Paul Howse

Graphic Designer

Case Studies

m: 07799834377 e: paul@paulhowse.co.uk w:portfolio.paulhowse.co.uk Version 2.1 Updated June 2010

This document contains highlighted examples of myThis document contains highlighted examples of my

design work and information on each of the examples. design work and information on each of the examples.

For more examples please see my online portfolio at: For more examples please see my online portfolio at:

http://portfolio.paulhowse.co.ukhttp://portfolio.paulhowse.co.uk

Brand Design

A Brand designed for a Cornish tourist attraction.

The attraction was part of a Virgin 1

Television show ‘ Duncan Bannatyne’s

Seaside Rescue’ 

The program took a flagging

Newquay ‘wax museum’ and turned

it into an exciting new interactive

pirate themed attraction. It

involved a completed re-theme

and image change to help put it

back on the map.

I worked on the brand change

from ‘Tunnels Through Time -

Stories & Legends of Cornwall’ to

‘Buccaneer Bay - A Swashbuckling

Cornish Adventure’.

My work on the total re-brand included new brand name, new corporate brand image design, concept work

for building frontage, concept work for shop re theme, re-theme-

ing attraction information boards, website re-themeing, artwork

for new flyers and new in house literature

and paperwork.

An exciting project to work on with

many different areas to consider when

designing the brand.

All the design work had to conform with

the themeing companies new style,

fitting in with all

thier changes in-

cluding thier new

backstory to the

attraction and it’s

new live actors.

The ‘dungeon’

section of the

attraction was

also re-themed

and a new brand was required for

this as a separate ‘Scare Attraction’ -’The Sunken Village of

the Damned’

The final website can be seen at www.buccaneer-bay.co.uk

Visual communication is always important, but never more so than with books, magazines and CD’s.

We always shop with our eyes first and if the cover invites us to find out

more and is enticing then the product is virtually sold before its even off

the shelf.

I have worked on many

such projects and I always

try to bring the feeling of

content to life through the

cover work. The book

cover to the left was de-

signed for an

entertainment company

who specialise in horror

and scare themed

attractions.

They were putting together a book journalling thier 10 years in business. The book contains lots of

very exciting images as well as behind the scenes information, and the cover needed to reflect the colourful

and varied nature of the book. The end product captured the content completely:

Spooky, colourful, fun, and varied. The glossy colourful cover ‘screams’ - “Pick me up!”

Magazines usually appeal to a specific demographic so have differing requirements but still need to be eye

catching and appealing.

“PHANTOM!” a bi-annual magazine for members of a research

team, was a great mix of exciting cover images, interesting articles,

informational reports and promotional items. I was lucky enough

to be able to work on many aspects of this magazine; these

included cover design, internal layout/design and even on occasion

some editorial!

SCAREWORLD is a new magazine

launching shortly. This is an industry

magazine with a different demographic. Being a new magazine I was lucky enough

to get to design the brand style and set the feel for the magazine as a whole.

This time an exciting feel, to appeal to spooky thrill seekers. The magazine is

aimed at people who enjoy attending ‘Scare Attractions’, Spooky Rides and Scary

shows.

The brief was to be eye

catching, exciting, bold and have

a ‘dark’ feel to it whilst

maintaining a slick appearance.

I’m looking forward to

completing working on the first

edition, out later this year, and on future issues.

Books & Media

Printed media in any format communicates more than just the words on the page. I’ve worked on many of

these items such as business cards, flyers, and stationary. A business card is not just the means of supplying

someone with you contact details, often it is the first point of contact and the first impres-

sion a prospective client gets of your business. The images used portray your company and

set the tone from day one. As such I try to always make a card visually memorable for

what some may see as a fairly day to day business item.

Flyers are similar but have a more in depth purpose.

The front of the flyer on the left is a prime exam-

ple. After I designed a

new corporate logo

for this childrens

mini-zoo I then

worked on their new flyers. The

new logo is high up on the flyer so it’s

visible and eye catching when in a rack

with other flyers. Bright colours are used to be appeal-

ing to the target age demographic for the flyer. Most impor-

tantly there are lots of images on the front cover. This shows the prospective customer exactly what they

can expect from a visit. Finally a simple yet explanatory tag line. The desired result of the cover of any

flyer that is destined for a rack, is to be the one that someone is drawn to. So with this brief that means,

making it look fun, lots to do, busy and exciting.

A primary sales tool in many industries, a sign is the first call to action that

people see of a business or event. Getting the right balance of information,

versus eye catching visuals is crucial. Here are two examples of signage I

have worked on, both with a different purpose in mind.

The sandwich board poster on the left had two purposes in the brief. Firstly to advertise

the attraction it refers to but secondly to

promote the company that runs the attrac-

tion. So in this case not only does the

poster have exciting images to illustrate

the attraction but a large company logo,

an ‘as seen on’ strap line and company

website address. This links the exciting

attraction in the viewers mind with the

company that created it.

The theatre poster on the right also

has some eye catching visuals to il-

lustrate what the shows is and set

the ‘feel’ of the show. This is very

important but more so is the infor-

mation; when, where, how much! Without this

information the poster does not serve its purpose.

It is after all a sales tool and you may well love the visuals

but if you don’t have the information the poster has failed. The design uses intricate imagery in

the main part of the poster to catch the eye and draw people to view it. Where the bottom is kept plain

and simple to display the information and make its easy and clear to find and read.

Signage

Literature