Pickle Design News Blog

Wavehunters Surf School Leaflet

2012-01-04T05:33:00.003Z

Andy from Wavehunters approached us in the Spring of 2011 to create a leaflet promoting their surf school. We designed and printed an A4 folded to DL leaflet packed full of their great images, explaining about the service.

We have worked for Wavehunters before, using their existing brand to create letterheads, complement slips and business cards. As the focus this time was to be on the surf school, we utilised their photographs and set out to communicate the atmosphere down on the beach. The inside page brakes down the many different activities they offer and showcases the latest craze, stand up paddle boarding.

The look is both laid back, Cornish and packed full of possibilities. The leaflets have been well received and you may well see them, hopefully, everywhere!

The New Pickle Baby!

2011-12-26T16:44:00.002Z

A good way to end the year at Pickle Design with a new addition! Rufus was born at 5.09am on the 23rd of December and is now at home with his mum and big brother Henry!

Carl and Maria would like to say thank you to everyone who wished us well on the nervous week before he was born, and also to all who have been in touch since.

Picaloulou's Hand-Knitted British Children's Clothing

2011-11-11T18:45:00.001Z

We have just completed a very exciting project for brand new company Picaloulou. Picaloulou is a web-based business selling beautiful hand-knitted woollen clothes for children.

These are the highest quality and completely British. Our task was to design a website that would communicate the integrity and beauty of the brand, and feature an easy to use online shop. We worked on the look allowing plenty of white space for the stunning photographs, with a colour scheme of muted greys. The brightness comes from the woollen garments themselves and the vibrant logo.

The home page has fading images using handwriting to create an informal feel. There are also feature boxes that connect straight through to key pages. The Facebook and Twitter logos have been custom designed, in-keeping with the rest of the site, and we have used little elements of illustration to bring a child-like feel.

As well as designing the pages for the shop, all restrained and clear, we have created the concept for the blog that will be online soon. With all these features, this site is personal, user-friendly and show cases their beautiful product.

Cafe Menus Full of Illustration

2011-10-03T19:17:00.000+01:00

We have just completed new menus for the Wadebridge coffee shop, Caraways. They approached us to re-design their menus to reflect the feel of their friendly cafe.

We kept within their colour scheme of coffee browns, caramels and creams, but added a dusky sky blue. I chose a friendly serif font and filled the pages with my drawings of coffee cups and cakes, sandwiches and salad. The menu took the format of A5 folded with a durable matt finish.

The front page has an illustration of a large cup of steaming hot coffee, with a dotty frame surrounded by a crisp white background. Inside the format has titles, descriptions and prices separated by dotted lines and distinguished by colour and weight. The menu is such an important part of a cafe and we are pleased that Caraways now has something representing them in a fun and relaxed manner.

Granny Wobbly's Fudge Pantry Website

2011-09-24T18:24:00.000+01:00

Recently we completed an e-commerce website for Granny Wobbly's fudge. They already run two cute and quirky fudge shops in Wadebridge and Tintagel, Cornwall, but wanted to expand their shop online.

The clients already had a logo and we needed to convey the feel of the shops themselves on the website. So we designed a simple but fun website, complete with blog and full e-commerce facilities. We used pink dotty and stripy bunting to frame the site and a swirly background allowing the text to be clear on a white page. The blog appears on the right hand side of the home page like a blackboard and there is a section for the client to update with their seasonal promotions.

The shop admin allows the clients to upload the products themselves and edit the categories, and the shopping cart was designed to fit into the website style. The intention is for the shop to be very easy to use, encouraging sales.

One of the best things about the project was tasting their ever changing varieties, why not sneak a peak at their latest flavours!

The Artist, Joanna Commings', Online Gallery

2011-09-09T16:22:00.000+01:00

We have recently completed a website for talented Cornish-based artist, Joanna Commings. She approached us as she needed an online presence and a way to showcase her portfolio. I love designing artist's websites, as the idea is to make the design minimal and allow their work to speak for itself.

I chose one of her iconic paintings as a banner and used the navigation to create depth, light and shade. Then created a format allowing a large image and thumbnail shot on each page, with a pallet of grays and white to complement Joanna's Cornish art.

The home page has an editable section where Joanna can keep people informed about up and coming exhibitions, along with a little information about the artist herself.

There is a page focussed on her landscape paintings and a page about her portraits and commissions. We also created an online gallery so that Joanna could upload her paintings herself. This allows her beautiful pictures to be displayed large and to be navigated with arrows and thumbnails. The client is very happy with the finished result, as are we!

To let people know that she had a new web presence, Joanna also requested a single sided business car. So we matched the design of the website and used the iconic image of St. Michael's Mount once again to tie the two applications together. These were printed on 400gsm matt laminated stock.

Emma Julian

New Website for Lola Smith's Handmade Children’s Clothing

2011-09-04T17:35:00.006+01:00

We would like to introduce you to Lola Smith, a very unique business with beautiful designs. This is the new website we have designed, complete with an e-commerce shop for Lola Smith's handmade and bespoke clothing.

Lola Smith creates clothes and homewares to your exact requirements, so we set about creating a website that reflected their original handmade styles and girly aesthetic. We used illustration and fading images to make the most of their lovely photography. We set the site on a background of pale blue and white dots and used little illustrations for navigation buttons, such as the social media sites Facebook and Twitter.

Lola Smith's handmade children’s clothing is available from their website, but uniquely, each item is made to order. This means that the clothes are to your child's measurements, and gives you the opportunity to have something created to your tastes.

The whole website uses pastel and girly colours, but we left the body of the page white to best showcase their beautiful items of clothing. The clients are really pleased as the website is already receiving positive feedback! One of our favourite projects to have worked on!

Just Fab's New Website

2011-08-27T22:49:00.005+01:00

We have just finished an exciting new website for our clients Just Fab, a Launceston based interior furnishings company with the largest collection of fabric samples in the Westcountry. Initially we re-designed their existing logo and created some bold, bright signs for their showroom, then our rebranding work took in their stationery, adverts and finally, website.

The first step was to carry out a photoshoot. The concept was to follow the process a client could go through as well as showing the vast amount of material Just Fab house, along with the quality of their upholstery and curtain making. We then used these photographs in numerous applications such as exhibition signage and advertising, before applying it to the website. This photography is used extensively to recreate the atmosphere of their large showroom, an Aladdin's cave of textures and colours.

The new site needed to reflect the brand, so we incorporated the two blues from their brand and the abstract fabric pattern, also we used the dividing line in the logo to separate the tool bar.

One of the new features was a news blog integrated into the website, which the will showcase their latest collections and update clients on new ranges. The home page has a snippet of the blog that lets visitors see that there is plenty going on within the company.

We intended their website to have a grown up and sophisticated look while being easy to navigate, sitting well with the brand we have created, but always to encourage internet user to visit the showroom itself. The staff and owners have a real love of their product and offer an excellent standard of interior design in Cornwall. Get in touch with them to get advice and recommendations for your home or business, we highly recommend them.

Promotional Badges Can Still Be Fun!

2011-07-20T09:50:00.007+01:00

One of our clients, Absolute Joinery, recently exhibited at The Cornwall Home Show held at Kingsley Village. They approached us asking for some promotional material to give out to prospective clients. They had previously remarked on our own badges, which we had produced to work alongside our 2009 calendar, and were looking for something just as fun and quirky.

So we set about working on two designs around the theme of wood and bespoke design. On one badge was simply written in a cartoon-like font "I Love Wood" in brown tones, and the other featured a collection of furniture in white on a background of wood grain. The limited size is always a challenge but there is something irresistible about designing badges, they have an indie-cool and are very collectable - everyone likes something they can pick up and take away for free. The company's web address was included so people would remember where the badges came from.

Absolute pride themselves in producing work that stands alongside the highest standard of carpenters in Cornwall comfortably. Their website has a busy portfolio gallery full of recent work, and there is always something new being added.

Photographs and Typography by Jess

2011-07-13T11:02:00.011+01:00

These last two weeks we have been enjoying the company of Jess who is with on a work experience placement. Emma set her a project that took advantage of her creative skills and new techniques she has been learning in the studio. Here is what Jess has to say about the project.

“My brief was to take photographs around the garden and then add some appropriate quotes on to them. I also decided to add a few illustrations on to some of the images. I added filters using Photoshop to make parts of the images stand out such as the red chair.

Red Chair (Top)
“I took this image from a low angle to make the small chair look large and powerful. I then dulled down the background to make the redness of the chair stand out more. For the illustration, I decided to draw a very small man sat on top of the chair, with a crown, as if he had conquered it. I thought the quote “nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’” fitted with image as with the size of the person, it would seem that climbing the chair was impossible.

Sky
“I took this image because the sun was shining bright and i love images of the sun high in the sky. I didn’t edit this image at all and just added the quote. I used the font, helvetica, as this is a smooth, bold font which makes the quote stand out. I chose a quote about happiness as whenever the sun comes out, everybody is instantly much more happy.

