In this post I’m going to explain and compare some of the possible methods - the digital processes - I use in putting an illustrated map together, and set out the Pros and Cons of each…
Read MoreSample Map - Created in Adobe Illustrator
My Sustainability Journey Towards Net Zero PART 1 (...and Re-assessing my Business as Part of the Process!)
A ‘story so far’, documenting what I’m doing to ensure my business is sustainable and fully aligned with my own values and those of the purpose-driven individuals and organisations I work with.
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10 Things to Consider When Commissioning an Illustrated Map... The Journey Starts Here!
In this article, I’ll guide you through numerous key factors it’s definitely worth considering, to help ensure the map you commission, and have created, is both engaging and effective.
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The Trouble With Illustration #03: The ‘Illustration Trap' - How to avoid feeling reliant on one illustrator or one illustration
If you’re worried about becoming tied in to using one particular illustrator or being limited by the illustration/s you have, I hope these insights might put you at ease and help you look at things a little differently.
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The Trouble With Illustration #02: Flexibility. Or the lack of…?
Looking at some practical ways illustration could be a more flexible asset for you
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The Trouble With Illustration #01: Cost. And Specifically to Maintain an Illustration Style Over Time
Welcome to the first instalment of follow up posts themed around ‘The Trouble with Illustration’ …
First up - and it's a BIG one - Cost!
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The Trouble With Illustration...
Exploring the reasons why you might decide NOT to commission bespoke illustration and offering solutions to make it a more viable option in the future
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What Even is Vector Artwork? - A Guide to the Differences Between Vector & Pixel-based Illustrations, and Why it Matters
A ‘jargon-buster’ for potential clients and other commissioners of illustration.
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7 Insider Tips to Help You Squeeze the Most Value from Commissioning Illustration
I appreciate that illustration can sometimes be seen as a luxury, so I’d like to address this and provide some pointers on how you can commission illustration more efficiently.
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NEW VENTURE? You're Going To Need a Logo!
A guide to getting a visual identity in place, ready to launch your idea - what you really need and how to achieve it…
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Illustration Licensing Explained - For The Small Business Owner & Marketer
The aim of this general guide is to help explain how illustration licensing works, and hopefully remove much of the uncertainty and nervousness around commissioning an illustrator.
Your Friendly Guide to Commissioning a Brand Identity - For Start-ups & Small Business Owners
I’ve written this post, specifically with a start-up or small business owner in mind, and particularly those who are looking to commission a new brand identity. I’d like to help bring some clarity to the following:
How best to approach a designer, initially for quoting purposes
Ultimately how to find the best fit for you, in terms of who to commission
Project Journey Route Map: The process I follow with my clients on every creative project
What’s It Like To Work With Me? A Guide to the Process Stages of Your Design or Illustration Project
Commissioning a designer or illustrator, to work with you on a creative project can be a little daunting for some. Especially if you haven’t commissioned creative before, it’s hard to know what to expect. In this post, I’ve tried to break the process down, to show the various stages we would undertake in working together - & hopefully it'd be a pleasant and fun experience!
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Collaboration between Designer and Client...Can this make all the difference for a creative team of one?
Last month I attended Bristol Media’s Vision Conference - a really insightful and interesting event, delivering an impressive range of speakers, both creative and digital thinkers who offered their individual takes on the theme ‘Connecting Creativity’.
A thread that was touched on by a number of the speakers, was how to get the best out of teams of ‘creatives’. Keynote speaker Margaret Heffernan put forward the idea that there should not be seen to be creative people and ‘not-creative’ people, but that in a team everyone should be given the opportunity to input when developing solutions to problems.
I completely get that. But how does this work when there’s just you - a team of one?
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Marketing Materials: Ensure That Any Creative Spend is Good Value for You
This post is intended for small to medium business owners, individuals running not-for-profit organisations, and also marketing managers. To give ideas on how a creative approach - design, illustration or a combination of the two - can enhance your output and help engage with your audience. And, crucially, for any spend to be of good value for you.
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Fonts - A Basic Guide to Licensing and Where to Buy
A previous client of mine, a marketeer working on a client’s website, asked me for some advice about fonts. She wanted to use some creative/fun fonts but was unsure where to get them from and what was involved with regard to licensing.
There are so many font websites out there, it can be pretty confusing. So I thought I’d share the advice I gave her in case it could be useful for anyone else.
These pointers are intended for people who want to have a basic understanding of font use and licensing, particularly for websites.
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Two New Portfolios - Illustration & Brand Work for Creative, Environmental and Education Clients
Two new ‘taster’ portfolios - one for illustration and one for branding. Each portfolio showcases work I have created for clients in the creative, environmental and education sectors, with some work for charities also.
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New Brand? Important Information You Should Include in a Design Brief
This is an update on a previous post which outlined some questions to answer before briefing a new logo design.
Revised, improved, and building on my experience of working on new brand designs for a range of clients, I have now updated these questions to include some additional crucial information, and turned it into a PDF document, ready to fill in. DOWNLOAD HERE
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How Much Does Illustration Cost? A Client Guide to Illustrator's Fees
In this post, I will outline the main considerations I focus on when quoting for illustration work. Also included is a link to download a handy PDF which will help you collate the crucial information needed when briefing an illustrator and asking them to provide costs for your project.
Read MoreNeed a new website? 15 questions to help define your requirements
To coincide with the launch of my own new website, I thought I'd share a list of questions I ask clients who approach me to design a website for them. (And yes I did try to answer the questions myself before embarking on my own re-design!)
Now these questions are essentially to gain an overview of your business and what you need a website to do for you, as well as who it should speak to...
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