Schoolchildren’s Winning Logo Made Into a Reality

Hartlepool Borough Council has received £1.1million grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to deliver a three-year project to breathe new life into Church Street Conservation Area. The aim is to improve the quality of the built environment in the Conservation Area and raise awareness of the area’s rich heritage.

Thus, The Church Street Revival Project was born, they needed a logo and decided to put out a competition for local schools, colleges and the Dabble Art Group, they got over 300 entries. Connie Brydie and Isabelle Judson from West Park Primary School were the winners of the competition, with their vibrant circular logo using the Christ Church building as the focal image against a setting sun.

I got involved by working with Connie and Isabelle to develop the final design, which involved showing them how the logo was drawn up, important elements to think about when designing a logo, and allowing them to take ownership of their design by choosing the colour scheme and type layout.

The aim of the Church Street Revival Project, which is supported financially by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, is to improve the quality of the built environment in the Conservation Area and raise awareness of the area’s rich heritage.

To find out more about Hartlepool Revival and how you could get involved in the activities or volunteer hartlepool.gov.uk/churchstreetrevival

“Abby was brilliant at working with the Connie and Isabelle, the Church Street Revival logo competition winners from West Park Primary School. She was inspirational in her approach, clearly explaining how she had worked with their original drawing to develop options, from which they collectively chose a final digital logo image. ”

— Fiona Riley, Townscape Heritage Project Officer at Hartlepool Borough Council

The Church Street Revival Team alongside myself, Connie and Isabelle

Connie and Isabelle choosing the logo colour scheme and typography position they liked best.

Tensile Strength (or How to Survive at Your Wit’s End) Tour Posters are Looking Sharp

Between October 2018 and September 2019, Holly Gallagher is touring her latest show Tensile Strength (or How to Survive at Your Wit’s End). Holly is a theatre-maker, director and facilitator who was keen to create a recognisable brand for herself and have promotional materials for her shows that will stand out from the crowd. The goal was to create bold promotional items, but also set a distinct style, colour palette, font choices etc. so Holly’s future shows can follow suit.

The show was produced and commissioned by ARC Stockton, and funded by Arts Council England, and supported as part of the Third Angel Mentoring Scheme 2017 in association with Sheffield Theatres.

Tensile Strength (or How to Survive at Your Wit’s End) tells the story of three different characters all experiencing stress. The stage is full of buckets which act as a metaphor for stress, at one point in the show, the audience is asked: Imagine you have a bucket; and all the things you have to cope with in life as water going into that bucket. Raise your hand if your bucket is A) Empty B) Half full C) Overflowing.

After discussing the show over a hot drink with Holly, we decided an illustration involving an overflowing bucket would be perfect for the promotional materials. I included the show description ‘A Show About: Stress, fear, pressure ,sadness, mental health, when things are all a Bit Too Much and then the cat goes missing’ within the bucket which is spiralling into an abyss, much like how it feels when you get so stressed you can’t think straight. Holly also received brand guidelines which give her the colours, fonts etc. she needs to continue using her brand online.

“I have been a fan of Abby’s work for some time now, and have always particularly loved the boldness, detail, and colours used in her work. So when I needed a designer to work on my new show’s poster it was a no-brainer for me to approach Abby.

The process of working with Abby has been a real pleasure! This was my first time using a graphic designer to create content for a show, as well as the largest tour for a piece of work I had put together. So my timeframes, deadlines, and expectations were continually changing. Abby was understanding and flexible with every change that happened, and has been more than generous with her time and dedication to the project.

The final design Abby created is a beautiful piece of artwork and has really done an effective job in advertising the show with countless people complimenting its posters, flyers, and social media images! I’m beyond happy with the professional finish Abby has gifted my show with and am so pleased to have a proper brand design for my future work now too.

I would recommend anyone to Abby for graphic design work if they want a high quality, fast, flexible, and personable experience!”

— Holly Gallagher

Holly Gallagher’s stage set up for Tensile Strength (or How to Survive at your Wit’s End). Photo by Davey Poremba

Sending My Artwork Worldwide - Where Can I get a Vintage View to?

In June 2018, I was commissioned by Vintage Chartered Financial Planners to make an illustration of Roseberry Topping.