Steps
“I took this image while I was standing at the bottom of the steps, because I thought the lighting looked good where it was mostly dark, but you could see the light at the top where the sun peeks through. I drew some small people attempting to climb up the steps and help each other because I thought I would look interesting and fit with the image and the quote. I chose a quote about climbing because it worked well with the image and I chose to do the bubble around it because I couldn’t find a colour that made the text readable with all the different colours of the image.”

Jess Fisher

Art and Egyptian Revolution

2011-07-05T12:08:00.007+01:00

Part of Khaled Hafez's Tomb Sonata in Three Military Movements (and Overture). Photograph: Khaled Hafez Source: The Guardian

The Guardian's piece on the art of the recent revolution in Egypt caught our attention this morning, especially as we were all concerned during those fraught weeks for the artist John O'Carroll who was in the country.

The Guardian is running a very interesting piece on an exhibition being held from the 6th July at the Mica Gallery, Shubbak: A Window on Contemporary Arab Culture, presented by the mayor of London and encompassing all the arts, until 24th July.

During this time, John was unreachable by any means, so we were very happy to finally hear from him when the dust settled. His work in Egypt takes him deep into the desert where he catalogues finds on archaeological digs. Two of his drawings are below.

This work translates into his art in many ways. One of his new pieces is below.

John had plenty of tales to recount when he visited us in our studio, and it will be interesting to see how the experience translates into his creativity in coming months. We are working with him on his next book currently, if you would like to see his previous book, John O'Carroll: Art Works 1998 - 2008, you can see it in our portfolio.

Shaw Van Conversions Updated Website

2011-06-13T18:58:00.005+01:00

An existing client, Shaw Van Conversions, came to us to update their website. They were happy with the general look we had given them but wanted to add new features and bring their website more up to date. So keeping the existing colour scheme, we set to work on the site.

As the company converts vans and trailers into refrigerated vehicles, we added a snowflake background to paint the picture. Also on the home page there a section called 'Van of the Month' where the database we built calls an item from their refrigerated vans for sale, this is completely editable by the client. The home page really acts as a spring board to the other pages, with buttons for the van and trailer pages, as well as links to complete an enquiry form.

The idea was to keep the site very user friendly but make it bright and interactive. We also created pages where people can view the vehicles available. This is also designed so the client can upload pictures without always contacting us. This re-design allowed us to incorporate a gallery complete with albums and arrow navigation, all fitting with their brand design.

Logo Design for Time and Tide

2011-05-30T17:51:00.005+01:00

This is the logo that we created for media company Time and Tide. The client was looking for a simple mark that would be as striking as a small label on a piece of equipment along with holding its own on film credits.

Time and Tide wanted the mark to work in simple black and whites and have an element of tongue in cheek. We discussed many different and disparate directions: sailors tattoos and other nautical themes, coats of arms, and the work Keith Haring and Stussy.

We kept the line thick and bold, as if it had been drawn by a marker pen, ensuring it was not over worked, and this gave us a finished result that works well black on white, or reversed.

Nella Marin's Unorthodox Business Card

2011-05-20T13:48:00.007+01:00

We have designed a business card for actress Nella Marin, pictured here. It has been a very considered project with us, Nella and her friend (and also our client) artist John O'Carroll, who created the swirl artwork and a 'NM' as Nella's initials.

Nella didn't want a standard business card and approached us to design her something that fit her personality and profession. She wanted it to take the viewer on a journey, and make sure they really have to work to find her details! She hasn't included her profession, so in someways this business card asks more questions then it answers. This air of mystery was exactly what she wanted.

We worked with high quality local printers and used GS Smith paper which has a lovely cloth like texture in 'Pristine White', allowing the uncoated paper to contrast with the aubergine ink. The card has a fold giving interactivity and her contact details are presented in the arc of John's swoosh. The letters are organically ordered, the placement of each letter creates a friendly vibe that contrasts with the stark colours.

Absolute Joinery Website

2011-05-06T09:49:00.007+01:00

We have recently finished a website for our clients Absolute Joinery. Absolute Joinery are a South West based joinery company producing beautiful bespoke joinery, ranging from one-off pieces such as staircases and furniture, to antique replica windows and cutting-edge glass extensions.

We had a colour palette the client was happy with so went about creating the site. The website combines elements from both Marie and my designs, and incorporates a bespoke gallery. We used lots of photographs throughout the website to show the very extensive range of joinery the company produce, and let those images show the quality of work.

The Projects page is what we refer to as a gallery and in this instance has been organised into albums of categories, such as doors or windows. This was Marie's design and I think creates an elegant platform from which the user can view the work. It was important to the client that the variety of their work could be displayed. When an album is selected a large image appears and the navigation on the right allows the user to scroll through and view the pictures that interest them larger.

The intention is to provide users with a taster of a company who provide high quality joinery in Cornwall and also Devon, but encourage visitors to contact Absolute to learn exactly who bespoke their service can be.

Emma Julian

North Cornwall Cleaning Service Website

2011-04-20T13:04:00.006+01:00

We have designed a simple three page website for cleaning and property maintenance company; North Coast Cleaning.

We wanted to communicate the range of services on offer from domestic house cleans to grounds maintenance. A pallet of fresh blues and white were used, keeping the site easy to navigate.

We needed to communicate what cleaning services in Cornwall are provided and how people could get in touch, presenting this information in a friendly and professional manner.

Wood Craft Website

2011-02-12T17:45:00.006Z

We have just completed this three page website for Stable Wood Craft. Sarah came to us needing a new website to promote her beautiful, bespoke furniture, which she cleverly creates. These pieces are either replicas of something old or a bespoke addition to the home with shelves, wardrobes and beds all part of her portfolio.

"Sarah had a logo already in place, so I recreated it as a vector image and altered the colours to suit a muted colour scheme centred around sage green. I wanted the design to be classic and speak of craftsmanship and so allow the furniture to be the focus.

The logo is set centrally in the banner, and I used swirling shapes to echo wood carving detail. As Sarah did not want a gallery as yet for her furniture the pictures area displayed in the style of a glossy magazine spread."

Emma Julian

Website Design for Fine Dining in Rock

2010-12-05T12:29:00.008Z

This is a one page website created for the Dining Room Restaurant in Rock. They wanted a website that centred around classic black and white and their elegant food. I used a fine pinstripe as a background, contrasting with strong black diving the space.

This website is just to introduce visitors to their restaurant and style of food, with a downloadable PDF menu that is regularly updated. In the future we will extend the website to offer more pages and information, but for now this simple site stylishly and clearly presents all that is needed.

Emma Julian

Wine Tasting and Art Exhibition

2010-10-31T17:31:00.006Z

On Friday 1st October, Pickle Design's studio became an exhibition space for artist John O'Carroll. The evening was a collaboration between Pickle Design, John O'Carroll and Wadebridge Wines who gave a wine tasting on the night.

The exhibition consisted of fourteen pieces of John's recent work from his 'Ambient Light' and 'Shadow' series'. Our studio, cleared of its clutter and furniture, created a great space for his huge wax pieces - particularly his large circle piece which was lit on the back wall. The evening consisted of an informal and fun presentation of four wines from Tamsin at Wadebridge Wines within the relaxed setting of John's work.

Following this, John gave a presentation on his experiences that has inspired him to produce these fine pieces - The Egyptian and Cornish landscapes are a source of his inspiration along with a keen interest in iconography, time and space. The exhibition was attended by clients, friends and associates of all three parties,which made it a great evening and a pleasure to be a part of.

Words: Marie Lawley
Photography: Jay Lawley

Wadebridge Bathroom Studio Posters

2010-09-25T21:26:00.003+01:00

Wadebridge Bathroom Studio asked us recently to create two posters to promote a special offer they were running. We took their existing brand and applied it to the large format printing, ensuring that it both conveyed the message clearly, and maintained the high standard of their business.

Marie was able to give the A1 posters a fresh look without losing the integrity of the WBS brand.

The posters were printed digitally on 200gsm stock, full colour. The turnaround time was important in order to take advantage of the time scale of their, and so they were produced very quickly.

Luxury Holiday Competition With Steppes Farm

2010-09-11T20:14:00.004+01:00

One of our clients is part of a competition with a great prize. A holiday in luxury cottages on the edge of the beautiful Bodmin Moor.

Kelly's of Cornwall has linked up with Steppes Farm Holiday Cottages, based on the North Cornwall coast, to offer 2 people the chance to win a 3-night break in one of its beautiful self-catering luxury holiday cottages. The prize also includes full use of Steppes Farm spa facilities - so at the end of a hard day's exploring, you can kick back, relax in the outdoor hot tub and gaze longingly at the Cornish sky.

See the competition details on Kelly's website.

Kelly's of Cornwall is based in Bodmin, just a stone's throw away from Steppes Farm. Made with lashings of clotted cream and whole milk, fresh from cows that graze on Cornwall's lush green grass, Kelly's of Cornwall ice cream has a distinctive flavour and velvety smoothness that you won't find anywhere else.

