I find that invoking and sustaining the creative spirit, like most things, is very much influenced by my environment. Trying to work on a messy desk causes my mind to feel scattered. Once cleaned up though, suddenly the ideas start flowing.
Equal to this, i find the environment outside of the office plays a key role aswell. At 26 i decided to move into the city, to expand my horizons, meet new people and expose myself to new surroundings. I luckily chose an area with a backdrop that i find incredibly inspiring, on a daily basis. A few friends in the neighbourhood have fantastic vantage points, which makes me appreciate all the more the ability to work from where ever i please.
Bob Marley played soccer while high, as he thought up new music. For me skating around this picturesque city gives me that same creative boost.
Pictures speak a thousand words and the pics below are from my phone. Hope you like.
I recently updated some of Marquee Sydney’s marketing collateral. New background pattern and so forth. Below are a couple layouts that came about as a result.
The last month has been very big picture. With mounting briefs, i made the decision to hire some creative backup. And with that, Chris Soll Creative has grown from one to 3 designers. A few new clients have also joined us, including ‘The Greengate Hotel’, for which i’ve included two recent artworks (turned out quite nice i think). 2013 will be a good year, i can feel it.
I’ve had the pleasure of designing this seasons Marco Polo styleguide.
Part of the brief involved designing a Trainstation Billboard for Kings Cross & Town Hall. In hindsight i feel bad for all the early morning office commuters staring at a pool rim with 4 girls in bikinis staring back. It’s been fun none the less, and the flyer template is working great through all the artists presspacks.
Here are a couple favourites.
Marquee Sydney recently came to me to develop a logo identity for their new ‘Assembly’ Wednesday night.
The solution, an eagle, a shield, the stars & stripes, and some rad hi-tops to finish off.
A few months ago i picked up Piano Room as a client. Piano is a upmarket lounge & club in Kings Cross. It’s been a task creating a styleguide for the venue that caters for both it’s older high class patrons, whilst still appealing to the younger generation.
Below are a few recent artwork examples, and a billboard design which was put up at Martin Place & Kings Cross Train Stations.
This is the result of a fresh approach to my mate Taras’s branding. New Presspic & Logo refresh, results speak for themselves.
I’ve always created very minimalistic artworks for Sydney’s Beach Haus, as is their branding. Recently i’ve explored using full page images as part of the layout (rather than 50%image/50%white layouts in the past). I’m definitely feeling the look of these and think i might stay on this course for a while.
When you want style, less is always more.
Recently i got hit up for some freelance work by CreativeSpark, a leading design & branding agency based in Manchester UK. My first project (and a bit of a test i assume) was creating an album cover artwork for the Ministry of Sound Running Trax Compilation Series. The brief stipulated the use of the 2012 London Olympic Colour Palette, and otherwise just asked for a fresh approach as the previous artworks were all looking a bit too similar by now.
It was a great opportunity to really give it my all, so i drank some workout energy powder crap my friend gave me and settled in a for a long night.
I’m very happy with the final result, and so were the client apparently, as it’s now all moving forward and will be available from Music Stores soon.
Here is my layout for Beach Haus’s Second Bday campaign (save the date & afterparty).
The actual invitations were wrapped around white paper fans and mailed to the invitees.
