THE UNIQUE ABILITY TO CREATE AND INTERPRET ART WE AS HUMAN

BEINGS POSSES, TO ME, IS ONE OF OUR MOST ASTOUNDING ATTRIBUTES.

I HOLD GREAT FAITH IN THE POWER OF VISUAL ART AS A MEANS OF

COMMUNICATION. TO ME, ART IS A WAY OF CAPTURING AND DISECTING
AN EMOTION.
WHETHER ITS A PIECE OF WEDGEWOOD POTTERY, A VAN GOUGH PAINTING
OR AN INSTALATION PIECE BY DAMIEN HIRST, NOTHING MANAGES TO
CONJOUR SUCH GREAT EMOTION IN ME OR IMPRESS ME MORE, THAN
THE PHYSICAL PRODUCTS OF HUMAN CREATIVITY.
IT IS THE EFFECT THAT ART HAS HAD ON ME IN MY LIFE TIME THAT SPURS
ME ON TO CREATE MY OWN, AND DRIVES MY PURSUIT OF PERFECTING
THIS CRAFT.
SO WHAT MAKES MY OWN APPROACH UNIQUE? WITH REGARDS TO
GRAPHIC DESIGN, I GENERALLY TRY TO FIRST AND FOREMOST, CONSIDER
EACH PART OF THE PROJECT AS A SEPERATE PIECE TO THE PUZZLE, SO
THAT WHEN THEY ARE CONSIDERED TOGETHER, THEY WORK IN HARMONY
TELLING THE FULL STORY ON AN ALMOST SUBCONSIOUS LEVEL. I BELIEVE
A LOT OF DESIGN UNDER-VALUES THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE VIEWER,
WHICH IS SOMETHING I TRY TO AVOID AT ALL COSTS.
 BL ACK

M I K E
BL ACK

1 G L E B E L A N D S ROAD
PREST W HICH
MANCHESTER
M25 1NE

TEL : + 44 161 798 8054

MOB: + 44 78 85 629 94 1
WW W . M I KE B L AC K P H OT OG RA P H E R. CO.U K
 M I K E
BL ACK

MIKES BRANDING HAD TO EMPHASISE THE EDGE OF PRESTIGE

THAT MIKE TWISTS ON EACH OF HIS IMAGES. HIS WORK IS
HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IN CAPTURING THE DIGNITY AND GRACE
OF THE MOMENT IN A TOTALLY EFFORTLESS MANNER. MIKES
HAS PERFECTED HIS ART TO A “T“. HE HAS THE ABILITY TO
GET IN THERE AND GET THE JOB DONE, BUT HIS PREVIOUS
BRANDING JUST WASN’T DOING JUSTICE TO HIS ABILITY.
THE LOGO REFERS TO THE SPECTRUM OF LIGHT. COMBINED,
THESE NO LONGER MAKE WHITE; THEY MAKE BLACK. MIKES
WORK CAN BRING IT ALL INTO FOCUS FOR YOU.
THE COLOUR SPECTRUM THEME RUNS ALL THE WAY
THROUGH THE BRANDING, BEING ITS FOCAL POINT AS IT IS
EASILY RECOGNISABLE, AND WILL MAKE HIS BRAND POP OUT
AMONGST HIS COMPETITORS.

1 G L E B E L A N D S ROAD
PREST W HICH
MANCHESTER
M25 1NE

TEL : + 44 161 798 8054

M OB: + 44 78 85 6 29 941
W W W . M I K E B L AC K P H O T O G RAPHE R. CO.U K
THIS IS THE FIRST ARTWORK I PRODUCED FOR THE BAND RIGADOO!
COMPLETED IN 2008. AT THIS TIME,RIGADOO! HAD NO VISUAL IDENTITY
AND REQUIRED A LOGO AND ALBUM SLEEVE DESIGN TO BE TURNED
AROUND IN JUST OVER 1 WEEK.
THE MAIN FOCUS WAS TO GIVE THE BAND A STRONG RECOGNISABLE
IDENTITY, WITH NOTHING TOO FANCY ON THE ARTWORK FRONT. IN THIS
CASE, THE TERM LESS IS MORE WAS HIGHYL APPLICABLE.
MONARI FEDERZONI SELL THEIR RANGE OF BALSAMIC VINEGARS IN
LOW-PRICE BRITISH SUPERMARKETS TO A MARKET GENERALLY NOT
WILLING TO PART WITH MUCH MORE THAN A FEW POUNDS FOR A
BOTTLE OF SPECIALITY VINEGAR.