Steppes Farm luxury holiday cottages in North Cornwall make the perfect prize for this competition, and this is a competition that shouldn't be missed.

Website for a Removal Firm in Cornwall

2010-09-05T22:53:00.008+01:00

We have just finished a website for the removal firm, Smith of Bodmin. Previously, they had a basic one page site, but want a website that would communicate their brand more effectively. The client provided a mixture of photography and stock images, and we used their existing colours of blue and yellow.

Smith of Bodmin provide reliable removals in Cornwall, and are a well respected company with many happy clients, so it was important to communicate this and I wanted to show them as a friendly and approachable team with great service. So in my design we have a post-it style text box and a teddy bear icon that has come to be associated with the brand.

Each page presents the process in a friendly tone of voice, pulling out one of the many testimonials and using relevant pictures to illustrate the points being made. This is a straight forward website, but I feel it represents the company well and helps connect them with their customer base.

Emma Julian

Poster Design by Joseph Bouzaglo

2010-08-15T15:57:00.004+01:00

Joseph Bouzaglo has created the above image to be used as both a Twitter background and as a poster design.

He created a minimal piece that is now available from the Pickle Design website as a free Twitter background, or to be bought as a high quality A3 poster. Prices include postage for delivery in either the UK or worldwide.

There are also a number of other designs on the Pickle site by Emma Julian and Marie Lawley. The style of their work is quite different in it is interesting to see how it relates to their other design projects.

The New Quarryman Inn Website

2010-07-31T13:28:00.005+01:00

The Quarryman wanted us to design them a website to reflect their food, drink and accommodation. Set in between Padstow and Wadebridge, The Quarryman serves freshly prepared food which we were keen to portray - of course, we had to go there to sample it first..!

We thoroughly enjoyed the desserts and feel our photographs give a good glimpse of the quality on offer. We wanted to represent this pub in a friendly manner reflecting all their features including the spectacular view of the Estuary from their apartment. To do this, and to maximise the use of the pictures from the photoshoot, we used buttons to illustrate each section in the toolbar which remains visible throughout the site.

We have incorporated Facebook and Twitter feeds so that the website is always current and helps the viewer get a feel for the people and the place.

Ruth's Week at Pickle

2010-07-09T16:39:00.007+01:00

Twitter Background

This week we have been pleased to have someone on work experience with us. It has been a good week and she has been a great presence in the studio. This is what she has had to say:

Hello my name is Ruth, and I have just spent a week at Pickle Design on my work experience. At the beginning of the week, Emma showed me how to use Illustrator (part of the Adobe design package), I Googled frogs, found one that I liked and traced around it.

It pretty much took me the whole day, but I was well chuffed with him when he was finished. This, I have to say, is the best programme in the world!!! I think I have used it everyday this week.

Frog Design

Anyways, I also learned how to use Photoshop (another Adobe programme), something that we have at home but I've never had the faintest idea how to use it. That's pretty cool too. I was looking through some of the Creative Reviews (the design industry magazine) and there was loads of cool typography, (my new word of the week) so I decided to do something like that on the invitation I was designing.

I found loads of fabrics that had been scanned into the computer and cut letters out on Photoshop. Again, it took me absolutely ages, but I was pleased with the end result.

Illustrator Work

Here are my highlights of the week...
1. Being able to wear my own clothes!!! It's actually quite hard to find something smart to wear everyday, but I think I did alright.
2. Answering the phone. This was one of the targets my teacher made for me when she came to visit. I actually hated her for that, but when I did it, it was fine.
3. Learning loads and loads of new things. This has to be the best thing of all. I love learning new things, but to actually learn things that interest me and are useful is great. I took product design for a GCSE, and everything I have learned this week I can transfer into my coursework.

Another achievement of this week is me getting twitter. I have no idea how to use but somehow I have managed to follow like 7 people, how, I don't know. I think I've tweeted like 5 times, and I've got a background that I designed myself...although I am considering changing it to the pig of toy story.

Overall, I have had a really good week and wish that I could spend next week here too! Everyone has been really nice and made me feel welcome. It's been really cool seeing how everyone works here at Pickle. I thought I was quite a focused person, but I started doing the same work as Emma and Marie and found myself drifting off into my own little world. All of the ideas and designs they come up with are amazing! They have completely inspired me.

Bambino Art - Children's Photography Website

2010-07-05T22:31:00.006+01:00

Bambino Art is a company run by a photographer that specialises in artistic childhood photography, she approached us wanting her images to be shown clearly in a relevant setting. We worked with her to create a logo which described her subject matter using the "B" to symbolise the profile of a pregnant woman.

We created a playful toolbar, complimented by the movement of dandelion seeds. This animation on the homepage consists of an illustrated dandelion whose seeds drift off across the page to take their final place on the logo. On the other pages the dandelion gently sways in the wind, and a few seeds float off the page.

We designed a flash animated gallery with black and white thumbnail images to navigate though it, and added some extra touches by using hand-drawn frame corners and scroll bars. The gallery consisted of four categories which were displayed by a secondary toolbar. The client is able to upload her own images to the gallery and rearrange them as her new photo shoots are completed.

We also added a blog to the site with the same branding, so that she can update the viewer with her latest work and keep the site fresh. She has really taken full advantage of the potential that the blog allows, with large, bold images.

All of these elements come together with a soft colour pallette to act as a showcase for this photographer's work. She documents precious memories of pregnancy, childhood and family time, so it worked well to have a subtle canvas that allowed the photos to speak for themselves.

Marie Lawley

Website for Safety Service in Cornwall

2010-06-19T16:56:00.006+01:00

Churchtown Safety Services offer a health and safety service for businesses, and they came to us to design them a website to convey who they are and what they do.

We continued on the brand colours that were set in the process of creating their logo to keep their presentation consistent, and kept the pages clean and precise to reflect their area of expertise. Stock imagery was selected to compliment the copy and portray the importance that Churchtown place on building relationships and working alongside their clients.

There is a contact button on every page that leads to the contact page, intended to encourage visitors to call or email for more information. We have also encorporated a blog that keeps the site fresh and up-to-date.

Marie Lawley

Wedding Stationery E-Commerce Website

2010-06-05T14:18:00.008+01:00

Recently we completed one of our most comprehensive e-commerce sites to date, DIY Wedding Stationery. The client came to us to transfer her successful business from Ebay to her own website. She sells all you would need to create your own wedding stationery, from card and envelopes to glamorous embellishments. We also designed the logo and created an appropriate and feminine brand, centred around swirling illustrations in cream, pink and brown.

The shop comprises of an extensive database with a search facility and the ability for the client to add categories and sub categories. Clearly in the banner are displayed how many items are in the cart and the 'View Cart Button'. The products are arranged in an easy to understand tool bar on the left and subcategories are pictured on the main shop page. Once a product is selected the image appears bigger with description, a separate picture of the texture and the ability to enlarge both. You can select the quantity, add to cart as well as selecting from related items.

The whole site is united by the brand alongside other elements such as the integrated blog and newsletter.

The owner is still inputting information into her categories meaning that the site is growing all the time, so take a look and embrace the "do it yourself" creativity.

Emma Julian

Joseph Bouzaglo at Pickle Design

2010-05-30T14:39:00.005+01:00

Joseph Bouzaglo is currently undertaking a professional placement with us at Pickle Design, so we gave him the opportunity to write this week's blog post. This is what he had to say:

"I am currently undertaking a Professional Placement here at Pickle Deign. I am a post-graduate student on MA 20th Century Art & Design: Histories and Theories, at University College Falmouth. To support our learning on the course, we are encouraged to experience life in in real world creative businesses. Hopefully, we can also contribute something of our knowledge, so that there is an exchange.

"Pickle have been established around four years. Working with them is both stimulating and humbling. Stimulating, because they are passionate, excited by ideas and interested in their clients - as you would expect of a young design firm. However, it is also humbling. As a history student, my focus is pretty theoretical; I may have an overview of design's key turning points, of the factors that informed movements in design, and so on. But, that, of course is only half the story.

"The wheels of any busy, creative enterprise turn around the production of new ideas, problem solving and responding to client needs. I approached Pickle because they welcome the contribution of critical awareness to this creative energy. Their openness makes for an easy marriage of the two, and hopefully for more fresh ideas for their clients."

Joseph Bouzaglo

Stable Art's New Website

2010-05-25T10:32:00.006+01:00

Recently we completed a website for the arts materials and picture framers, Stable Art. They are tucked away off Bodmin high street in a specially converted, two story stable behind the Shire Hall.

We organised a photoshoot which captured the ambiance of the place - exposed wooden beams and natural light creates the perfect setting for this artistic shop. Our brief was simple, to show what this hidden gem had to offer, and the design focused mainly on making the most of the photography. The owner had an illustration he was proud of, so on the home we see it fading into a photograph to set the scene.