The feedback they received on the artwork since its creation has been nothing short of remarkable and so rather than keep the image to themselves, they decided to share it with the world by sending ‘Vintage View’ postcards to all corners of the globe.

I loved this idea and got involved immediately by sending the postcard to family, friends, business connections and clients all over the world, from New York, Hong Kong, Africa, Spain and Switzerland to name just a few. Below is a collection of those who helped. Watch the video below to find out more about the project, or read the press release Businesses Unite with Roseberry Topping Artwork.

If you would like a postcard please contact Vintage or myself so we can get Rosie even further!

Dehli - India

Taken at Humayun tomb in Dehli by photographer and letterpress artist, Francis Fitzgerald. See his work here.

Hong Kong

Taken in Hong Kong by Laura, who is a teacher, teaching English as a foreign language.

Namibia - Africa

Taken by Kathryn at Elevation Marketing while on a tracking expedition with Ray Mears at Erindi Game Reserve, Omaruru.

Amsterdam

Taken by my cousin Megan and her partner Frazer.

Clarence Pier - Portsmouth

Taken by Anjalee Burrows, an aspiring children’s book illustrator, who just completed her first illustrated book, The Hospital Hoppities.

Kedrodasos - Crete

Taken by Malcolm Wray a professional photographer living in Crete.

Reykjavik - Iceland

Taken by Lucy and Paul who run For the Love of the North, they offer North East related Gifts, Prints and Cards which are sourced directly from the artists.

Valencia - Spain

Taken by Karen at Vintage Chartered Financial Planners on her many travels.

Leeds

Taken at the Corn Exchange in Leeds by graphic designer, Adam.

New York

Taken from the Empire State Building in New York, by illustrator Amy Dipper.

Brazil

Taken at Vale nature reserve, one of the largest protected areas of Atlantic rainforest in Brazil. Taken by Amy who is studying zoology and is an aspiring writer, currently writing for Campus Society.

Geneva - Switzerland

Taken at Jet D’eau fountain by Andrew at ProJuice.

Camden Town - London

Taken by Becci, currently studying for her PhD in Biochemical Engineering at UCL.

Yonago-shi - Japan

Taken by Chi at Call Kanda shrine while she was visiting her family.

Madrid - Spain

Taken at the park, Parque Cerro del Tío Pío, but the locals know it as Las Siete Tetas (The Seven Tits) because it was an old landfill of seven mounds, which has been turned into a park. Taken by the lovely couple, Waine and Ruben.

Corfu - Greece

Taken on holiday by my parents, Paul and Angela.

New York - Central Park

Taken by Rebecca, who lives in Canada but was on holiday in New York.

Copenhagen & Paris

Taken by Andrea who was following the U2 tour and travelling a lot.

Toronto - Canada

Taken by Vicky, who used to travel past Roseberry Topping a lot when she was living in England, and reached out on social media to me. Taken at Hudson’s Bay Company.

Algarve - Spain

Taken By Beverley Lawson, Spanish Tutor in Darlington.

London

Taken by Anne-Marie, holistic therapist at Kismet. Photos taken on the cable cars over the Thames, and next to the life-size marble statue of Queen Victoria, at Guys and St Thomas Hospital.

London

My own contribution while on a trip to London. I snapped a photo at the London Eye and a scene of the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben (currently getting a makeover)

Little Loch Broom - Scotland

Taken by Michael Ritchie, a student at Edinburgh University.

Budapest

Taken by Nina York.

Wales

Mount Snowden, taken by Debbie Branson.

Press Release: Couple's Artwork Selling Itself - Designs now being used on mugs, tote bags and more

Photo by Michael Grant of www.rainbowphoto.co.uk

‘HARTLEPOOL railway station’s acclaimed artwork is now featured in a wide range of merchandise.

Illustrator Abby Taylor created the 12 giant, vintage pictures with her partner Owen Smith last year.

Now council chiefs have secured funding to produce tote bags, tea towels, mugs and other items which are available at Hartlepool Art Gallery.

