Art Beasties was my own business and it was building this brand that made me realise how much I loved graphic design and ultimately led me to retrain. This was my first project, the one that led me to where I am today. Suffice to say, this little beastie is close to my heart.

THE OPPORTUNITY
To create branding for children's art classes that could do a lot of heavy lifting on a very small budget. The challenge was to build something playful and approachable enough to appeal to kids, while giving parents the confidence that there was genuine substance behind it. It also needed to cut through quickly. The local market was competitive, and with no budget for media spend, the brand itself had to do all the talking.

THE SOLUTION
First up: the name. It had to be memorable, catchy, fun and trickier than it sounds, not already registered. You'd be surprised how many good ones are taken. Art Beasties felt right immediately, a little bit silly, a little bit wild, and entirely fitting for a room full of kids with paintbrushes. The logo followed: a beastie created out of a splat of ink with enough personality and imperfection to feel alive. That one little beastie set the tone for everything that followed: website, flyers, posters, signage, and a sticker series introducing children to famous artists in a way that felt playful whilst still being educational. A stamped, imperfect typeface echoed the handmade quality of the ink splat, and featuring real kids' artwork throughout the website gave the whole thing a wonderfully inclusive, creative energy.