I realize that to some degree, when it comes to graphic design, I fit into a very specific niche stylistically. It's gotten to the point where the work I produced can be categorized as something recognizably "Elixireleven" and that's not a bad thing at all. I quite like it.

Despite working within that niche for some time, I still find myself consistently challenged to approach the work from different angles, and that keeps it new and interesting. Once thing that frequently crops up among my clients, especially the new folk wanting to evoke a particular era's ethos in terms of their branding, is the desire to not look too new, too clean or too "perfect"when it comes to post-modern design sensibility. (Part of the challenge there becomes the war within to not follow prescribed rules... and one thing I was taught early off is that if you want to break said rules, you better know them in and out before you go ahead and discredit yourself by doing the exact opposite of what you've been told to do in the first place... This is typically where I cram a fist and my mouth and try not to choke. I'm sure if I was trained in Europe or the States, I'd get my knuckles rapped with a ruler for kern and lead abuse. Concordia University, as it is, doesn't seem to put such strident emphasis on walking the straight and narrow.)

Anyway, I digress: I'm talking about pseudo-post-Victorian design, here: the glam and the kitsch and the hardcore water-stained, sepia-soaked sort of crazy that tends to evoke a sense of high elegance despite how perfectly dirty it can be on a technical level.

Simply put: I love this sh*t.

Soap Box Co. loves this sh*t.

(I love that Soap Box Co. loves this sh*t.)

( Graphic Design: Tub Tonic Label for the Soap Box Co. )

I'm nothing if not ambitious.

Realistically, the website for Jessica Verday's The Hollow ought to have taken a solid two weeks to put together. Given more time, I likely would have spent a few more hours on the flash components of the site, and I would have skinned the blog for her too - but barring that, I somehow managed (still not entirely sure of the mechanics since the week was a bit of a blur and I didn't sleep an awful lot from stress), to spit out eight layouts within the framework.

Eight. Eight!

Item a: That's redonkulous.
Item b: When the publisher, the editor and the author herself are all pleased with the fact that not only did I stick to the design brief I drew up for graphics, but I managed to somehow mash together two different requests for the aesthetic, I call it a success.

Pretty damned pleased with myself for this one, but lordy... I am not going to attempt to do something this big in that timeframe for a very long time.

*sweatdrop*

Check it out, live and large: http://www.jessicaverday.com

On a side note, having a chance to devour the book days before starting the build is single-handedly the best thing I could have ever done to get inspired.

You'll have the chance to get your hands on it in September 2009 (so I've been totally spoiled. Ha ha!)

( Web Design: JessicaVerday.com )

(Big thanks to Jessica, on this one.)

While I've over-compensating for not updating this blog for some time, I might as well name-drop: I've been working freelance for Villainess since 2008, and while I don't often talk about it (since anything done for Brooke tends to come with a lot of gushing; she is one of the best clients I have on my roster - affords me tons of creative liberty, listens well, has great ideas, is constantly expanding her product line and she works tirelessly for her clients... so it follows that I dole out a lot of affection and respect for both her company and what she does for her company.)

Once upon a time, when the redesign was still an inkling of an idea and we were still debating where to go with the whole look, she mentioned that she liked the idea of a "Victorian Catalogue". A year later, we've come full-circle (outlink):

( Villainess Soaps: Wholesaler Scent List )

This is part of the Wholesaler PDF she's using for distribution and her resalers. How to get that layout everywhere else without breaking a sweat over the typography is what I'm going to chew on for a few weeks.

(And yes, those are the little bits of Victoriana that you can find on the wrappings Brooke uses for her bars of Soap.)