BUT MONARI FEDERZONI DO NOT MAKE JUST ANY BALSAMIC

VINEGAR, THEY SPECIALIZE IN BALSAMIC VINGARS, AND INFACT
WERE THE FIRST BRAND TO INTRODUCE BALSAMIC VINEGAR TO
THE MASS MARKET OUTSIDE OF ITALY. THERE IS NO ISSUE WITH THE
AUTHENTICITY OF THE COMPANY, THEY HAVE ALL THE HISTORY TO
BACK UP THEIR NAME, THEY JUST AREN’T WEARING THE BADGE WITH
ENOUGH PRIDE.

WITH THIS BRIEF, I HAVE FOCUSED ON THE RICH HISTORY OF THE

BRAND AND THE TRADITIONS THAT SURROUND BALSAMIC VINEGAR
PRODUCTION. BALSAMIC VINEGAR IS SOMETHING MODENA IS
VERY PROUD OF PRODUCING, AND A BRAND SO CLOSELY LINKED
WITH THE MASS PROMOTION OF THIS PRODUCT CAN NOT AFFORD
TO UNDERS-SELL SUCH A PRIZED PRODUCT, ESPECIALLY ONE THAT
 on the

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QUAKER OATS REQUIRED A BRAND NAME AND A PACK AGING

SOLUTION FOR A NEW READY-TO-EAT OATS PRODUCT TO BE STOCKED
IN LARGE CHAIN STORES SUCH AS TESCO.
THE TARGET AUDIENCE WAS 25 - 35 YEAR OLD PROFESSIONAL
WOMEN WHO TAKE AN INTEREST IN A HEALTHY DIET BUT WHO ARE
ALSO CONSTANTLY ON THE MOVE.
THE BRAND FOCUSES ON CONJOURING UP RUSTIC IMAGERY
ASSOCIATED WITH FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES AND A HEALTHY
DIET. THESE VIVID IMAGES COMBINE TOGETHER WITH A SLEEK
MODERN RECOGNISABLE LOGO AND BRANDING SYSTEM THAT SETS
THIS PRODUCT ASIDE FROM THE CROWD.
THE INTENTION WAS FOR THE PRODUCT TO ENTER ONTO THE SHELF
WITH A BANG, AND REMAIN RECOGNISABLE LONG AFTER ITS
INTRODUCTION.
D.E.D is a fictional hip-hop/electronic focused music event held in
manchester. With hip-hop and electronic music lovers as our target
audience, the prime concern was to not over-complicate things with
the visual identity which could unwittingly tangle it up with its far-
distant relatives; commercialised club nights aimed at students and
weekenders.

The main attributes d.E.D’s identity needed to hold were a

demonstration of knowledge, and a pungent sense of confidence
which in hand would re-assure the viewer that they are dealing with
the real-deal.

Typefaces are hand rendered and are strongly influenced by graffiti,

globally considered the face of hip hop. Imagery is all printed on
ink jet, cut out by hand, pasted and scanned back in with the hand
drawn text. This artwork tells the viewer that the creator was not too
caught up in prettyfying d.E.D into something it is not.
THIS IS THE SECOND ALBUM FROM RIGADOO! I HAVE WORKED
ON.
AS THEY HAVE PROGRESSED, RIGADOO! HAVE BEEN
PRODUCING MUSIC WHICH TO TAKE A STAB,CAN BE DESCRIBED
AS A BLEND OF ACOUSTIC, BLUES, JAZZ, ROCK AND SK A,
STRUNG TOGETHER WITH A PRODUCTION STYLE THAT MIMICS
ELECTRONIC 80’S ROCK.
THE CHALLENGE HERE WAS TO INTERPRET A BLACK AND WHITE
LYRIC STYLE WITH SUCH A UNIQUE BLEND OF SOUND.

THE MAIN BODY OF THE ARTIFACT IS IN BLACK AND WHITE -

THE INTERIOR, AND THE DISK, REPRESENTING THE HEART OF
THE BAND, WHERE RIGADOO!’S EMOTIONAL APPEAL RADIATES
FROM, ARE THE MOST COLOURFUL POINTS.

THIS ARTIFACT SIMPLY ENCOURAGES THE VIEWER TO APPRECIATE

ITS PERSONALITY SLOWLY; IT MAKES NO EFFORTS TO FIT IN
QUIETLY, IT STANDS BOLD AND PROUD, JUST AS UNIQUE AS THE
BAND THEMSELVES.
 FLYER FOR THE HIVE COLLECTIVE, LIVERPOOL

well oiled
MARLYN MANSON QUOTE FROM THE DOCUMENTARY
“BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE“

LOGO FOR A DESIGN COMPANY

 ADVERT FOR THE COTSWOLD AEROCLUB
(AUGUST 2010)

FLYER FOR THE COTSWOLD AERO CLUB

(DECEMBER 2010)
THIS IS A RESPONSE TO A SUGGESTED THEME OF MONEY AND POWER.
THE ILLUSTRATION REFERS TO THE CURRENT FINANCIAL CRISIS.
(COMPLETED MID 2010.)