optus the piece is designed for, a slightly different graphical voice can be applied to the pieces to deliver the desired message while still keeping within brand guidelines.
Overall, the main aim of these pieces is to provide information to staff and customers in a clean, simple and concise manner.
Boom Boost was developed as a sub-brand for Boost Juice with the aim of adding something new and unique to their product range whilst expanding on their target market.
Boom Boost is a new line of juices that offer health benefits to the consumer. They are targeted towards the female Baby Boomer market, therefore loosely taking in ages between 50-70, and would be sold in supermarkets for added convenience to this consumer.
A new twist on Boost’s current vibrant and energetic style led to the creation of fruit juice packaging that is simply covered in vectorised fruit. Through doing so, the primary consumer can feel young, energetic and social with Boost Juice still holding it’s current younger market as a secondary consumer of this product.
As an extension to the brand a Point of Sale display was designed and was accompanied by some street and shopping centre posters. Similar to the packaging, the design of these focuses on energy and social activity.
Advanciv is a Newcastle based supplier of Civil Precast products, such as wheel stops, headwalls and kerb entry units. I was tasked with the role of creating an overall brand presence and tone of voice within the marketplace using a supplied logo and colour palette. The result was business cards, flyers, presentation folders a vehicle wrap and promotional stubby coolers.
To add a point of differentiation to the first impression of the Advanciv brand, the decision was made to include an enlarged Spot UV ‘A’ on both business cards and the presentation folders.
Although the ‘A’ doesn't appear on the flyers the curve of the base is evident in the header section of each document.
Following through with the same theme sees the ‘A’ used as the main feature in the vehicle wrap. The backwards angle of the ‘A’ adds movement and modern edge to the car. The dark bonnet adds an extra dimension to the graphics as the car is driving towards you. The vehicle wrap also features a slightly faded ‘A’ pattern over the darker sections which is reminiscent of the Spot UV that appears on the printed material.
Frupop is a kids drink that contains 5% fruit juice and is available in four flavours: Mango, Strawberry, Peach and Red Grape. The initial brief requested that the label design appeal to the kids market but still adopt a slightly minimalist approach allowing for the fruit to take centre stage.
As this product is targeted towards school aged children, a rounded playful logo was created. Through adopting the bubble style font, the text seems to take on a character of it’s own, as if it is the playmate of the fruit character used on each label. The decision was made to split the text onto two lines to allow for a better fit around the thinner neck of the bottle.
The concept of this label design stems from a stylised version of some cartoon characters that I was taught to draw as a child by a cartoonist who came to visit our school. By placing the large fruit heads on each of the bodies in place of a normal head, the flavour can be easily distinguished and is the first thing that your eye is drawn to. The child-like characters seem as if they belong outside, playing in the school yard, hence the rough brick wall that has been placed behind each figure. This also evokes the message that these drinks are ideal to be packed into a school lunch box.
This design did not progress past the conceptual stage.
This project is based around how an individual perceives the urban environment. Capsule was created as a set of five cards that draw on the idea of shifting through time in order to develop a true understanding of the past, present and the future of your immediate surroundings.
Old black and white photos of Sydney have been sourced and overlaid with vector patterns that draw on elements that are still evident in today’s society. An example of this may be train tracks, they are a form of hard infrastructure that are still the same today even though the actual trains that run on them have changed significantly. The overlapping effect of vectors over photography creates visuals that spark curiosity and start a movement of questions and storytelling within public spaces.
The brief for this piece was to develop a concept for the Aldi Pure Tropics Flavoured Coconut Water range. To develop the packaging, watercolour paintings were created, scanned and digitally re-worked slightly to make them appeal more as a front of pack illustration. The soft, yet slightly rough texture of the water colour paintings was chosen for this piece to reflect the raw and natural flavour of the pure coconut water. This effect also provides a light, summery atmosphere which, paired with the flavours inside the pack, would transport you straight to a tropical island.
A simple and clean logo I recently designed for Dawson Joinery. The simple lettering style lends itself to a concise and angular lock-up which is indicative of a Joiners work.
CIA Precast & Steel were looking to revamp their visual image to bring it inline with the quality product they produce. As part of the re-brand, a new logo was created which flowed through to business cards, digital templates, external signage, internal branded environment and vehicle signage.