Abby said: “This was the start of my freelance career as the project got good traction and was the ideal springboard for me. It still feels so surreal to see the artwork we created on merchandise. We spent a long time working on them after our 9-5 jobs in the makeshift room while working on the dining table and a small desk on wheels till late.”

Abby and Owen graduated from Cleveland College of Art and Design/Northern School of Art in 2015. Abby worked as a graphic designer for two years whilst Owen became the Director at LemonTop Creative.

She continued: “I love hearing people say they bought something and how much the location means to them and how much they like the artwork. It never gets old and makes me smile every time. The artwork evokes memories for a lot of people and I love that so much. I think the items are beautiful and the quality is so nice, the pillows are faux velvet and the totes fully lined too.”

Selection of Hartlepool Merchandise. Photos by Michael Grant of www.rainbowphoto.co.uk

The artist is currently working on artwork in the vintage-style of locations in Newcastle in collaboration with For the Love of The North, which have two shops and an online store. She is also working on a handful of start-up businesses, including a dairy-free milkshake company. The Hartlepool artwork is on sale now at Hartlepool Art Gallery.’

- Article by journalist, Amie Slack of Hartlepool Life.

Further Reading:

Check out my latest blog post One Year On - New Products and Hartlepool Council Catch Up

One Year On - New Products and Hartlepool Council Catch Up

Hartlepool Borough Council has just launched a brand new range of merchandise featuring the Hartlepool Railway Station Artwork. The new merchandise came about after a huge response to the initial illustrations my partner Owen Smith and I created last year. I recently caught up with the council and Hartlepool Art Gallery to discuss what has been a very successful few months.

The start of this journey began 15 months ago, when I worked on what has so far been one of the biggest projects of my career. Together with Owen, I created twelve vintage-inspired illustrations based on tourist destinations in the area, which have since been on permanent display at Hartlepool Railway Station, with A4 and A3 prints also released for sale.

Pictured (L-R) are Abigail Taylor, Owen Smith, Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher and Francis Fitzgerald, from Cleveland College of Art & Design.

This project became a great springboard into my self-employment career, and I have since been able to work on other commercial illustrations for The Northern School of Art and Roseberry Topping for Vintage Financial planners, as well as releasing my own work of my hometown Stockton-on-Tees. With many other illustrative projects in the pipeline, it looks to be an exciting year ahead.

More excitingly, Hartlepool Borough Council have recently secured funding to expand the range of products beyond the initial prints, with tote bags, tea towels and mugs all now available at Hartlepool Art Gallery.

Abby Taylor with selection of Hartlepool Merchandise. Photo by Michael Grant of www.rainbowphoto.co.uk

I first spoke to Rob Smith, the Regeneration Team Leader at Hartlepool Borough Council, who helped put together the original brief and has had huge involvement with the project from the very start.

When asked about the impact the illustrations have had since their release, Rob said ‘The artwork has been really successful for the council. It's creating a real sense of arrival into Hartlepool station and a strong first impression, even for those just passing through. The artwork has also meant the Railway Station has become more of a gateway into the town. The illustrations showcase the full range of local attractions to the public and have raised the profile of some of the lesser-known destinations, as well as just brightening up the area and making it look more inviting.

Featured Products: Seaton Carew Clock Tower tea towel, St Hilda’s Church, Church Street, Seaton Carew Clock Tower and Ward Jackson Park mugs

The response from the public has been outstanding. We've had so many positive comments on it and found people are often drawn to the artwork location which evokes childhood memories. The artwork has been very versatile and we use the pieces as much as we can. They’re used primarily on marketing materials, the website and decoration in our offices - they were even used as the backdrop for the general election. They really help give people a positive vibrant impression of the town.”

The imagery is owned by Hartlepool Borough Council with A3 and A4 prints currently being sold at Hartlepool Art Gallery, which is based in the beautiful former Christ Church building. Inside the Art Gallery, there is a shop selling local products, a cafe run by a local school. They also provide tourist information, in addition to promoting and selling tickets for Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre.

