Goodbye August –  it’s been somewhat wet but really quite good.

Another round-up means a new illustration. This visual delight is by our very own designer, Jess Pardoe. Over the month of August, Jess and some of her close friends shared and documented their dreams – what you see above is their collective subconscious pictorially manifested. Focusing on joined-up hand-drawn lines, the interesting but mainly bizarre elements remain connected to represent the journey and freedom in direction our dreams ordinarily take.

Two important facts to share: 1) inspiration of the piece comes from this being the anniversary month of Dr Martin Luther King’s 1963 ‘I Have A Dream’ speech 2) the lack of colour from the piece is because Jess doesn’t dream (or indeed recall her dreams) in colour.

For a closer peek, we’ve posted a few close-up shots below.

Although known to be a holiday period, we have had a mammoth work month. Covering a gamut of our in-house services, we’ve completed design, illustration, branding and digital projects, including: event print collateral for this year’s UK School Games, a range of literature including the 2009-2010 Annual Review for the Youth Sport Trust, updated marketing materials for Treethorpe and software UI updates to MOOQU’s EYFS Assistant’s sister product targeting parents.

On a final note, we’ll be looking forward to the Association of Illustrators’ private view party for the ‘Images 34’ exhibition next week and our screenprinting team outing to Print Club London in October.

Hello Summer, we are back with a round-up of work and studio activities.

This month’s post visual is by our other esteemed co-founder and Creative Director, Roz Nazerian. Simply titled ‘Collection’, the illustration showcases Roz’s mobile phone collection from basic, brick style to super-phone, starting way back in July 1996 and still going strong today. It includes 13 of her own handsets and 20 odd others donated by family and friends over the years (…please note: kind contributions always welcome).

Recently completed projects over June and July include: Faculty of Computing perfect-bound brochure for London Metropolitan University, summer university course brochure for London Borough of Barnet and Youth Sport Trust’s ‘Manifesto’ booklet. Current exciting engagements include design and development of Treethorpe’s refreshed super-site and this year’s Annual Review for the Youth Sport Trust.

Finally, our very own book for 2010 is nearly complete with accompanying tote bags. Both have a limited run but we will be writing a full post shortly as well as a chance to ‘bag’ a few totes.

Keep up-to-date with bite-sized news via our Twitter feed: @minxcreative

Pathé International handles international sales and marketing for films produced by Pathé in the UK. The company has fast become one of Europe’s leading sales agents working with such renowned directors as Stephen Frears, Julian Schnabel, Francis Ford Coppola, Danny Boyle, Ken Loach, Walter Salles, Jane Campion and Michael Apted.

Just completed is this year’s prestigious Cannes Film Festival brochure, containing an overview of the company’s current film repertoire.

Inclusive to design, layout, typography and project management we were also responsible for print sourcing, procurement and management (FSC mixed sources).

“…we have always been impressed with the quality of work Minx Creative produce for us, especially as we often need this completed in a short space of time. Their work is modern and relevant, and despite our strict corporate branding, the designs are always original and exciting. Minx are efficient and very conscientious. A pleasure to work with!”
Sarah Lucas, International Marketing and Publicity Manager — Pathé International

Since our March illustration has truly blossomed and a new month is upon us (hello April), it’s time for a new illustration. This month’s creation is by our esteemed Co-founder and Creative Director, Nic Denton, who took on the challenge to illustrate something spectacular celebrating Earth World Day. Now in its 40th year with over 1 billion people taking part across 190 countries, the day will take place on the 22nd April this year. Titled ‘White and Black in Reverse’, the creative premise behind the illustration is to evaluate, question perceptions and think about how the world and its inhabitants are connected (we’ve included a few close-up sections of the illustration below).

Let’s get rolling with this month’s work round-up: Pathé International has engaged us for the third year running to produce their 2010 Cannes Film Festival brochure outlining an overview of the company’s current film repertoire. Further new project engagements include a department brochure for London Metropolitan University, branding and UI design for childminding software ‘EYFS Assistant’, print collateral for Treethorpe and summer campaign materials for Futureversity.

Autumn 2009, we embarked upon our own revitalised identity programme. Our curved ‘M’ logo had served us well for a number of years yet over that time we (as a studio as well as a creative team) had reached an evolved pinnacle and needed to visually represent the new chapter.

A few concepts later, our Creative Directors had developed the identity along with the stationery collateral. We wanted to subtly display our details on each stationery item and focus the recipient’s attention towards the written content of a letter/compliment slip received than anything else. Our new logo would be blind embossed (/debossed for the business cards) with contact details printed in Black PMS on the reverse side in reversed type, to make a feature of the stock’s transparent quality as well as dull down the strength of black.

