Project Brief_Sign Systems

Following on from the corporate identity project, we were to choose one of our logos and develop a sign system for it within a building of our choice. I chose the Open House logo, a place where children aged 11-16 can come and talk about their issues, escape home or just chill out. I designed a flow chart system to help visitors decide which room they need, and used a collaged theme similar to that of my initial logo.

...I also created a 'digital' alternative of the flow chart, keeping with the times...

Music to my Peers...

The birthday card I made for my boyfriend's dad- a dedicated member of the East Yorkshire Brass Band!

Twenty One-t another slice?

For my bestest friend Claire's birthday, I decided to write her a song and animate it in a creepy, yet humorous way. (I'd just like to point out that those, sadly, are not my legs...)

..and here was her 'jungle theme' cake; baked by the lovely Jenny Cox and decorated by myself.

Folk-us Please!

The birthday card I made for my dad, who enjoys nothing more than to play folk songs on his guitar!

Studio Mark D'Emidio

I thought I'd take the opportunity to show off the work of Mark D'Emido (my sister's boyfriend!) -these particular pieces he designed for the Baltic Preview Party, whilst on placement at Blue River in Newcastle. He has also been on placement at Spin in London, and has literally just began another placement at Bunch in London. I wish him all the luck! Check out his website: www.studiomarkdemidio.com

For she's a jolly good fellow...

Two cards that I created using a simple drawing! One for a general "hello!" and one for my granny's 80th birthday...

...and here is the birthday girl!!

Project Brief_Corporate Identity

The task for this brief was to design logos/identities for four (fictional) companies. I seemed to struggle with this brief, possibly because I found it difficult to create something 'simple' which doesn't appear to have many layers of meaning to it. However, I tried to create something different for each logo and something a little less predictable...

We were then to develop one identity into designs for stationary....
(note the content of the letter comprised of extracts from Ralph McTell's classic "Alphabet Zoo"...)

i.f_Swarm

The obvious 'swarm' related image would be something to do with bees..(or an old Yorkshire man saying "It's warm" in a monotone voice...damn I wish I'd done that now...) but I thought about the recent weather here in Britain, and how you can't get moved on the paths for the 'swarm' of umbrellas (that last minute decision of whether to put your umbrella above or bring it below the oncoming pedestrian's is a daunting experience...). I also don't think I have seen so many disgarded umbrellas, worn out and skeletal, as here in Carlisle...

I.F_Layers

When I heard the word 'layers', I immediately thought about onions and their many layers (literal, not emotional). I then thought that a 'pickled' onion is pretty much a regular onion, but with less layers. And that's shallot.

Seals in Love

My Valentine's gift for my boyfriend: A song about seals in love! (Based on true events)


Seals in Love from Jennifer Bows on Vimeo.

Love Letters...

Jonny and Jenny- the typographic couple! (The fact that Jonny is in real life actually a whole head taller than me was not taken into account for this design....!)

A Valentine's Day Scene

A lovely parcel arrived for me today from my boyfriend- A Valentine's day card, resourcefully made out of half a carboard folder, some bamboo-style crete paper and staples... and inside was another selection of his ace senario sketches! This one (Entitled 'A Valentine's Day Scene') makes absolutely no sense to me, but I love it...

Project Brief_Sell Ice to an Eskimo

The latest brief was simple to 'Sell Ice to an Eskimo'. I decided that the best way to sell it to them would be in the form of 'ice plugs', filling in those exposed 'fishing holes' to prevent comedy mishaps. I considered the language barrier and decided that for this brief, pictures would speak louder than words. I thought about digital moving image to tell the story, but felt that sending a physical item in a paper boat was far more appealing... ("ICY PLUGS - YOU SEE PLUGS")

Piano Cover: Sophia, Nerina Pallot

I've been learning this song for ages, but aways go wrong when I get to a certain bit! This is about the 8th take, when I decided that enough was enough! Time to move onto a new song I think :)

i.f_Reverse

I've never taken part in Illustration Friday before, but decided to start now! The word 'reverse' made me think 'back of' and it got me thinking, what does the bum of a gingerbread man look like? Nobody knows, not even other gingerbread people, because they're always side by side. Maybe they have secret messages written on their bums that they're trying to keep hidden..that's why their arms are always upwards, suggesting they have nothing to hide...yeah right. I think if they were to be confronted by another gingerbread man front on, it would be a pretty shocking experience...

