I started my career as a Studio Junior in the Finished Artwork Studio at Holmes & Marchant Plc back in 1987. In those days we still used drawing boards and actually had to know how to set type. Apart from making the tea, I was responsible for producing print ready line artwork and studio administration.​
I also developed my skills for illustration and hand lettering, creating pack mock-ups using Pantone markers. Our clients included Elida Gibbs (Timotei), Birds, Polycell, Burtons Biscuits, Budgens, Sainsbury, Unilever and Schweppes.
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12 months after joining the company I moved to the Design Department as a visualiser. Shortly afterwards, I was instrumental in setting up an independent Visualising Department where we produced high quality pack mock-ups for photography and market testing. Before departing on maternity leave in 1990, we had expanded the department to employ two more designers and another junior.
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In 1991 I joined The Promotions Partnership, a company that handled third party campaigns, competitions, free draws, money off/back promotions, free gifts etc. Their client list included KFC, Milupa, Bupa, DTI, Benkiser (Vanish, Finish).
Still making the tea occasionally, I was also responsible for producing marker visuals for POS, brochures, leaflets, posters, packaging, pack flashes and concept boards.
At the beginning of 1992, the company invested in its first Apple Mac which I mainly used for producing artwork using Adobe Photoshop and Quark Express.
Later that year I decided to go freelance and in 1994 I bought my first Apple Mac, an LC with a massive 80MB hard disk!
Since then I have worked for a wide variety or clients including Spearmark, Grosvenor of London, Heimann Young Books, Disney, Downpace Stationery, British Tissues, Hasbro, Castle Cement, Coronation Power, Quarry Products Association, Bazooka Candy Brands, Animaru, The Pop-Up Deli, DellEMC and MMCTS.
From 1994 to 2015, I mainly worked as part of the creative team at Kinnerton Confectionery as a freelance designer and artworker, producing creative licensed character packaging and merchandise, pack mock-ups for photography, high quality 3D visuals and print ready digital artwork for their own label confectionery as well as for many of the big supermarkets such as M&S, Tesco, Morrisons and Asda.​​​​​​
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I am currently working as a volunteer graphic designer for the Noah's Ark Children's Hospice in North London, producing printed and digital collateral.
Other Endeavours
Baked to Perfection!
I have been designing and baking cakes for many years now. I love the hands on 3D aspect of creating edible art and also the pleasure it brings to my clients. Having spent many years working with licensed characters, I have a special affinity to making kids cakes.
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I believe you can have your cake and eat it too.
To see more of my cakes go to @bakedtoperfection.uk on Facebook.
