So, after advertising my ways of self promotion (my tumblr, twitter, behance etc) on my Facebook page to my friends, I got my first request for freelance work. This proves self-promotion actually works and also makes me feel a lot more confident about myself!
The first request from the client didn't clearly state what they wanted, so after a few emails, we met up and discussed what it was I was to do. It is a lot easier talking face to face about ideas than through emails. The client gave me examples of their existing branding, so I sat down and wrote all the things that came in to my head while looking at it, as if I was writing feedback in a crit.
As this is my first freelance work, there are lots of things I am unsure about, but I'm sure I'll learn a lot from it. The client asked me how much I charged, and even after talks with others about how much they charge, I still felt unsure as I still don't feel as if I can charge a fortune for my work.
I'm going to hopefully do some more live branding for other artists who are starting out with their own businesses, and then combine this in to one of my ten briefs for the new year.
Examples of the existing website and branding: [not created by me]
Logo:
Photographs of initial branded packaging:
My initial thoughts:
- Like colour scheme, girly and sophisticated, relates to vintage and handmade feel
- Target audience seems to be Mums (middle class) with a bit of money, buying presents for a younger audience
- Website design seems more childish that the more sophisticated packaging
- Everything needs to be consistent and with the same text, as the text on the business cards is different to on the bag, and the image in the logo is different on different items.
- Same purple needs to be used throughout for consistency
- Idea for logo change: it could be a drawing of the corsage with the heart incorporated into it
- Everything you use should be your own designs - the postcards don't really match as they aren't Little Beauties designs
- Mix of vintage and modern in products and packaging
- Like how tissue paper inside matches colour scheme
- Need to create a list of products you sell
- Postcard seems a bit random and doesn't match other designs
- Stickers of logo could be created to seal things
- Stick to limited colour scheme
- Don't need name on everything - Hand Crafted Accessories sounds more professional
- Stick to limited colour scheme (such as colours on compliments slip are different)
- Could create more luxe business cards for a quality feel
- Boxes could be sealed with a sticker
- Simple is the most effective way, packaging is more simplistic than website
- Could create a bespoke typeface
- Could create a mini catalogue showing products to display at fairs
- Could create a range of business cards with a different photo of products on each
Things to ask:
- Can the logo be changed?
- Exactly who is target audience?
- Exactly what products do you sell?
After meeting
Before I started designing anything, I wanted all of my questions about the company and the audience to be answered and to find out exactly what was expected of me.
- Target Audience - 5 to 10 years old, mum's buying for daughters, people buying for presents // New products for older audience including jewellery being made
- Title - Little Beauties, Hand Crafted Accessories
- About - Selection of accessories for younger girls, do make custom products, sells products online, in craft fairs and in local gift shops. Displays items with lace and dollies, has a cute, girly, vintage theme.
- Wants - a fun interactive thing to give to the younger girls receiving these products
Possibly an image of one of the Little Beauties products for the girls to colour in
- The clients favourite photograph from her photo shoot with the models wearing the products is one of them reading, where you can see a variety of the products.
- The purple to be used is the inside colour on the banner
- Possibility of creating a concertina book with more information about how the products are made to go with the adult products being sold
Postcard Ideas
- 2 postcards: one for children to colour in and one for advertising products
- The products could be photographs but the girls hand drawn, so that you can colour in the girls
- Postcard could contain the photo of the girls reading with a border around and contact info
- Styled like a postcard on the back with contact info
- Interactive fun postcard for the girls to keep
- Hand drawn image of the products arranged in a jewellery box
- Photographs of products
Photographs
As the client was selling at a craft fair the next day, we both thought it would be good if she could arrange the products in a jewellery box kind of way, with plenty of products on show. This is so a photograph could be taken and I could draw from it.
What I am doing
- Correct logo, use the heart with the circles around it, but make the circles symmetrical and the logo a vector image. Don't include the LB in the logo.
- New business card design featuring the updated logo and better arrangement of details on the back
- Initial postcard designs (possibly a colouring in one for the younger girls and one of products for adults)
After I've done some initial designs, I'll get the client to look over these before finalising them and getting them printing. It will be exciting to complete this and add this project to my portfolio.
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