Project Brief_Book Covers

The book covers are finally finished, after a tedious week of tweaking the waitress so that she looked vaguely 'normal'! Again I am asking myself why I chose an illustrative appraoch to the brief... Anywho, the concept for this design is a waitress who is 'offering you information on a plate'..A quick, simple service with a smile! I liked the idea of a 1950s American style waitress, so based my type, colour scheme and general feel of the design around that era...

Dream Diary_Steep Slope

I'm in a landrover with my boyfriend, and we are about to drive up a steep, muddy slope as part of an 'Extreme Sports Experience'. There is an old man crawling up the slope in front of us, so I shout that we should wait for him to reach the top. We get out the vehicle and start removing mud with our hands, in the hope that it will make the slope less steep.

Rat's not funny...

Whilst working on my current brief, I was troubled by the look of the waitress' left hand and was told by a friend to add in a thumb to the equation...which consequently ended up looking like a small shrew-like animal...So, I decided to add more features to the little critter and although it has no connection to the theme whatsoever, it makes me chuckle...

Pattern You Up..

For the latest brief we are to design book covers for the 'A Short Introduction To' series...I created these patterns as part of my initial designs (for the subjects 'Allotment Gardening', 'Ballroom Dancing' and 'Weather/Meteorology'), but have now taken a new direction!

How Dairy You...

I was given some super cute ribbon for my birthday, and decided to make good use of it by sewing it onto a skirt. I had a sheet of fabric from a charity shop which I really like the pattern of, so snipped up a skirt! I think it's an unusual mix with the fabric pattern and ribbon, but somehow it works! The flower 'corsage' (I think I made that word up) was in no way a desperate attempt to cover up a gap created by lack of ribbon...Oh dear! 

Funny Business..

Ever since I've been going out with my fiancée, he's drawn me little cartoons based on something that he or we find humorous at the time..He doesn't realise it, but they are actually SUPER ACE!! I love the style he uses to draw, and the humour he uses shows how aware he is of people around him and the different (often extreme) characteristics of humans beings. (You may notice commonly used names such as Danny, David and Greg)..I look forward to adding many more to my scrap book :)

 P.S. I thought they would look pretty ace screen-printed onto tshirts...

...the cheeky characters also look good on frost car windows...

Thank you for a magical Christmas break!

I have had THE bestest Christmas break EVER this year..Mainly because of my magical trip to Disneyland Paris, my engagement, and all the lovely presents and presence that people have given me. So, to say thank you I made these cards using a photograph I took of the Castle, and edited it in Photoshop. You can just never have too much pink...

THIS is an Art Attack...

A couple of friends got me a (vintage) Art Attack book, knowing that it was my FAVOURITE television programme of all time and I bought every magazine and made everything in it..(I do believe it initiated my love of art and design)...and I thought, 'What better way to spend a day than to create a papier mache monster-bin'...

 And so I did:

...Oh, and did I mention that last year I met my all-time hero, Neil Buchannon, and sang with him on stage...

(that's me in the middle, having a moment..)

Check out his snazzy band!! http://www.marseilleonline.co.uk/

Alice in bun-derland...

For my 21st birthday I decided to have a [tea]party based on the theme 'Alice in Wonderland', so with the help of friends, I baked and iced cupcakes and biscuits to place on the tables.. You can't tell in the photos, but the UV lighting made the icing glow!!

This is a photo of me and my [new!] fiancée.  I'm wearing the dress I made for the party,  which I created using a light silk-type fabric for the skirt, sleeves and headband, and made the apron using a white fabric and lace ribbon around the edge. The skirt proved difficult, but I ended up using netting underneath and bunching up certain areas and sewing in place..