I’m back! Lots has been happening over the past 18 months, and it’s only now that I’m coming up for air. From a work perspective, I’ve been part of a wider team delivering a new museum project, and whilst I can’t talk about it (as it wasn’t my design and my story to tell) suffice to say it’s been a challenging, rewarding and interesting project to work on.

Additionally, I’ve had some challenges away from work looking after my Dad, who was diagnosed with dementia a couple of years ago. As his needs change, so do the demands on my time, and on ours as a family, which meant things like updating blogs and websites have remained firmly on the ‘to do’ list. Until now!

So, amidst all that, what else have I been up to? Well, quite a bit, actually. Here’s some of the highlights of the past year or so. Let’s get into it…

The University of Manchester

Earlier this year I began work on a new piece for the faculty of Humanities at The University of Manchester. The brief was to replace three heavy Undergraduate prospectuses (prospecti??) - all of which featured a large amount of duplication, with a single, cohesive piece. The resulting work features a pocket in the back for course specific inserts, so open day visitors can collect the ones they’re most interested in rather than carrying around lots of unnecessary stuff.

Alliance Manchester Business School

Continuing the design for print theme, I’ve also been busy with Alliance MBS, which as you may know, is part of The University of Manchester. I’ve been working on two projects, one for Undergraduate and one for Postgraduate audiences. As with the UoM project, the aim of both is to move away from a traditional, unwieldy prospectus to something more like a ‘first touch’ piece that signposts people online for more info.

Both pieces employ the ‘where original thinkers apply’ title, but whereas the undergrad piece is predominantly designed for handout at University open days, the postgrad piece is aimed at the important International audience, and is transported around the globe to events in small numbers (and small suitcases!). As a consequence, and in the interests of weight and space saving, I went down the route of a compact square format with as few pages as we could realistically get away with.

Port Sunlight Village Trust

Earlier this year Port Sunlight revealed their new brand identity, designed by the talented team at Poke. I was asked to work up the first batch of collateral to use the new brand, namely a selection of visitor leaflets and of course the Port Sunlight Gazette, which has been a mainstay of the Ingenious studio for a decade! Moving away from print, I also created an interactive PDF for the Trusts’ new Conservation Management Plan.

National Museums Liverpool

I’ve been working with NML since 2019 and every project is always interesting and rewarding. I’m lucky in that I get to work on both marketing campaigns as well as exhibition design, and most recently I’ve worked alongside the incredibly talented in-house NML studio to deliver May Morris: Crafting a Legacy. The exhibition is a celebration of the wide-ranging creative output of Arts and Crafts designer and maker, May Morris, the younger daughter of William Morris.

My role in this exhibition was 3D design, and so working alongside the curator and the ever-wonderful client team and other in-house departments such as mount making, delivered the thematic layout for the exhibition. Key to the success of the final design was the way the objects and story intertwined, with Richard’s (NML’s brilliant 2d designer) graphics complementing the subject matter beautifully.

May Morris: Crafting a Legacy runs until November 1st.

Cheadle Hulme School

It’s testament to my tardiness in updating my blog that since the last update, I’ve designed not one, but two, issues of The Waconian for long-standing client Cheadle Hulme School. Having worked on this lovely project every year since 2011, it’s become a highlight of my year and working alongside my wonderful editor and the CHS students, one I always look forward to.

So, that’s it! It’s a bold claim, but I’m aiming to be more active in updating things from now on, not least because I actually enjoy doing it when I have the time! It’s always great to get feedback, so please do drop me a line, and of course if there’s anything design related you think I might be well-placed to help you with, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Thanks,

Paul.

Hello, is this thing on?