For my Final major project, in the back of my mind I was thinking about how I could help Ila Gamble months ago back in September. Since been given the initial brief, my immediate thought was of Ila and her Tea Shop on Trinity Walk. A few days after our college briefing I popped in and started chatting with her about my final major project, the proposal and what I intended to create for her. With my new found interest and development in Calligraphy (thanks to some historical essay writing!) I thought this kind of project would help push my skills in Calligraphy as well as logo design & branding. Combining both my interest in historical illustration and the techniques and processes going back to the mid 18th/19th centuries - would prove to be an interesting project for me to tackle!
The front frontage shop of Ila's Little Tea Shoppe. As seen from the front, there is currently no visible applied sign display. Speaking to a few of her customers and regulars they sometimes would mention it can be challenging to find/locate in Nottingham. This photograph proved to be a template for me to experiment further, such as 'mock-up' tests to see things in situ.
Since researching the origins and development of Afternoon Tea and how tea-houses in general have been developing and surviving up till now proved to be insightful. More established brands such as Betty's (1919) and the Hotel Ritz (London) all offer a distinct and glimpse to the past of England's favorite afternoon activity. Through examination of their existing branding, you understand how important the historical context is when tasked with redesigning a brand for a tea-shop.
First initial thumbnails for the shop's logo for Ila. Ultimately this proved to be one of the stronger designs out of the others I had then proceeded to develop later on. With a more customized calligraphic inspired typeface.
Here is my selected menu concept cover for Ila's shop, utilizing a new logo design with refinement to the illustration as well. The illustrations give flavour and bite, inspired by the menus from Betty's I desired to have hand-designed aspects present on it.
Since then I have been trying to produce more consistent illustrations in keeping with the two (above) more to come very soon! The finalized menu will still showcase Ila's original selected foods and drinks (which in my opinion are very tasty) to a more fully fleshed depiction. The illustrations are to be used in conjunction of calligraphic styled type as well.
The finalized logo and my favored design for Ila's Little Tea Shoppe. With some modifications and use of symmetry this design was utility for - business cards, gift cards and stamp signage for instance.
One of the stronger logo designs implemented onto her shop signage, more pre-visualization to show Ila and also for my VIVA presentation on the 22nd of March! For the window display my intention was for the illustration to be produced as a vinyl, to grab the attention of passerby's.