The strong images make each page quite striking, although for the general colour scheme is comprised of muted shades of taupe and gray. Centre stage are the photographs, heavily cropped to reveal the pattern and symmetry in frames, rows of glossy paint and inks.

Every page has a series of pictures subtly fading into the next, and other features include a downloadable price list. The website, I feel, successfully displays the vast array of materials Stable Art offers and reveals its very professional and high quality picture framing service. Take a look to see the website itself, offering picture framing Cornwall.

Emma Julian

Bangors Organic Advert Design

2010-05-15T14:38:00.004+01:00

We recently designed a logo for Bangors Organic, an organic guest house and restaurant in North Cornwall. They asked us to put together some adverts for a few magazines they advertise in including 'Living Earth' magazine.

The advert is based on the design we created for their business cards featuring their bold logo. The tree that makes up a part of this logo provides a pretty and relevant background image. These are very small adverts so the task was to keep the text at a readable size whilst giving the information 'space to breathe'.

Marie Lawley

Photo Shoot at the Quarryman

2010-05-08T16:26:00.006+01:00

This week we did an informal photoshoot at the Quarryman Inn, just outside Wadebridge. The accommodation that they offer is very spacious, modern and nicely furnished, we wanted to capture this by focusing on the finishing touches that make this flat so comfortable.

The food was lovely and colourful which made it an easy subject. The natural light, and the textured background of the wooden table truthfully represented the good food and friendly atmosphere.

The highlight of the afternoon though was photographing the beautiful desserts - which tasted as good as they looked!

Marie Lawley

Buttermilk Shop's Best Easter

2010-05-01T17:09:00.005+01:00

We are doing some more work for David at Buttermilk Shop at the moment, and were very pleased to hear that they have had their best Easter so far - and he attributed some of that success to the new packaging we gave them!

You can see a selection of the packaging in the photo above, available from their shops in Padstow and other outlets, such as Kingsley Village. We are also really looking forward to working with them on an exciting design for their new e-commerce website.

Marie Lawley

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Jaws Pizza Delivery Menus

2010-04-17T16:26:00.004+01:00

Its come to the time of year when we are working with clients to revise their publicity material for the summer season. Last week we welcomed back the printing of the 2010 Jaws Pizza menu.

The design of this menu has been very popular, with its fun citrus design with a sun, sea and surf theme, which we adapted to incorporate the new dishes and special offers. The menu is printed on a good quality stock giving it a pleasing silk finish, not often associated with a take-away menu.

Marie Lawley

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Logo Design for Organic Restaurant and B&B

2010-03-31T00:40:00.004+01:00

We recently completed a logo design for the Bangors Organic Restaurant and Accommodation. The business is located past Camelford in North Cornwall, and has many outlets for their organic ethos. They offer bed and breakfast, a restaurant, homegrown produce and homemade products. The house itself is a beautiful example of the Arts and Crafts movement and we wanted to let this show through in our designs.

We were asked to design a logo and a business card, and I was inspired by their apple tree which they felt characterized them. It is full of personality - not perfectly strait but natural and quirky - so I drew a stylised version of the tree and chose a striking green, black and cream colour scheme to make the logo stand out.

The name 'Bangors Organic' was chosen without a tag line to give them freedom with which avenues they choose. The type selected simply links the two words by their letters to become part of the tree illustration. I also provided a logo which was more legible for use in its smallest form, with the words constrained to the black frame.

Emma Julian

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Mountain Bike Hire in Devon

2010-03-20T11:28:00.009Z

Forest Cycle Hire wanted a website to portray the active mountain bike trails for keen enthusiasts as well as being inviting to family visitors. I set about doing this by highlighting 'adventure', 'group rides' and 'family days out' on the homepage by using big images with links through to the relevant pages of the website.

The website is very clear and easy to use because it has a very definite structure, used throughout. The wood background was requested by the client, and helps set the scene as it acts as a perfect frame for the site.

The site also features an online shop that allows new bikes to be bought through their shopping cart. There is also a selection of used bikes available. But the emphasis is always on cycle hire in Devon, so that, while prominent, the bike sales never dominate the site.

Marie Lawley

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Tiffins Bistro Website

2010-03-07T22:03:00.006Z

Recently we completed a website for Tiffins Bistro in Fowey. This website was a pleasure to work on as the client supplied as with great photographs of their establishment that communicated the ambiance perfectly. With these as a starting point, I created a page layout showcasing these images and therefore setting the scene.

I chose a silvered blue as the banner allowing their logo to take prominence and used a transparent white section on the page to hold the information. The tool bar was kept simple, with the type changing from white to red when selected with an arrow also acting as a pointer.

On each page their is an inset picture presenting a detail of the bistro or a plate of appetising food, and on the sample menu page you will find downloadable pdf menus that help to keep the website current. I also used the logo to create a subtle background to the site, reinforcing the bistro's brand.

It was an enjoyable project to work with one of the restaurants in Fowey, and a chance to let strong photography tell the story.

Emma Julian

A Couple of Interesting 404 Pages

2010-02-14T20:09:00.006Z

Recently we have been exploring the possibilities of 404 pages for some of our websites. These are the pages that hopefully you would never see!

When the computer can't find a page these direct you back to the home. So as a designer you can have a little fun with the lost page concept, obviously these pages need to be consistent with the brand and website, but they allow more freedom with the structure.

Marie and I have created 404 pages for The Tourist Handbook, Buttermilk (a work in progress) and of course Pickle Design. You may never see these pages but perhaps they will bring a smile if you do.

Emma Julian

Redesign of the Wadebridge Bathroom Studio Website

2010-01-31T17:08:00.002Z

When Wadebridge Bathroom Studio was sold to new owners, they approached us to update and modify their website to fulfill their new requirements and approach. The new owners changed the direction of the business somewhat, but wanted to make it clear through their site that the same high level of quality would be maintained.

It was important for the new owners to let visitors to the website see that there was a lot of activity at their studio, so we added a news blog to enable easy updates, and also added subcategory pages. Each page shows a neat example of one of the brands of bathroom appliances they stock.

The design was already very clean, and we stayed true to that aesthetic, using lots of white space with thin crisp borders reflecting a professional business. The information is shown clearly so that it is easy to read and navigate around.

Cornwall and Devon Tourist Guide Website

2010-01-17T14:39:00.008Z

The challenge with this project was to take a successful printed guide and turn it into a user friendly online resource. The Tourist Handbook is a publication which sits in Hotels, B&Bs and pubs, providing useful area guides and local advertisers. The client wanted to take this resource and make into a website which would both showcase advertisers and inform tourists.

We worked with the existing design, carrying across the colours and style but striving to adjust the look to comfortably fit its new media. The website needed to display events in the various areas, along with accommodation and area guides.

The site focuses mainly on attractions in Devon and Cornwall and is proving a success. We designed the website so it could evolve with the client's vision, and contain large amounts of information within the database. With the design I chose a classic font and a traditional palette of British racing green, cream and black. The adverts and illustrations conform to this tight colour scheme as in the printed guide so as to keep that visual link.

Emma Julian

Poster Calendar for 2010

2010-01-10T00:51:00.002Z

This years calendar was an opportunity for us to pour our ideas into a project for ourselves and our clients. The design needed to appeal to our varied audience so we decided on the image of a tree, in keeping with some of our existing branding. The intention was to show the seasons of the year moving around one tree.

The imagery ended up being fairly abstract, but there was enough detail to illustrate the idea. We used tidy typography alongside handwritten words to reflect our friendly, yet restrained style.

The palette selected is a neutral one, but we picked out those all important Saturday and Sunday dates in a pillar box red. We then paired the calendar with a matching red envelope and sent them out into the wintry weather to our clients and interested businesses for the next year.

Marie Lawley

To buy one of the last few available, click below:

New Branding for Cornish Fudge Company

2009-12-30T19:50:00.006Z

Buttermilk Shop wanted a fresh contemporary look for their Cornish fudge company, but essential in the brief was ensuring that their primary market was not alienated during the change. This is a challenge we face with many projects, as the years spent building up a customer base are not to be taken lightly.

We came up with a clean typographic solution which could be placed onto different colours to reflect different flavours on the packaging. This is accompanied by a small line drawing, reflecting the Cornish coastline. The vector image is key to the connection between old and new, a crisp modern style of illustration representing the long tradition of Cornish fishing ports where the Buttermilk shops are located.

Waterfront Advert Design

2009-12-20T17:37:00.004Z

Every time we receive the North Cornwall Advertiser, we cannot help but check through to see what businesses we recognise and see how they are marketing themselves, and it is always enjoyable to add something to the range of companies featured. The Waterfront Cafe Bar in Polzeath recently contacted us wanting to try a different approach to their existing advertising campaign.

We worked with the images and logo that they already had and presented them in a new way, focusing on pitching them to their target market of diners looking for somewhere with personality and class.

