Logo Design & Company Branding: U18

I recently took on a project to do the Logo Design, leading to a full Branding and Stationary Design, for U18. They are a Glasgow based Events Management, Promotions and Social Media company that is set to make waves in its various disciplines as the company is soon to become 'live'.

The logo itself had to be simple and hold the company name whilst remaining attractive to the desired target market. The design would be used across a range of mediums, from print to web and had to be able to sit alongside various other designs amicably. Add to this the various sectors U18 will cover - from schools to sports to music and indeed corporate - within a market of users that moves at a blistering pace, equates to a lot of factors needing fulfilled and eyes to please!

With this in mind the Logo chosen is of a crisp and clear aesthetic, easily identified and avoids the possibility of any colour clashes by sticking to a sharp black & white colour palette. Furthermore the design and font used are believed to have a strength that will allow them to remain relevant as fashions and trends come and go.

 

Leading from this came a full stationary and branding design to give the company its identity as it would be perceived by all corporate, collaborators, clients and customers. This comprised of Letterheads, Compliment Slips and of course Business Cards.

The same palette was selected with the addition of selected red accents. This was done to introduce a further colour that could be used in later work as well as bringing nice focal points into each piece of print. The vertical and horizontal sections allowed a means of presenting both the logo and each director's name as well as markers for the 'Your Sincerely' and 'signature strip' sections on the Business Cards and Letterheads respectively. 

The inclusion of the QR code on the business card is a must these days, especially for a New Media savvy company like U18. In this particular case when scanned it takes you directly to the companies website.

Lastly Spot UV was used on the Business Cards, both on the logo on the front and on the name of the director on the back. This gave the cards an extra bit of style, something that is not only tactile when first handed to a client but also catches the eye in various light.

I look forward to further ongoing work with this exciting new company and indeed seeing how they progress and expand as time elapses.

U18 can be found here for the time being.

_______________________

Any design work, whether for web or print, logos, branding QR codes or otherwise, please contact me on:

a.hamilton.design@googlemail.com 

All work is carried out under 'Pure Pants Design Ltd'.

Hammy x

The Big Cheese!

I had a set of photographs brought to my attention this week, a selection of which are attached. Moving on from the classic 'holding up The Leaning Tower of Pisa' or 'making the Eiffel Tower look like it's sitting in your palm' style shots this uses a medium that can be found regardless of your geographical location, and one everyone can relate to. And why not! 

A real simple idea that has resulted in some great, fun images!! Can you think of others that could be done??

 

 

 Unfortunately I know not who to credit for this work!....

hammy x

A Touch of Class in the Kitchen Zone

Having only properly discovered this company in the past year it's safe to say I'm sold.

JosephJoseph are a twin brother co-founded and run outfit from the UK specialising in bespoke, innovative kitchen and cookware products. Being of a product design background myself this type of company tends to stand out from the proverbial crowd for me regardless, but I really enjoy the work these guys produce.

Obviously all of a modern aesthetic their products can really elevate the look of a kitchen or dining experience. More importantly each product has its own USP, either improving a method or setting about it in an innovative and stylish manner. Combined these accomplish the two most basic requirements for a successful piece of product design. Throw into the mix a good, well trained business head and you've filled the caldron with all the required controllable aspects you need to sell products......No surprise then that Antony Joseph is a Product Design Graduate from St Martins and Richard Joseph a Business Graduate from Cambridge!

Form and Function rule the product design world supreme!

Some examples of their work can be seen below, a few of my favorite items from the JosephJoseph ranges.

Scales

Measuring Cups x 8 

Chopping Boards Set 

 Pizza Slicer

 Utensils

 Y-Grinder: S+P

 Salad Bowls + Serving Forks

If you aren't shy to giving kitchen based gifts, and have outgrown the old fashioned suggestion that such items mean the recipient should be spending more time in the kitchen.....then these should be creeping into Christmas lists for one and all. If anything these products bring rays of light into what some people consider to be mundane tasks!

