Selected Projects

Archive for May, 2011


Happy 2nd Birthday


Very Own Studio celebrates its 2nd birthday today. The last 12 months has been marked by a move from Manchester to Brighton, where we are now settling in nicely by the beach. The business has continued to develop and I am now working with several new and exciting clients. On that note, I’d like to say a big thank you to all the clients, collaborators and suppliers who have worked me in the last year. There’s lots in store this year, I’ll be completing an overdue update of the website as soon as I get a chance and adding some of the projects that have been completed in the last 12 months.


Lettering by Tony Forster

During my first week studying graphic design at university (1998), I borrowed several books from the library. A particular page in one book stood out, and I photocopied it and stuck it to the wall of my workspace. The photocopied sheet (which I still have) showed the work of Tony Forster, a lettering designer from Manchester.

Forster passed away in 2008, but I was reminded of his work when he was profiled in Grafik Magazine (issue 189). The image above is a self-promotional poster showcasing a variety of Tony’s lettering styles, from fluid calligraphic arrangements to more formal typographic logos.

13 years have now passed since my initial discovery, but I still marvel at the craftsmanship of Tony’s work.


Quote: Paul Rand

Paul Rand (1914—1996) was an American graphic designer, best known for his corporate logo designs for ABC, IBM, UPS, Enron and Westinghouse.


Sculptures by Richard Sweeney

Richard Sweeney manipulates materials to create amazing sculptural models. The images below are from a series of explorations in paper folding and constructed form.



According to Richard “When faced with a flat sheet of material, there is no obvious indication of how it can be manipulated into a three dimensional object. The limitations of paper as a form making material offer a challenge, which through playful investigation results in tangible models. The process was purely experimental, and no pre-determined outcome was specified. It soon became apparent that paper was valid as a sculptural medium in its own right, which could be used to create pieces with aesthetic rather than utilitarian value.”