This advert was designed on a very tight deadline, meaning that we saw it in print very quickly, as the new edition was dropped onto our doormat. Another reason for us to pore through the paper...

Packaging Design

2009-11-28T13:21:00.009Z

"Buttermilk Shop is a Cornish fudge company with shops in Padstow and Port Isaac. We recently designed them a new logo, representing them with a fresh, contemporary and colourful brand. We also created a line drawing to reflect their seaside location.

The packaging combined Emma's illustration of a Cornish port with the new logo and clear text on bold backgrounds. The packaging was designed for three different types of products: fudge in a bag, slim box and multi-tiered boxes in different sizes.

The whole collection works well together with each flavour having its own identity by having its own designated colour."

Marie Lawley

This was a project which involved the whole creative team, and the finished result took in the strengths of each member. We are working on a website to sell Buttermilk's products, the design will reflect and extend the brand. Keep an eye out to see when it is launched, as the fudge is certainly not worth missing!

Final Touches to New Business' Brand

2009-11-23T00:07:00.005Z

You may remember we recently wrote about some business cards we have created for new business, Camel Self-Storage, well, we just completed their stationery and leaflet design.

Being a new company the clients had a lot they wanted to communicate, wanting to show the full extent of their potential. So with the DL leaflet we chose stock imagery that would visually point the viewer to all the different services they offer. The back of the leaflet was used to help explain the process and to show the location.

I stuck clearly to the defined brand colours, and feel we created an eye catching design. I have also been working on some advertising for the company, so watch out for that in local publications.

With their stationery, the clients wanted to keep the information's presentation traditional. I had presented them with some more contemporary options, but the simplicity of the designs included in this post worked better for their target market. I am pleased with the final result though, it's great when you see the brand coming together!

Emma Julian

Charity Bike Ride Website

2009-11-16T21:11:00.007Z

Riding Out The Recession is a website we built for Sean Maher, who has already set out on his mammoth bike ride to Africa.

We designed the logo to be clean and clear, but with an adventurous, youthful edge, with the handwritten letters and fresh colours. The playful image of a cyclist riding the letters 'e' and 'c', and the silhouette of the continent tell the story of the trip.

The website has been created to be a functional vehicle for finding out information about Sean, his cause, and the people who are helping him do it. The site is also a link to find out what Sean is doing with up-to-date information from social networking sites, and his own blog.

We hope this website is a useful tool for him to share his adventures with us and we look forward to reading his latest news!

Written by Marie Lawley

Surf Shop Signage

2009-11-11T13:02:00.003Z

I knew I was heading to Bude, but still forgot my camera, so my iPhone had to suffice. We had been meaning to take a shot of the new sign we designed for Bored Lizard Surf Shop for some weeks, and as the late Autumn sun slipped behind the shops, I made the most of the fading light.

We created the brand for Laurent Calvez's surf shop a few years ago, and it was good to see it on Bude high street. He has steadily added the new logo and colours to different areas of his business including posters, advertising and website. Bored Lizard has become an established feature of the seaside town, and has expanded its stock available in the store and online.

Construction Firm Flyers

2009-11-01T21:00:00.005Z

It was enjoyable to recently revisit a brand we created a few years ago. J.Murray Homes is a construction firm located in Somerset who have a keen sense of design in their work and presentation to the public. Emma Julian designed the logo as one of her first branding exercises after joining Pickle Design.

This was our first opportunity to design and print manage advertising information for them. They chose to stick to their brand colours and use strong images from their portfolio. Their service stretches from smaller jobs to imaginative renovations. The fireplace pictured is a project the are very proud of, showing off their interior design skills as well.

The print options they selected was a satin finish printed full colour on 300gsm stock. Durable and professional, able to stand being posted and displayed for extended periods of time.

Twitter Background for Charity Bike Ride

2009-10-25T22:07:00.002Z

Brand design has moved in new directions in recent years, and with the advent of mobile internet, promises to develop into ever new unexpected formats. Twitter has snowballed in recent months, and continuing our clients' visual identity here is also important.

Above is the custom Twitter background that we created for Sean Maher's Twitter feed. It carries his brand for the charity bike ride, Riding Out The Recession, where he will be heading from Cornwall to Cape Town. It carries artwork from the website we are currently putting the finishing touches on, and his new logo.

Make sure you keep an eye on his progress, we will put updates on our blogs and Sean will be both twittering and blogging as he travels.

First Application of New Brand Design

2009-10-18T21:56:00.003+01:00

"We are in the process of branding the new company 'Camel Self-Storage' and these are their business cards. We settled on a logo using Cornish colours and applied this to the business card.

I wanted to keep one side very simple and impactive, so simply used the golden yellow and the logo. The back is all about communicating their details so it is all very self explanatory. There is a line drawing of a box visually reinforcing the brand.

I have applied this same visual language to the website which is now online and we are currently working on the rest of the company stationery. This is a good clear brand, easy to recognise and communicative," Emma Julian.

Who Says Window Cleaning Websites Have To Be Dull?

2009-10-10T14:59:00.006+01:00

We sometimes find that smaller businesses will avoid coming to a design studio for web or print design, but the website shown above is a good example of a simple site for a traditional trade.

J and R Window Cleaning Services Ltd wanted an online presence, but the owner of the business, Norman Greaves, was concerned that there was not a great deal to say about his business. We created a basic three page website that showed clearly what he does, and why the new pole system is effective and worthwhile.

He takes pride in providing a professional service, and felt that his website should reflect that. You can take a look for yourself at the website, window cleaning Cornwall, and feel free to leave your thoughts on this post.

Camel Fish Ltd Website

2009-10-04T23:35:00.003+01:00

Marie Lawley has recently completed a new website for Camel Fish Ltd, she had this to say on the project: "Camel Fish wanted a website to show simply who they are, what they do and how to contact them. I did this by using the existing logo to create a banner at the top of the page to feature the toolbar.

The grid structure provided a good way to display their images of the shell fish, taking the viewer on a journey of how they are freshly caught, stored in tanks and distributed in their temperature controlled vans.

We wanted the colour scheme and clean lines to reflect a fresh and professional service, the blue and white hints of the sea reflecting their situation in Cornwall," Marie Lawley.

Pickle Design Posters

2009-09-26T17:47:00.004+01:00

There are some new additions to the Pickle Design Shop, a range of poster designs available to order. The images on this page are taken from the posters, but take a look at the shop to see the full range. Emma has created the majority of the designs in the shop, so we asked her what her thoughts were:

"We have produced a selection of posters for you all to purchase! Marie and I often go for a stroll down the country lane near Pickle to break up the computer dominated day, and this is what inspired me. I titled this collection 'Summer Stroll' so expect spindly wild flowers, twisted branches and warm throbbing hues. The posters are available in A4 or A3 and are the perfect accompaniment to any wall.

Marie has also designed a beautiful poster with her sweet style of cut-out illustration, 'tea party' in pink and grey."

The posters are available to buy from the Pickle Design Shop - Posters

Minear Engineering Website

2009-09-19T16:31:00.003+01:00

After completing the design and print of Minear Engineering's leaflets in the Spring, we were approached to design their website. The leaflet leant itself well to being transferred across and applied to the web, so Emma took on the task of working with Marie's print design.

"I was given the task of transforming Marie's design for the Minear Engineering leaflet into a five page website, and really liked working with the existing style, wanting to communicate the industrial nature of the business.

The main purpose of the site was to present the company as a professional business, explain the wide range of services they provide and make clear how someone can contact them. I kept the same strong and minimal colour palette as I felt this was quite striking, and made sure the design was simple, clear and easy to navigate."

Riding Out the Recession

2009-09-15T11:16:00.002+01:00

We have just completed work on the new identity of Riding Out The Recession, a fund raising bike ride from Cornwall to Cape Town by Sean Maher. Marie has been working on the project, and wrote the following about the process so far:

“Sean came to us to see if we could help him with branding and a website for his bike expedition. We thought his plan to 'ride out the recession' was a great idea and wanted to help so he can get the maximum support for his charities.

We started by creating a logo for him, looking for something that tells the story of his journey. We choose a hand-drawn style that reflects a personal feel, whilst the colours suggest the action and adventure of his quest.

We are looking forward to keeping up with Sean's progress as we work on other elements of the project, such as his website, which will feature a blog and image gallery so everyone can keep up to date with his latest movements. We are very excited to be involved, and hope Sean will raise lots of money for these worthy causes,” Marie Lawley.

Pickle's Three Year Anniversary

2009-09-06T14:30:00.002+01:00

Pickle Design passed the three year milestone at the end of August, and we could not let it go by without marking the occasion. So Emma and Marie had the idea of taking advantage of the Camel Trail.

We hired some bikes and rode the trail from Wadebridge to Padstow, remarkably between showers, although the wind did make the outward journey slightly more challenging (especially to our hair...). But we were spurred on by the thought of fish and chips when we got to our destination, and chose to sample some of Stein's.