The Y-Grinder is my favorite incase anyone's feeling generous ;)

hammy x

In a slightly different light

Further to my last post I inadvertently came across this set of images:

Swap scary for sexy, either way the ever present Disney ladies again! x

That 'Disney' look right....

I have forever been a fan of Disney, be it a corporate monster or not, he and now they as an outfit have produced films that we have all grown up with and grown to love. Everyone has their favorite from The Lion King to Aladdin to WALL E, and all for varying reasons. My favorites are the original Alice in Wonderland which I still own on VHS, and Fantasia.

Regardless it's safe to say that the Disney films create a world of good against bad, love against hate and build a knowledge of this in children from a young age whilst being enjoyed equally by parents and adults alike. Quite a skill, appealing to such a broad demographic and succeeding time after time in different stories without the viewer getting bored of the 'tried and tested' process as such.

They are, needless to say, emotive in every case and the point I'm getting to here is that Disney films can be, and are pretty scary. The bad guys are by no means gentle characters; think of Ursula in The Little Mermaid, or of The Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland,  or The Wicked Queen in Snow White - i mean she asks for Snow White's heart to be brought back in a box after ordering her killing and when this falls through poisons her with the intention of her being buried alive.

Moreover than their conniving plans and evil helping hands are how these characters are portrayed - the provocative colours used in their appearances, their eery, vicious and commanding voices and of course the famous Disney musical scores. Thoughts of Disney being a mass producer of what are perceived to be 'kids' films are quite strongly juxtaposed by their, often, very adult content and scare factor, and this has always intrigued me.

To this effect I came across a series of images, taking into play various 'good' female lead roles and persuading them in a different light. This brings me to thinking that perhaps alternate versions of the famous films could be made, adult cartoons, adult Disney perhaps (no not like that), or sequels potentially parodying on the good guys returning as bad. Either way a bit of (scary) fun!

hammy x

Geeze a Smile!

"Dandy"

Featured in Slave Magazine Issue 3

Photography: Trisha Ward

Photographers Assistant: Anna Olszewska

MUA: Tracy Young

Hair: Jaz Jagdeo 

Styling: Megan Arbuthnott

As some of you will know (or perhaps not in this case!) I don't tend to share this aspect of my life much, I guess it's called modeling.... I'd call it getting my picture taken!.... Either way this is the result of one of my more recent shoots that is currently being featured in Slave Magazine . 

It's definitely one of my favorite shots that I've had taken - love the styling (in particular the feather shoulder pads!) & think the lighting really sets it off. Trisha pulled a great team together for this one and I think the outcome is testament to that. Hats off to a great young photographer, check out her site!

hammy x

one great design and a spot of tradition

I was in Samoens last year, a quaint little village in the French Alps which is truly stunning. Overlooked by the mountains and sat not far from the lakes. 

Whilst there, and at my hotel, I came across this rather excessive piece of guttering! Excessive but undoubtedly enjoyed by all that lay eyes upon it....no time or cost wasted here in my view - just a Great Piece of Design! 

These are the kind of extravagancies that I wish were more often permitted and factored into the allowance of modern designs, regardless of their domain. 

Despite Samoens' strong tourist based roots and indeed dependancy for income it's a great ambassador for maintaining old fashioned lifestyle and architecture. Basing its predominant industries around itself rather than altering them to suit its visitors is a dangerous game but one the French quite regularly pull off in such locations. The town is vastly owned and run by its original families' descendants, the basis for this (commonly stubborn) maintenance of tradition. 

A host of other shots from the trip that hopefully translate some of the Village's charm.

In The Shadow Of

Evening Shot

 View of the Village from the Telecabine

'For Sale'

Fountain & Church

Summer & Winter Poster 

(love this)

A mere 20 minutes up the Mountain, Skiing Delight

hammy x