The shots below give you an idea of the finished print:

Compliment slip (above) and Letterhead (below): Printed on 90gsm Cranes Crest Pearl White Wove in one colour PMS (black) reversed, and blind embossed logo.

Business Cards screen printed on 300gsm Cranes Crest Pearl White Lettra duplexed with 350gsm Colorplan Ebony and a blind debossed logo.

Wow, we can’t believe it’s March already!

This month’s illustration has been created by Minx designer Jess Pardoe and visually represents the change and transformation the month brings, leading us into the official start of Spring. The illustration will be updated daily (see animated slides below showing the daily transformation) by evolving, blossoming and blooming – much the same as the daily scenery and everyday life around us in this month. Make sure you come back to see the transformation and the big reveal at the end of the month.

We have had a busy few weeks finishing off as well as starting new projects which include brand development and application plus creation of this year’s suite of summer collateral for Futureversity (formerly known as Tower Hamlets Summer Uni). Our work section will also be updated in the next couple of weeks showcasing recently completed work including two mammoth resource packs for UK School Games and Youth Sport Trust and a selection of illustrations (from the developed brand style toolkit) for EYFS Assistant and MOOQU.

Hello to February – a new month can only mean a new illustration.

Created by Charlotte Dickason, a designer here at Minx with a love for paper engineering. Invited to give us her take on a Valentine’s themed illustration (with a twist of course), her interactive piece folds out to depict an eight petal flower, containing visual representations of an accompanying poem she penned herself. Being old romantics, we thought it only fitting to include the poem in its entirety:

You are a dream that holds me tight
You are a clear night’s sky, peaceful and bright
You are a familiar song that prompts a smile
You are a childhood memory that takes me back in time
You are the warmth of the sun when it reaches my face
You are a brand new day to admire and embrace
You are all the snowflakes that sit beside me
You are everything and everything to me

Thanks Charlotte, we are all feeling suitably special.

Before we go, a quick work round-up. We kick-started the year working on some great projects (and a few very tight deadlines). These include: three new publications for the Youth Sport Trust, a revitalised website for Camden Children Safeguarding Board, promotional collateral for the brand Durex Ora! and two new identity programmes, including a comprehensive illustrative brand toolkit plus web and software UI design for new client, MOOQU.

A Happy New Year (decade) to one and all!

Yes, we’re back. Full to the brow with recharged vigour and an abundance of new work resolutions for the year ahead, not least forgetting our perennial number one, to ensure that it’s a fantastic one. Starting off as we mean to go on, we’ve got a busy month ahead working on new print, web and branding projects (details of which will be posted in due course).

Notable plans to mention include further expanding our digital service (specifically video content for TV, cinema and digital market), social media offering and allocating a dedicated print only service inclusive of management.

We will also be posting monthly updates on current projects, new industry likes and finds, our team’s/studio shenanigans and more. Each post will feature an illustrated header starting off with this month’s amazing masterpiece by illustrator, Alex Friend. Based in Newmarket, Alex’s extensive body of work has been used for print and fabric commissions with an emphasis on utilising traditional techniques. Her illustration beckons in the dawn of a new year/decade (look closely and you will see that there are 10 steps on the path to the sun and the tree in four seasons).

Next month’s contributor will be our very own Charlotte Dickason, if you are interested in being featured for future months, email us: team@minxcreative.com

Our last working week for 2009 is upon us. Before we switch off the studio lights we would like to say HUGE thanks to our wonderful clients for the great briefs you’ve asked us to work on this year and our amazing partnership network (particularly our print firms) for the support and copious hours you’ve spent in helping to bring our work alive.

Here’s wishing you and the big wide world a very Merry Christmas *jingle, jingle* and Happy New Year from all of us at Minx Creative.

We’ll be back in on the 4th January, refreshed and raring to take on the start of a new decade!

This Project Focus gives an overview on the recently completed ‘Spotlight 2009’.

Engaged for the third consecutive year, our brief entailed design and illustration of SUL’s annual publication documenting the collective achievements of all Summer Unis operating throughout each London borough, as well as (new) national programmes.

The format is an 80 page, perfect-bound A5 booklet wrapped with a dual-purpose dust jacket that unfolds to reveal a fully illustrated poster (intended for use as either a separate visual piece or retained as the booklet’s dust jacket). Our creative approach incorporated hand drawn illustrations, bold use of colour and strong typography which complemented full page photographs used throughout the booklet to showcase each of the 34 Summer Unis. Print was sustainably sourced and managed by us, using 100% recycled, uncoated stock, through one of our FSC/ISO14001 certified print firms.