Marie brought her husband, Jai (above), along for the ride, and Emma invited her brother, Paul (below). The conversation was lively and ranged from our ubiquitous movie chat, a few moments contemplating Spurs' currently good progress in the league, and the astonishing scenery right on our doorstep.

So that was three years and the fourth one looks to be even more interesting. We are just as keen to find challenging projects to work on, so feel free to contact us with any plans you have, we will be pleased to work alongside you.

John O'Carroll Book Design

2009-08-31T22:22:00.005+01:00

The new showcase on the Pickle Design features work we have completed for an exceptional international artist, John O'Carroll. The project involved all of our creative team, below, Emma Julian talks a little about the design that she and Marie developed, bringing John O'Carroll into the process as well. The book contained both a English and Dutch translation.

“A favourite of our portfolio is the book we designed for the Padstow based artist, John O'Carroll. This project involved both Marie and I, and was an enjoyable challenge.

John O'Carroll is an exceptional artist who is inspired by the natural world around him. He draws influence from the rugged Cornish moors and coast, the gentle Dutch landscape and his time on archaeological digs in Egypt. Our task was to take this varied body of work and put together a book showcasing John's paintings, sculptures and installations.

We worked with John to create a mark to represent him as an artist, influenced by his sketches and drawings, and pairing this with simple sans serif type. The colour scheme is a subtle palette of greys to complement his pieces. Marie and I used a strict grid for the information; the challenge was incorporating English text with Dutch translation.

John provided us with a vast selection of imagery and part of the task was to limit this and still present a coherent overview of his work. For the book itself we decided on a square format with matt white paper. Marie and I primarily worked on creating templates to help with the flow of the book. Creating chapter headings, allowing large statement images, small insets and considering the typographic introductions and conclusions.

Marie represented Pickle at the launch of John's book and I have been working on applying the look and feel of the book to a website. This was a great project to be involved with, culminating in a piece of work we are all proud of.”

Emma Julian

Brookfields Stationery Design and Print

2009-08-22T14:32:00.003+01:00

We have just added the stationery we completed for Brookfields Bed and Breakfast to the portfolio on our website. We designed a complete set of stationery for the comfortable and welcoming B&B accommodation. The business card was posted on this blog a little while ago.

The letterhead and compliment slip were designed to work together and sit nicely alongside their website. They carry the branding we created for Ron and Robbie Caswell, and were printed on uncoated stock, giving them a pleasant feel when used.

To see more of the work we have completed for Brookfields, take a look at the other posts from previous months here, Brookfields ...

Heritage Bespoke Joinery Clothing

2009-08-17T10:10:00.003+01:00

Heritage Bespoke Joinery, based in Camelford, were looking for some hard wearing shirts for their employees recently, and so we laid out the shirts pictured above and sourced a reliable local firm to produce them.

They chose to go for an embroidered design in black onto grey polo and T-shirts, and the result is very effective. The finished shirts carry their name on the chest, and a larger description on the back.

They went for heavy duty garments, as working on construction sites will put the clothing through its paces. But, no matter how long they last, some warmer tops may be needed come Winter!

P and P Groundworks Leaflet

2009-08-09T15:30:00.004+01:00

We recently finished designing and arranging the print of the leaflets pictured above for Penni and Paul of P&P Groundworks. The leaflets were part of a project that included website and stationery design.

Penni and Paul would both admit that photographs of their work are difficult to make exciting, as they specialise in creating foundations with pin point accuracy. But they also create patios, an aspect of the business that is growing.

They pride themselves in handling everything on the site that is required, taking all the work off the shoulders of the owner. They talk through the whole process, and make sure that the site is emmaculate once finished.

Rooke Country Cottages Leaflets

2009-08-02T17:22:00.003+01:00

DL flyers seem to be becoming a speciality of ours; a lot of our clients have requested one after seeing some of our previous work, and this is one we are proud of. A new leaflet for Rooke Country Cottages, based just outside Chapel Amble near Wadebridge.

Designed to be displayed in leaflet dispensers and show off how luxurious the accommodation is, we matched their existing brand and let the images do the talking. The print really finishes off the job. A heavy, environmentally friendly card was selected, printed uncoated to add texture to the flyer's feel.

These self catering cottages in North Cornwall are five star gems, and have to be seen for themselves. Take a look at their website to get an idea of the quality.

Pickle Twitter Backgrounds

2009-07-12T18:14:00.002+01:00

We have just released our first Twitter Backgrounds, available now to download on the Pickle Design website. Here are four examples of my favourites, but we have eight online to choose from.

Anyone who uses Twitter will empathise, when I say that the standard backgrounds can become extremely tedious after a short while (or perhaps I am just awfully fickle...), and that is why so many create their own. But many Twitterers are looking for something individual and unique. So we set about coming up with some fresh backgrounds of our own. To see all eight currently available, take a look at our Twitter backgrounds on the Pickle website.

We will be adding new designs regularly, so keep checking back to see what we have created, and feel free to contact us with any requests.

Buttermilk Shop Packaging Design

2009-07-07T11:56:00.005+01:00

We had a chance to produce a sneak preview of the new branding and design created for Buttermilk Shop. After working for quite some time to distil the separate elements of the business, we have completed the greater part of the project. But the new designs have yet to be printed. That was when the owner of the business had a little job that could queue jump and give us a chance to test out the brand.

The images are of bag headers created for a new line Buttermilk Shop have started, a pasty made of their delicious fudge! This was obviously intended for a different market to the rest of our packaging work, so Emma came up with a style that focused on capturing the intrinsic Cornishness of both the fudge and the pasty itself.

But we were still able to tie in the packaging to the new brand, and Marie helped apply the logo and layout that will be seen across the boxes of fudge and website. This was created in black and white to emphasise the Cornish location and product.

So, somewhat of a departure from our normal approach, but a pleasing finish, and one you can see in shops around Cornwall as we speak.

Self Catering Apartments in Spain

2009-06-28T17:16:00.005+01:00

The Guadalupe Hills Holiday Apartments website has been one of the largest we have worked on for a while, but it needed to be, to reflect the region in Spain where the complex is situated. It also needed to represent a number of apartment owners both jointly and independently. We suggested creating the site in a way that would provide visitors a useful resource, while at the same time presenting the complex in a pleasing way.

There are three different categories of self catering apartments, all luxurious with wonderful views. The Costa del Sol is packed full of activities, one of the most popular being golf, so we dedicated a large portion of the site to letting visitors know what was in store for them. The golfing page includes a map of the numerous clubs within walking and driving distance.

Along with photographs and guides to the local region and the well furnished apartments themselves, we added an availability checker and booking facilities. Considering the amount of apartments and different categories, this had to be created from robust code to stand the test of time. The owners also have access to a blog where they can keep visitors up to date with changes to their individual properties there, or reveal a handy bit of local knowledge.

Those photographs of sun drenched beaches and little, untouched Spanish villages have made me very keen to visit Andulucia again; some vino tinto and tapas would go down extremely well...

The Crown Hotel Website

2009-06-20T18:05:00.008+01:00

We have recently completed a website for The Crown Hotel in Lynton, North Devon - you can see a screen shot of the homepage above. The Crown Hotel is homely but they make an effort to give you a feeling of luxury as well.

We chose an image to give the impression of wallpaper, and applied it to the background of each page. Similar elements were introduced to sit behind the title and overlay the inset images. This is a simple website, but the focus on the design ensures that it is an enjoyable experience for visitors.

Pickle Shirts Modeled

2009-06-02T13:04:00.008+01:00

Lorraine from Wadebridge Bathroom Studio popped into our studio today and volunteered to model one of our girls' fit t-shirts, and as it was such a lovely day we took a few shots outside. The shot above was the only one where Lorraine managed to behave herself and not pull a face!

You can buy one of these shirts in both male and female sizes, take a look at the Pickle Shop to see the options in graphic tees that we have available.

The graphics on the shirt have caused a lot of interest. Emma, who created the illustrative piece, was aiming for an abstract graphic based on recent projects and other scraps of inspiration throughout our studio.

It took us a little longer to find a guy that would model the male shirt, but finally we nabbed Jonny who looks over the moon to be on the internet!

Brookfields Business Cards

2009-05-22T23:31:00.004+01:00

To work alongside the new website and identity we have created for Brookfields Bed and Breakfast, we were asked to design and source print for their stationery. Above you can see the finished business cards, with letterheads and compliment slips on their way.

The front simply carries their strong branding, designed to invoke the sensations of the farmland that the accommodation is set in, and the reverse features a shot of the house itself. Ron and Robbie who run the bed and breakfast, are keen to let people know what to expect from their establishment.

You can read a little more about the website we created for them in this post, or take a look at our portfolio.

The T-Shirts Are Here!

2009-05-17T16:57:00.010+01:00

The T-shirts hit our studio on Friday afternoon, and they look good! They have been eagerly anticipated by the team at Pickle Design and everyone who voted on the two designs. We have printed a very limited run of 10, so please make sure you contact us early if you would like one.