Featured Products: The Headland lined tote bags and Seaton Carew faux velvet pillows

I spoke to Ashley Landsbury, the Museum and Art Gallery Manager. Out of curiosity, I asked Ashley which have been the most popular illustrations out of the twelve. So far the bestsellers have been, the Clock Tower at Seaton Carew, St Hilda’s Church, The Town Wall at the Headland and Ward Jackson Park. Ashley also found people have mainly been buying the prints of areas which they live, previously lived or which evoke memories for them. They are often bought as gifts for people who have moved out of the area too.

When asked about her personal opinion on the work she said “People using the railway station are seeing the positive, attractive side of Hartlepool and this is promoting and encouraging people to visit these areas across the town. The work has been sent worldwide and promotes a good image of the town and the artists.’

It really has been a momentous year for all involved with this project, and I couldn't be happier with the results we've had.

Enterprising Stockton Awards Celebrates New Entrepreneurs

On Stockton Infinity bridge with Enterprising Stockton Award for 'Journey Travelled'

On the 4th July 2018, I was invited as a finalist for the Enterprising Stockton Awards. The event was held at Stockton Riverside College and supported by partners such as The Prince's Trust and Five Lamps. This is the second annual Enterprising Stockton awards evening, it's aim is to highlight the success and accomplishments of individuals and independent businesses from across the borough. It was a wonderful evening with live entertainment, great food and likeminded people. It was exciting to see organisations like this come together to recognise local entrepreneurs and I was honoured to be a part of it.

There were seven award categories and I was absolutely thrilled to win 'Journey Travelled' and come runner-up in the categories for 'Most Profit' and 'Overall Best Business'. It was such a proud moment and means I now have two different awards under my belt in my first year of business. The first award was by Hartlepool Civic Society in the category 'Tourism Potential' for my collaboration with Owen Smith on the prestigious Hartlepool Railway Artwork.

With partner Owen Smith, who I collaborated with for the Hartlepool Railway Station Artwork

For my application form I had to explain my journey and what makes me different, so here is a snippet...

Having my own business is something I had always aspired to do, but the Hartlepool Railway Station artwork definitely inspired the launch, as it gave me complete confidence in my abilities and attention from the media and public, which I needed to make a really strong start. I specialise in creating commercial illustrations and branding for businesses and as public interest in my work gradually grew, I have had the privilege to work with clients such as Tees Music Alliance, Vintage Chartered Financial Planners, Cleveland College of Art & Design and The National Museum of the Royal Navy. I have hit a point now, where there is so much happening and so many exciting projects coming up. I have also started selling my own Stockton-on-Tees prints by partnering with the local independent business DRAKE The Bookshop, and will be expanding my work for sale in the future too. 

The specialised artwork I create is a unique service and each brand I create is bespoke and made to stand out from competitors. I am very honest with my clients and give them advice and guidance to get the best possible result, I take time to communicate well and be respectful and patient, I may suggest using a different type of product that would be more suitable for the purpose, or a change to their business persona. This can be a little unusual, as many graphic designers will do exactly what the client asks for even if they believe it won’t work very well, just to get the job done. Although, I am never pushy, and so far every client has taken my suggestions on board and has been very pleased with the result. Below is a snippet from a testimonial from Stephanie's Dog Training.

“Abby happily went back and forth discussing designs and colours until I was 100% on my design, I was never rushed and pushed into making decisions and Abby even checked after the process was finished that everything was working ok and functioning on all social media outlets. Without a doubt I would recommend her as most of all I felt my brand was safe in her hands!”

— Stephanie's Dog Training

On the 9th August, a press release about the awards evening was published in the Evening Gazette, alongside a photo and quote from myself...

Among the award winners was Stockton-based graphic designer Abby Taylor. Abby launched her business, Abby Taylor Graphic Design and Illustration, just one year ago, after collaborating with Owen Smith on 12 pieces of artwork displayed at Hartlepool Railway Station.

She said: “I was absolutely thrilled to win Journey Travelled and also to be a runner up in Most Profit and Best Overall Business. It was such a proud moment and a wonderful event where I got to meet some great people. Of the Enterprising Stockton initiative she said: “It’s amazing to see these huge organisations come together to recognise local entrepreneurs and I was honoured to be a part of it.”

If you are considering getting a brand refresh or rebrand, or high-impact artwork, please email hello@iamabbytaylor.com or fill in the contact form on the Contact page.