Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Studio News: Sprucing up the look of Kanna Glass Studios

Have you noticed?


It has been looking fresher around my web presence?


I have Marina H to thank for this beautification. The main thing I want to say about Marina's work is she captured the thoughts right out of my head. Back in March, I had started re-branding everything...new business cards, new logos, new banners, new avatars, new look, etc. Graphic artist is not something I had carved out time to do. I was getting the hang of a few things. I was creating some things I liked. They were pretty rough. With time, I probably could conquer Photoshop and Illustrator. But, I really prefer to spend my time on glass and silver.

In rides Marina to save the day. It all started with Nancy hosting a blog party for our favorite poet/metalsmith, Ms. Jillian, de la Noisy Plume. Lo and behold, I clicked through the participant links and I swooned over the western poster Marina created to honor Jillian.

(That was a link-fest, wasn't it? Need a minute to catch up?)

Swoon. Happy dance. Tripping over feet with joy. Someone was doing western!!!! And it was smashing! So, I contacted her about doing a few western things with some of my Texas pictures for my Southwestern theme I did in July. I got a little sidetracked in July and forgot to use all of the posters on my blog, but the one below is my favorite. I have it on the main page of my website now.



With each successive poster she sent me, I got happier, and happier and knew I had to work with her to re-do the branding, even though I had just done everything. You see, I still wasn't satisfied. Despite my best intentions, I felt my look was still too homemade, fractured, and clunky. I did want rustic, rough, and western...but I was struggling to achieve that.

So, I gave Marina a few ideas...green, green, green, and green, turquoise, brown. Western. Rustic. Green. And I did manage to create some simplistic flowers that she snagged, spruced up and carried over to the new image to carry a theme I started through to the new brand. The result?

!Oila!

The Avatar




A lovely bouquet for inserting randomly

New Business Cards





Plus, the new banners in this blog, my Artfire shop, the "wallpaper" backgrounds I use for photographing my jewelry, and my pillowbox packaging...which is the special treat reserved for customers who order from me.

As I mentioned, she captured the ideas right out of my head. Her fees were very reasonable (contact her!), she worked with my budget and on my schedule (i.e. spacing the projects out to make it affordable). In short, she was a dream graphic artist for a new business owner to work with.


Thank you, Marina! Please take a bow!

6 comments:

  1. this is wonderful - i love the design and the colors! may have to contact her... i could use a boost...

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  2. ...Jenn...these designs are FABULOUS & i, too, fell in love with Marina's work when i saw The Noisy Plume poster she did...i'm happy you had such a good experience with her...i LOVE the green&turquoise too...every shade of them...perfect...i see the flowers of your beads...in your graphic bouquet...WOW...how exciting...& LOOKING GooOOooD...XOXO

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  3. Thank you, Nancy and Marie! I really loved working with Marina. I still have more stuff for her to do, but I had to talk about what she's already done. I get giddy when I look at the banners.

    And the flower graphics...they did start from my beads...wound up in the graphics...and now are a permanent part of my "look"...yay!

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  4. :] *blushes*

    Such kind words...I'm so honored. Very happy to be able to help. It was a lot of fun to work on all these things and I can't wait to work on more in the future! Your site looks awesommmeeee!

    Nancy...I've got some fonts for you. Today or tomorrow I'll get you an e-mail. Thanks for your patience!

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  5. Wow! I love the new look!!! This is the kind of thing that will make people want to order from you...the packaging, the "look." : ) Especially love the colors.

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  6. Marina - thank you, thank you, thank you! You really helped me get the look I love that really reflects "me".

    Tara - I think you're getting the first package in the new design!

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