They are now available to buy from our website, just UK orders currently.

There are a range of sizes in both women's and men's styles. More shots will be on the Pickle Site, go to the shop to see how our graphic tees are looking.

Spanish Holiday Apartment Website

2009-04-25T18:33:00.003+01:00

The Duquesa Complex in the Costa del Sol, Spain, has two blocks of luxury apartments available for self catering holidays. Owned primarily by individual proprietors, it made sense for them to join together to promote holidays in this stunning region.

We are currently constructing a website that will act not just as a means to book holidays in the apartments, but as a portal for research on the region. It will include personal experiences of the highlights of this coast, and there are quite a few. There has been a conscious effort to keep the editorial on the site as informal and useful as possible, making it clear that anyone booking will be dealing directly with the owners themselves.

We have already completed some leaflets for one of the apartment owners, and so used the visual language in the build of the site.

Business Cards for the Rock Water Taxi

2009-04-18T13:52:00.000+01:00

We have just reprinted the business cards we designed for Rock Water Taxi last year, a new run for the new season. These cards carry the colours and design we set for them in their other advertising literature.

These are full colour, double sided cards, matt laminated to give a needed durability on board the water taxi. You will also find them in pubs and restaurants in both Rock and Padstow, the two destinations of the vessel. They work alongside the DL flyers and website we produced for them also.

It was built by GB Smith and Son, boat builders in Rock with a long history of high quality design and construction. We have recently started work on rebranding and print for them as well. Keep and eye out to see what is set on.

Online Surf Shop

2009-04-15T12:28:00.004+01:00

The new Bored Lizard website went live this week, now featuring an e-commerce shop, controlled by a CMS system that allows the client to add products himself. Laurent, the owner, has been running the growing business for five years now, and has expanded his range of products from the existing Stoneage brand, to include his own Bored Lizard clothing.

We helped out by redesigning his logo in 2006, which he has since applied to hoodies and t-shirts, soon to be available on the website.

Th redesign this time was minor, it simply involved turning the static products page into a live shop, leading customers through to PayPal where they can buy the items. This is a basic shopping system, with no need for a search facility, but it has the flexibility to include all of the lines that Bored Lizard stock.

Minear Engineering Leaflet

2009-04-08T15:14:00.001+01:00

Here is the completed 6pp DL (A4) leaflet we have just completed for Minear Engineering. They are a well established firm based at Victoria Business Park, just off what was the A30. They have worked with the China Clay industry for decades, creating bespoke pieces of machinery and metal work, and now are expanding in the food industry, where there is always a need for engineered stainless steel.

Marie designed the leaflet, taking her palette from the existing company colour scheme, aiming to give it a industrial feel through the use of blue as a signature theme. Minear Engineering were looking to convey their professional service, and we focused on presenting their business in a contemporary setting.

Exhibition Displays

2009-03-22T16:23:00.001Z

With the Royal Cornwall Show fast approaching, a lot of our clients are planning how to make their stands eye catching and professional. What some may not be aware of though, is how cost effective display options can actually be.

We have produced a number of signage variations for clients, specifically to take advantage of the space available at trade shows. You may have seen the story on this blog featuring the basic (but large!) banner for Wadebridge Bathroom Studio for last years Royal Cornwall Show.

Above is a illustration of a banner stand, very useful for outdoor exhibitions, but we can produce displays to all requirements. Roller banners are very effective and economical, along with being practical and usable in many different situations. Whole stands can be designed as well.

For more details, feel free to request some more information, as now is the best time to prepare for the coming season.

Brookfields Bed and Breakfast North Cornwall

2009-03-07T23:25:00.007Z

Brookfields Bed and Breakfast contracted us recently to produce a website for them that would show off their accommodation to its full potential. We have created a site and logo that focus on the rural, farmland location of the house, not far from the sea, but still surrounded by the beautiful rolling hills outside of Wadebridge.

Cornwall has a lot to offer in the way of accommodation, and bed and breakfasts will come into their own this season, capitalising on the increase in UK based holidays, and visitors from the continent. Sites like this one will take advantage of the growing number of online bookings as well.

Have a look at the website, bed and breakfast North Cornwall, and see what you think. We hope that it lets you see the well appointed rooms, and gives a taster of the local region.

Pickle T-Shirts on Their Way

2009-03-03T14:02:00.007Z

Recently we gave readers of this blog the opportunity to vote on which of two t-shirt designs we created. We got the best response we have ever had from an online poll, and have settled on the more popular of the two designs. You can see the shirt above, and we will soon be putting photographs of the actual garment up here as well.

There will be a few disappointed voters, especially as those who wanted the other design were much more explicit in why they liked it! Sorry to all of those who wanted shirt two, but we hope you will like this design as well. If we get a good response from this initial run of ten shirts, we may print some of the other shirts as well. Sound like a good compromise?!

Bed and Breakfast Websites

2009-02-20T14:16:00.009Z

The BBC Breakfast News this morning (20/2/09) included the story above - well worth clicking on and giving two minutes of your day - highlighting the good news that many Europeans are taking advantage of the weaker Pound and taking their holidays in the UK. What made me include it here on the Pickle News Blog is that the report mentions the importance of using the web as a means to reach these holiday makers.

Bed and breakfast owners will be particularly interested in the news, as there will be a lot of people researching their holidays from across the sea, and B&Bs are often overlooked due to not having an online presence. The web is a vital means of advertising for those that run accommodation and increasingly becoming the primary means of contact when anyone plans a holiday.

Make sure you have a look through our site (the link is on the right at the top) to see what options are available for web design. We have worked with a number of accommodation proprietors and are pleased to see their websites working for them. Feel free to contact us for more information.

Shell Shop Website

2009-02-16T13:26:00.006Z

The new website for the Shell Shop in Padstow is now online. It features illustration from Emma Julian and shots of some of the products on offer in the shop itself. Emma designed the site as well; she aimed to capture the traditional nature of the building and Padstow the town.

To see a little more of the site, why not visit the Pickle Design website and have a look in the portfolio. We have been busy in recent months polishing off a number of websites which I will add to the site in the next few weeks. One of which will be the Lane End Farm site, that has been in the pipeline for a while.

Rutherford Security Training

2009-01-28T12:14:00.008Z

We have completed a new website for the Rutherford Group, a firm that offers security services locally and throughout the UK. They specialise in security training and their managing director, Ian Rutherford, runs the operational arm of the business, RISC Security. Security Training Cornwall. They are not a new company, having been working with many of their customers for over a decade, and supply a real peace of mind wherever they work.

Take a look at the news section of the site, where you can see an interview with Ian on the BBC news. There will be regular updates on the website, so it is worth checking back.

Our intention when putting the site together was to convey the professional nature of the firm, along with communicating their modern approach. It was important to place their presence on the web on a par with other national firms, while not alienating their existing clients.

Pickle Design T-Shirt Designs

2009-01-10T15:23:00.004Z

Shirt One

Shirt Two

Here are the two designs we have settled on for our limited edition t-shirts, available shortly. Trouble is, we have settled on two designs, finally, but are only printing one of them up! So we need your help, feel free to leave some comments to let us know which of the two you would prefer to see printed up. We eagerly await your thoughts!

Henry George Spencer

2009-01-07T13:12:00.002Z

Been rather busy over the last couple of weeks, and here's why! Henry George Spencer, the heir to my kingdom! The second photo was just so that we can see what he'll be like if he really takes after his Dad... poor kid...

New Website for Rutherford Security

2008-12-13T23:02:00.001Z

We have just started a new project for the Rutherford Group, they specialise in security services and training. Currently they have two websites, and we are working on combining the two into one, more concise, site. They are a local firm that work on a national level, and we aim to make that clear in our design approach.

Check back soon to see the progress. Marie started putting the early drafts together this week, and we look forward to seeing how the job develops.

John O'Carroll's Book

2008-12-06T15:18:00.001Z

At last we have it, John O'Carroll's first book! We have been working on it for quite some time, and now the finished product is in our hands, and we are very pleased with the result, as is John himself. He signed a copy for each of us.

Later this month he will be presenting the book in Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro, along with an exhibition of his work. This is an excellent setting to see the presentation, as much of his work is influenced by Egyptian archaeology.

The design of the book is carried over into his new websites we are currently putting the finishing touches to, with strong leanings toward Dutch design practices. The book will be available to buy from his new site.

Online Surf Clothing

2008-11-22T19:58:00.002Z

We've just started work converting the existing Bored Lizard website to an e-commerce site. Laurent Calvez is now going to be selling his own brand of surf clothing online, along with other products in his popular, Bude based shop.

Right in the centre of town, you can't miss Bored Lizard, and there will soon be a new sign outside with the logo we designed for them last year. Emma enjoyed designing two posters as well, a real opportunity to get her creative juices flowing!

The new website design should be online soon, but in the meantime, if you are looking for online surf clothing, then have a look at the site to get an idea of what is to come.

