Design portfolio:
Branding & logos

Cropkare logo

Willett & Son (Bristol) Ltd

This was a product new to the agricultural scene, using sustainably-sourced materials, which needed to make a splash in the marketplace with a positive, confident, natural feel. The phosphorous-potassium (PK) combination of the product was worked into the name and so is brought out in the logo. A solid start for this brand which has gone from strength to strength since its launch. See also an example of some Cropkare printed product marketing literature and a promotional pop-up stand and lectern.

Willett & Son logo

Willett & Son (Bristol) Ltd

Established in 1870, this company, which specialises in agricultural and horticultural products, has a lot of history behind it, but didn’t, until Studio Xb came along, have a coherent, modern identity. In seeking out a new logo they wanted to reflect their history without looking outmoded or irrelevant. The new logo manages to combine tradition with modernity in a simple, elegant solution where, neatly, the ‘and’ becomes a symbol representing their industry.

Identity for The Construction Safety Institute

Various (consortium)

One of my clients, a health and safety consultancy, was instrumental in assembling a sizeable group of businesses in various areas of the construction sector with the aim of creating an industry body for the promotion of safety in the workplace. A new logo and visual identity were required that would exude strength and authority but also be unstuffy and approachable. See also the membership pack that was created following this.

Skunk Beers branding

(Proposal concept)

A brewery start-up was looking for an identity they could apply to their new beer, called Blind Skunk. I submitted a broader proposal, suggesting something that could be applied more widely and therefore give continuity and longevity to their branding over-all. See also the bottle labelling design that was part of this proposal.

Accountancy firm branding

Fairchild Wazna

This accountancy practice wanted a new identity that would be stand-out but not wacky. This solution has a hint of playfulness, but is also solid, professional, trustworthy, responsible and coherent across the board, fully meeting the brief.

No Red Braces logo

Stefan Thomas

On relaunching his marketing business under a new name, Stefan wanted a fresh new identity for it, to reflect his no-nonsense, down-to-earth, good value approach. The chosen concept achieves this, and also alludes to the launch of something new and exciting with the cutting of a ribbon—an area he helps many small businesses with (launching, that is, not cutting ribbons!).

Bristol People logo

Ken Abbott

Before embarking on a new photography project—documenting the lives of people in Bristol, England—Ken wanted a logo to use in its promotion, both during the project and after its completion. The idea here was to use a variety of letterforms as a visual metaphor for the varied personalities a city contains—people from different backgrounds, ethnicities and walks of life. While very different from one another individually, together the letters form a harmonious and balanced whole.

True North Innovation logo

Rowan Norrie

Rowan ran a consultancy that focussed on innovation in business. Initially inspired by the colourful identity of a major online player that she admired, she wanted to capture some of that in her new logo. The result was a mark with an inventive feel, based on the form of an armillary sundial—a device which has to point true north in order to function correctly. A number of ideas came together here positively to form a coherent, inspiring whole, underscored by a meaningful strapline created to go with it.

Chocolate Addiction logo

(Proposal concept)

This was a quick proposal for someone who was in the process of launching a retail outlet specialising in chocolate products. Their brief suggested the possibility of featuring a syringe in the design but I felt that had too negative a connotation. Instead, I opted for something that simply celebrated the ‘joy’ of chocolate in playful forms and colours.

Unreal logo

Liz Hawthorne

Liz was launching a new sunless tanning product into a competitive market. Her high-quality product uses technology she’s developed to give a natural-looking tan which is attuned to the seasons and she needed an attractive visual identity for it that was right for the market. The logo uses a dual sun-and-frost motif to represent the seasonal aspect, with a vibrant colour scheme that positions it perfectly as a tanning product. See also the triple roller banner display created for promotional use.

Studio Golf Ayrshire identity

David Rushbury

David, an experienced golf professional, was in the process of launching a new leisure venture—an indoor golf studio using cutting-edge technology. He was looking for a vibrant, relaxed and fun identity with which to promote it. The result is branding that welcomes families and beginners but is crisp and grown-up enough to appeal to seasoned players too—the all-round mix that David wanted.

Logos for Reach 4 da Beat⁠™ & King of First Aid

Primrose First Aid Training Ltd

Kingsley O, popular First Aid trainer and self-styled King of First Aid, wanted accessible but solid branding to apply to his educational products such as board games and books. See also the design for the Reach 4 da Beat⁠™ board game and its accompanying book.