The design of the CIA logo is indicative of a modern business supplying a high quality product within the construction industry. The bold CIA lettering alongside the strong geometric icon forms the heart of the brand. The slanted ‘A’ is representative of a prop holding a precast panel in place (the panel is represented by the ‘I’) during the installation process. The slant of the ‘A’ also adds a point of differentiation and lends itself to suggesting that this business will work with clients to push boundaries and reach solutions that are advanced in their industry. The icon at the beginning the logo is both an adaptation of the C, I and A as well as a stylised structural piece similar to what may be seen on a construction site during the installation process. The figurehead icon is a key element of the brand that flows throughout the secondary language and other brand elements.
When it came to designing the car graphics, they needed to stand out both on the road and on cluttered construction sites, which is where the icon came in. The icon was re-arranged to wrap around the front half of the car, resulting in two different colours on each side. This icon reappears as a fade pattern on the bottom of the doors as well as on the back section of the cars to allow for better brand recognition through incorporating a partly full colour version of the logo on each side.
The business cards were printed with a Spot UV effect of the icon pattern on the front face to suggest the top quality premium product that CIA Precast & Steel can produce.
Paper Mill Print Brokers is a Queensland based print brokerage who aim to offer a modern printing experience with a nod to traditional customer service.
I was approached to re-vamp the logo that the guys had designed themselves and bring an industrial 1800’s design style vibe to the brand essence while still employing a modern edge to the overall image. The cog is something that had to stay; I worked on simplifying the line work into a clean vector and adapting a complementary font choice that is clean and modern with a hint of the ‘good old days’ being drawn into the serif style. I suggested the addition of the ‘Print Broker’ text to the logo to better indicate the service that ‘The Paper Mill’ offers.
In addition to the logo re-vamp, an A5 advertisement was designed to place on the back page of a brochure. The key text block was positioned on an angle in the central part of the ad to reminisce with the 1800’s design style, a slight industrial style hand-drawn textured background was applied to the white space background of the advert. Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black were chosen as the palette to enhance the direct link to the print industry.
Hunter Galvanizing is a Newcastle based hot dip galvanizing company that were looking for a minor overhaul on their visual brand. They didn't want to change their logo as the existing on is an image that is well known within their industry and works for them at their current business stage. The ‘brand renovation’ consisted of developing some secondary language for the brand in the form of a grey triangle montage pattern that is representative of the varying shade of grey that can appear in the final outcome of a hot dip galvanized product. The secondary language was rolled out across all company vehicles including twin cab utes, trucks and trailers as well as business cards and digital document templates.
I was approached by Kim from KMB Photography to create a logo for her newly established photography business specialising in portraiture. Kim had an idea of the style that she liked but also wanted to see a completely different option to see where her logo could actually take her - the left of field option was the one that she decided to use!
Taking a portrait of someone can be a personal experience, therefore I wanted to draw on this personalised nature with the logo. I was already leaning in the direction of creating some hand drawn lettering when I glimpsed Kim’s own handwriting in passing and thought what’s more personal than that? Using this would mean that there’s a piece of Kim in her own logo. I scanned the handwriting and pulled out the K, M and B letters that I required. I did tidy the letters up ever so slightly but wanted to keep the rough edges to give the brand more personality.
The end result is a clean, fresh logo filled with personality and a story behind it!
This project was created as a statement wall piece to be placed in the board room of ATB Morton, a commercial and industrial construction company that was established in 1981. The client was looking for something that followed along the lines of a 'history wall' without adopting the traditional timeline approach.
The images were sourced through scanning old films to find photos that would work together as a set and provide the best insight into the history of the company. The branding of the company, which incorporates a strong triangular visual image, was taken into account for the overall wall design; however the triangles were used in a slightly different manner through pulling six together to form hexagon's, representing unity and strength for a company that has been in operation for more than 30 years. As these triangles were going to be cut from PVC panels a template was created in Illustrator that specified the size of each hexagon and how deep each groove would be along the axis of the shapes. Each photo was colour corrected slightly using Photoshop to form a more consistent flow between each of the photos. These were then printed onto vinyl, applied over the panels and mounted on the wall. To add a slight abstraction to the piece, the off-cuts of the prints were placed down the grooves of the shapes.
In other instances a 'history wall' would have captions describing each event, the decision was made to leave the captions off. By not including wording you are encouraging people to ask questions and start conversations.