Minor Celebrity in the Studio

2008-11-15T16:10:00.001Z

John O'Carroll brought Florence in on Friday, freshly back from Central London where he took her for a charity dog walk with the Duchess of Cornwall in Green Park. The story was covered in the Telegraph with a picture of Florence after the Duchess had hung a garland on her, these are traditional Nepalese marks of respect.

The walk was to raise money for the Kathmandu Arts Centre and Animal Treatment Centre.

John was also in the studio to enjoy a bottle of champagne to celebrate the printing of his first book, although we are still waiting for it to be delivered at the moment. Still, any reason for a glass of champagne!

John O'Carroll Websites

2008-10-27T17:16:00.003Z

We are very pleased to have started work on two websites for John O'Carroll, one featuring his work and some of his recent exhibitions, the second based on his gallery in Cornwall, Padstow Contemporary Art Gallery. Both sites will have a common layout based on the designs we have produced for his new book and exhibition invitations.

Check back to see some of our early designs, I will post them here to give you an idea of how the site will look.

The Nut Hatch Barbers

2008-10-20T12:59:00.004+01:00

Our latest site to go online for The Nut Hatch Barbers, in the centre of Wadebridge. George Hatcher has recently taken over the barbers and made a few changes including bringing in William Rowe as an apprentice and starting shaves.

The barber shop is full of character and very welcoming, and as you can see from the website, contemporary in its fittings without losing the personal touch.

To see the site, take a look at our portfolio.

Wadebridge Bathroom Studio

2008-10-11T15:48:00.003+01:00

We have just last week put the finishing touches to the WBS project, waiting only on the fittings for one sign. You may have spotted the new sign at the top of Bess Park Road on Trenant Industrial Estate, it features their new branding and is pretty much unmissable!

When the fittings arrive, the final sign will be fixed outside their large studio at the bottom of the hill, just past our studio.

You may be aware that they are currently building new units at Perch, outside Wadebridge, a few hundred yards on from Whitecross. They will be moving their studio there along with a few other businesses. Keep an eye open as you drive between Wadebridge and Newquay to see how far along they are in the build.

Their new website has been online for a while now, take a look at our portfolio to see it.

Portfollio Updated

2008-10-06T09:46:00.004+01:00

Some new work has been added to our design portfolio online, with more to be included soon. We have had a busy year with a lot of new and diverse projects ranging from design for the tourist industry through to builders and lingerie boutiques.

The real growth has been seen in website design, but we have also expanded in deign for print and branding. Recently we have completed quite an extensive signage contract, with van graphics and external signs.

Stuck inside in the Indian Summer

2008-09-20T13:38:00.003+01:00

This is when we are especially pleased the studio has very large windows. After such a dismal Summer, all this sun is a real treat, but we still have to get on with our work!

The Wadebridge Bathroom Studio project is almost complete, next week we will be picking up the new signs for the Bess Park Road location. In the future there will be a need for some at Perch where they are building the new units.

Another project that is nearing completion is the website for the Nut Hatch barbers in Wadebridge. We have been working with their existing brand and creating a clear representation of their barber shop. Last week they started offering shaves to their customers, and the site will tell you a little more about this service.

We are well advanced in creating a new website for Brookfields Bed and Breakfast, run by Ron and Robbie Caswell. When I get back to the studio I will add the logo to this post that we completed for them a couple of weeks ago. They were looking for something that captured the idyllic rural location they enjoyed, so we went for appealing colours and one of their regular visitors, a pheasant. Other concepts we experimented with were the hills and the local steeples visible from their bed and breakfast.

Steppes Farm Holiday Cottages

2008-09-08T02:48:00.003+01:00

Steppes Farm's website is now up and running, showing off the excellent accommodation available in exceptional scenery.

The luxury holiday cottages have been furnished to capture the character of the buildings, not trying to modernise and loose what makes Cornish buildings so unique. For those looking for self catering in Cornwall, you would find a choice base for exploring.

The site features editable news using a content management system, which also allows the availability checker to be updated. There is a lot of information on the site such as details regarding the horse riding and spa facilities on the farm, so take a few minutes to see what is on offer.

John O'Carroll

2008-08-25T12:27:00.002+01:00

The book for John O'Carroll is just about finished, just a few minor touches left and it is set to be printed. It features his work from the last ten years, and has been created throughout the world, from the East to West and taking in Egypt and Canada. He has a very distinct vision on how it should be presented, and we have worked with him closely to ensure that this is represented in the book.

The book has grown from its initial concept, to its current state of over twice the size, giving a very comprehensive view of his work and approach. We are all looking forward to seeing the finished project, and hope that the exhibition in Holland that it coincides with is a great success.

He is setting off from North Cornwall to the Netherlands for the exhibition the book coincides very soon, the exhibition is called Archaiolgia, and features his drawings and paintings. It is to be held in Galerie Roger Katwijk in Amsterdam.

The exhibition will run from 6th September to 4th October 2008

Glasshouse Restaurant

2008-08-16T19:16:00.003+01:00

Another new website online for tests today for Glasshouse, a restaurant in Wadebridge. If you have visited the town in North Cornwall, you will know it well, as it is located right in the centre.

Open from the morning for breakfasts and coffee, lunches, and then evening meals. It has recently been bought by Tim and Tina Burridge, who also run Burridge's in Rock, based under The Rock Inn. The Glasshouse has been previously known for its Italian cuisine, and that will still be a speciality, but now Tim has added some of his traditionally English dishes to the menu.

Make sure you have a look in our portfolio to see the site itself.

Tim Walton Builders

2008-08-11T14:52:00.004+01:00

Another new site online, just being tested to see if there are any bugs on it, Tim Walton Builders. Based in Wadebridge, North Cornwall, with new offices opening soon, they produce very high standard homes.

We took some time to create a site that hopefully matches the standard and style of their construction. Finished projects have been featured nationally, and the versatility of the firm is clear. On the site you will find three case studies so that you can see a little more about what they do.

Another business local to us in Wadebridge is JOG Safety, they provide health and safety courses in Devon and Cornwall. Vital for companies, small and large.

The Swan Hotel

2008-07-30T22:07:00.002+01:00

The new website for The Swan Hotel, in Wadebridge, is up online. Right in the centre of town, on the roundabout, the rooms are comfortable and the bar welcoming. It also has outside seating and live bands playing. Look out for From Heart to Stereo who are on soon.

Take a look at our portfolio to see the site itself.

Wadebridge Bathroom Studio Vans

2008-07-21T19:27:00.001+01:00

The new Mercedes Sprinter was sign-written today for Wadebridge Bathroom Studio, just got it back. Their other van, a transit, is due to be completed soon as well.

You may also want to have a look at their website in our portfolio. The product database has just gone live, so take a look to see what they have available. Their studio is deceptive, make sure you walk into the showroom at the rear or you will be missing out on most of their bathrooms!

The Rock Inn

2008-07-12T16:38:00.004+01:00

The new website for The Rock Inn is online for testing, take a look and let us know what you think. Emma came up with the concept for this site, and was pleased to see her work running well on the web.

The Rock Inn have two self catering flats that they make available throughout the year, only a few steps from the waterfront. Rock, in North Cornwall, has wonderful beaches and watersports.

The Wadebridge Bathroom Studio website is almost complete as well, just a few more items going into the database of products. The vans are due to have the new branding applied to them soon along with new signage at the studio itself.

Work Experience

2008-07-10T14:06:00.003+01:00

"I love clothes with pretty patterns, and like drinking tea with chocolate bourbons!"

Samantha Bolwell is with us this week on work experience. She has been doing some excellent work which we will post on the website at the end of the week, in the meantime her team self portrait and quote are here.

Wadebridge Bathroom Studio at the Show

2008-06-06T23:35:00.002+01:00

Steph took this picture at the Royal Cornwall Show this week. She popped by the Wadebridge Bathroom Studios stand to see what the new banner we organised for them looked like.

You'll have to drop by yourself to see what it looks like, as camera phones don't do it justice! They are on the Wadebridge Street. We really should have a stand ourselves next year!

P.S. Counter Ltd.

2008-05-19T12:18:00.005+01:00

New web page online for P.S. Counter Ltd. They are moving premises to the new industrial estate in Wadebridge, beside Tesco, and needed a website to go on their stationery.

I didn't know that the image on the page, the one that you have probably seen in their North Cornwall Advertiser advert, was taken locally. Looks like the perfect place to have a window like that!

Steppes Farm Holiday Cottages

2008-05-12T13:25:00.002+01:00

We're starting work on a new website this week, with a brainstorm this afternoon in the studio. We have been contracted to create a website for Steppes Farm Holiday Cottages, luxurious accommodation in stunning scenery.

The farm house dates back to the 14th century, and just oozes character. The farm out buildings have been converted into plush holiday cottages, and a third cottage is nearing completion.

Our task is to do justice to this secluded gem, check back to see the progress.