Logos for Blonde Witch

Kirsty Aikman

Kirsty was creating a new range of scented candles and other related products and wanted a brand to promote them under. She had already chosen the name and wanted visuals to match the general direction and feel of what she was creating. Although, of course, she chose only one of the styles shown here for development into the final logo, I thought it would be good to show the range of styles initially presented, as they all had the potential to work well.

My Cut logo

(Proposal concept)

The request here was simply to create a solid logo for a laser cutting business. The proposed logo neatly and simply depicts a laser device cutting a material.

Feel Better Friends logo

Jacqui Cattanach

Using her knowledge of car sickness in children, ‘mumpreneur’ Jacqui fashioned a new product from scratch—a portable sick container with a friendly appearance and many useful features. With a final prototype ready her drive was now to get it into production and bring it to market. Her initial logo was not strong but had a solid basic idea, so the task here was to take that idea and beef it up into something worthy of a neat product. See also the associated brochure, roller banners and product character face artwork created for development and promotion.

Grass Snakes logo

Grass Snakes (band)

Grass Snakes, a UK bluegrass band, wanted a striking logo to spearhead their forthcoming debut album package, being produced in CD format. The chosen design contains a symbol based on an original American snake belt clasp, but morphed in shape so it also neatly stands in for both the ‘S’ of ‘Snakes’ and a treble clef from musical notation. Couldn’t be more apt if it tried! See also the final CD package design.

Ja’Dillon logo

Julie-Anne Dillon

Julie-Anne’s newly-established wedding stationery business had got off to a promising start, with an attractive product range and bespoke service on offer. What was missing though was a logo for her to use on her website and marketing materials. Cue a classy, bespoke logo from Studio Xb, to do justice to her product⁠—⁠ta⁠-⁠dah!

Cake Recruitment logo

(Proposal concept)

This recruitment start-up was looking for a jaunty logo to spearhead its business launch. The ‘cherry on the cake’ suggested itself as a suitable image to convey what they were all about—matching the best roles to the best candidates.

A1 Window Cleaners branding

Paul Saxton

Paul wanted some new, more effective promotional materials as he was looking into franchising his hot water pole system for window cleaning, in addition to seeking more business for his own operation. The existing logo just wasn’t up to the job, so the solution was to upgrade that first, then build the new materials on the back of that. After introducing it all he experienced significantly increased interest in his services and was, needless to say, a very happy bunny indeed.

4NTV identity

4Networking Ltd

For the launch of their online TV channel, 4Networking required a simple, quick identity creating for the broadcast virtual set backdrop which would be in tune with their existing four-blues-and-lozenges identity. See also the TV set backdrop in action.

The Business Networking Show branding

4Networking Ltd

When 4Networking was planning to branch out into the world of business shows, the brief for the branding of these shows was clear—there was to be virtually no visual connection at all between them and 4Networking. The desire was to open the event out to members of all business networks and minimise any perceived 4Networking bias. What it would have in common though was liveliness. So evolved a strong, consistent and energetic identity which was applied to all venue and promotional materials. See also some speaker staging backdrops and social media graphics for the events.

25 Letters a Week logo

Lesley-Anne Hornbogen

With a new addition to her range of services, Lesley-Anne wanted a dynamic and striking logo that integrated well with her existing web site’s look and feel, giving her the confidence to promote her new service with gusto!

Logic SHE Group identity

Logic SHE Solutions Ltd

On splitting the company out into divisions, this safety, health and environmental (SHE) consultancy wanted to create a harmonious and unifying identity with a new logo to replace the home-grown and rather uninspiring one that had evolved over a number of years. The crisp, solid forms, evocative of safety symbolism, are rendered in a weighty but unstuffy purple for the group, combined with a punchy highlight colour for each division to inject some immediacy.

Aromatherapy & Reflexology branding

Anita Maunder

This is a real blast from the past (we’re talking the 1990s), but I’ve always had a soft spot for it, so I felt it justified an appearance! Anita was in practice as an aromatherapist & reflexologist and wanted a neat but expressive logo that combined the two disciplines. The chosen solution uses a flowers and roots theme in a colour combination that is both energetic and natural. Also shown is a promotional leaflet cover.