AET Installations logo design

AET Installations logo design

AET Installations, Duns
Logo designs are often split between those that just use a unique font and/or background colour, and those that also feature some sort of graphical icon. When used within logo design, an icon can either be a generic shape (something utterly unique that helps the viewer of the logo quickly identify and remember the brand), or it can visually summarise the main function of the business (and again, this helps with quick identification, but it can also explain the nature of the business without the observer needing to think).

AET Installations requested that Scottish Borders Website Design create a logo to represent their new grain drying business for farmers in the south of Scotland and the north of England. The brief was for a modern sans serif font, with an icon and three colours; green, yellow and blue.

Unfortunately, by their very nature, grain drying systems (which occupy an entire barn) don’t particularly lend themselves to being easily illustrated, especially not in a small and quickly identifiable three colour icon. Despite this, the style, colour and shape of the icon were taken from one of the elements used within the grain drying process; the fan. So in this instance, the icon may appear to be a generic shape to some, but to those in the industry, it will be seen as a stylised fan blade that visually ties the core business into the AET Installations logo.

Little Popsicles logo design

Little Popsicles logo design

Little Popsicles, Duns
Little Popsicles, based in Duns, is a new venture that makes bespoke hand painted wooden gifts. Scottish Borders Website Design were tasked to design a new logo based on an initial idea developed by the client.

With some designs for logos it’s possible to go down different creative paths, but with a company name like “Little Popsicles” and the type of unique hand made gifts they produce, it was essential to create a logo design that visually tied the company name and products together.

The new logo, which features different tones of brown, bright green and pink, makes use of a font that’s fun, quirky and playful, as well as an illustration of some old fashioned lollipops. The colour, font and illustration combine to make a logo that’s new with a hint of the traditional as well as being professional but human and warm.

There was only one problem with the logo concepts for this client; too much choice! Their verdict: “They look great… good work. Very pleased!”

Silken seaweed

Silken seaweed

I popped to the coast at the weekend and whilst walking I came across an area of large round boulders covered in silky smooth seaweed that was so vivid it was almost luminescent (and also bone jarringly slippery to stand on). With the midsummer’s sun directly overhead, the harsh shadows cast by neighbouring boulders made for a stark contrast between the bright green of the seaweed and the near black of the shade. I took quite a few shots but opted to put this one on the blog as I love gentle curve that falls around the edge of the boulder, with dark shadow one side and the crisp green lines of the seaweed on the other.

GeoloGIS website design

GeoloGIS website design

GeoloGIS, Westruther
Scottish Borders Website Design launched the new GeoloGIS website design today. The new brochure site was required to help outline the many services provided by the Border’s based geoscience company, whilst also being the starting point for further content development by way of an integrated content management system. The site is split into sections that help explain the core services and recent projects, and there are plans to develop a resource area for related companies (with the original content aiding online promotion).

Smart Swing Solutions website design

Smart Swing Solutions website design

Smart Swing Solutions, Melrose
Golf is a game that is enjoyed in my family, but the skill sets required to play well seemed to skip a generation in my case. Working with a PGA professional to design, build and promote a website geared at improving your golf game was therefore highly insightful.

The design brief for some professional websites requires clean lines, soft pastel colours and a business-like appearance. However, the brief for this website was quite different, with the use of black and gold a specific requirement. What’s more, it became apparent that the strategic use of graphical design elements could quickly help site visitors understand the core service – learning to improve your golf swing using mobile phone video analysis and by watching video lessons.

To that end, the top of the page features the new Smart Swing Solutions logo (designed earlier the project) with a background comprised of blue sky and the short cut crass of a perfect golf course green. A golf ball (complete with company strapline: “From phone to fairway”) sits right on the edge of the hole, with a mobile phone featuring a video of a golfer in mid-swing, balancing the page layout to the right. The visual elements immediately paint the picture, and the headline confirms the core service (Improve your golf swingwith 3 simple steps) and leads the visitor further into the site.

The website features video advice and tips from a PGA professional, all of which are viewed within a mobile phone graphic. Other golf related imagery has been used to create promotions and navigational elements, with the foot of each page punctuated by a golf tee and a couple of golf balls. When designing a website it is of crucial importance that visitors instantly understand the nature of the business, and in this instance it’s pretty difficult to misinterpret!

And the clients thoughts on the design? “The site is fantastic. I’m delighted with the finished item, well done.”