The studio was commissioned to develop music packaging for SBS’s seminal travel show Global Village.

The series has an ongoing theme that explores exotic creatures that populate all corners of the earth. We submitted a range of creatures and a beetle was selected for it jewel like qualities. The illustration of the exotic beetle was developed by our image maker in residence Sarah Pickering. A quirky botanic rendering of the beetle was selected and the final rendering was completed in watercolour and pencil.

Thanks again to Universal Music.

There is commercial naming projects and there are the naming projects that have soul –  the names of our community precincts – St John’s Wood, Seven Dials, Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, Five Ways, Crouch End, Land’s End.

The Unnamed Precinct project is an initiative of residents, businesses and institutions in the area of Sydney bound by the part of Oxford Street from Taylor Square to Greens Road, including the neighbouring cross streets and surrounds. The five-way intersection of Oxford Street, South Dowling Street, Victoria Street and Barcom Avenue marks the centre of the precinct. The project team work and live in a place that they feel needs to have a name, they are seeking ideas and feedback from the community to clarify this idea.

Having lived and work there, we put aside some time and submitted the following naming options:

In light of the rich local history of artists and artisans one may suggest some of the area’s most prolific artists under the theme – celebrating local creative people

Brett Whiteley AO (7 April 1939 – 15 June 1992) was an Australian artist. One of the best-known Australian painters of the 20th century, he is collected in most Australian galleries. He had many shows in his career, and travelled extensively around the world.

Whiteley suggestions:

• Whiteley
• Whiteley’s Corner
• Brett’s Way
• Endlessism

John Coburn (1925 - 7 November 2006) was an Australian painter. He is also known for his tapestries.
He won the Blake Prize for Religious Art twice.
All the major galleries in Australia have displayed his works. Two of his tapestries hang in the Sydney Opera House and seven hang in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington D.C. His works are also displayed in the Vatican Museum, Rome.

John Coburn also was a lecturer at the nearby, National Art School, Sydney which was at Coburn’s time in the Old Darlinghurst Gaol which was converted to the East Sydney Technical College.

Coburn suggestions:

• Coburn
• John’s Corner
• John’s Way

Thanks to Simeon King from Anagram for sending this project our way

Have a go all you naming people.

Visit The Unnamed Precinct here

The long awaited and much loved Bugle has hit the streets, sadly for last time it seems, in Melbourne. The Monkey-Taunt issue gives the Minke Whale rights, a voice to the countless IKEA devotees, there are peeping toms, randy koalas, and 104.1’s Amish & Blandy.

The brain child of Sydney born, St Kilda breed satirist, absurdist, plain English writer and editor and radio announcer Andrew Pegler; The Bugle is an alternative idea space for politics, the news worthy, the media in mass and our beloved celebrity. Look out for your copy in cafés and bars everywhere, it’s a free and spirited labor of love.

Visit everything Bugle here

Designer and image maker Kat Macleod, from Ortolan, has put together her first show at Lamington Drive, which runs from November 7 to 29.

Kat has worked with the studio on a few projects over the years, notably the revered So Frenchy So Chic image making campaign, and as a collaborating image maker for the first Stephen paper campaign.

We wish Kat well in all her work and travels. Kat is a thoughtful, hardworking and inspired collaborator.

Get down and get yourself some, while we are lucky enough to have her in Melbourne.

Visit Kat’s studio here, visit Lamington Drive and the Jacky Winter Group here

Martel is the upholster’s upholster. Their busy, modest factory floor is testament to the quality work carried out there – from a much loved chesterman lounge, Featherstone chairs, a classic B&B sofa and upholstered wall panels for the much revered back bar at Melbourne’s Cookie bar and restaurant can be found waiting for work.

Martel’s identity was determined from it’s most basic form and then realised in complex variations. At its most stripped back form – we determined that Martel was an upper and lowercase identity. We then developed a customised and streamlined san serif typeface.

The project’s work continued with an exploration of a range of techiques and hand finishes used in upholsters’ stitching, pipings and detailing. The new font was then expressed in a wide range of these upholstery techiques. These new lettering expressions were used as single brands or wordmark expressions. We also developed illustrated graphic type based compositions that can be found on Martel’s postcards, business cards, the web, signing and even door handles.

Visit Martel here