Ian Wade Graphic Designer - Bristol

At the beginning of 2017, I was asked to re-brand all the college’s print and digital literature. The following graphics show the design process from concept to completion.

After the first graphic, you’ll see the creative process undertaken to reach the final design. Throughout this process, I experimented with different treatments, designs, and ideas, using creative testing to explore how each option could work in practice. This approach not only helped refine the visual direction but also ensured that both I and the stakeholders involved at the college were aligned and confident that the new look, feel, and direction of the brand would be right for everyone.

The website, as part of this rebrand, benefited from strong UX and UI design, making it easy for prospective students to navigate and find information quickly. The refreshed brand identity helped the college stand out visually and conveyed the right message, clearly supporting people who were learning to improve their English-speaking skills. By combining thoughtful design, usability, and a clear brand voice, the project created an engaging and accessible experience for learners while maintaining a professional and modern look.

This section showcases a selection of work I produced while at JBP, covering projects for EO.N, Inca, and National Grid. Each project presented unique challenges and objectives, from reinforcing corporate identity to communicating complex technical information in a clear and engaging way.

For EO.N, I developed materials that balanced strong visual impact with precise messaging, helping to present the brand in a professional and approachable manner. The work for Inca focused on innovative design solutions that highlighted their products and services, ensuring the information was both accessible and visually compelling. For National Grid, I contributed to campaigns and collateral that required careful attention to detail, consistency, and adherence to strict brand guidelines, while still finding creative ways to make the content engaging for a wide audience.

Across all these projects, I applied a combination of strategic thinking and creative execution, ensuring that each piece of work effectively communicated the client’s message while maintaining high design standards. The projects reflect my ability to adapt to different industries, audiences, and communication goals, producing work that is both impactful and professional.

At the beginning of 2017, I was asked to re-brand all the college’s print and digital literature. The following graphics show the design process from concept to completion.

After the first graphic, you’ll see the creative process undertaken to reach the final design. Throughout this process, I experimented with different treatments, designs, and ideas, using creative testing to explore how each option could work in practice. This approach not only helped refine the visual direction but also ensured that both I and the stakeholders involved at the college were aligned and confident that the new look, feel, and direction of the brand would be right for everyone.

The testing and iteration were crucial in pushing the design forward and achieving a final result that was both innovative and widely supported.

Brief
The goal was to educate and inform both existing and potential customers about The Cowshed’s values, food offerings, and events, positioning the business as one of Bristol's premier restaurants and event locations.

Solution
Given that The Cowshed works with Rudy and White wholesale and butchery businesses, I wanted to highlight this relationship to demonstrate that they source and process all their own meats. This transparency provides accountability and guarantees that the food is of the highest quality, sourced from top-tier farmers in the South West.

By building multiple digital and print campaigns around this message, I was able to educate the public and instill confidence in the quality of the food, assuring them that it meets the highest standards possible.

I also redesigned the menu, making it seasonal with creative elements that not only looked great but were also highly functional. Additionally, I helped promote special offers, pop-up events, and competitions, all of which contributed to raising brand visibility, driving more customers in, and collecting valuable data for our email campaigns and future offers.

Results
One successful idea was offering 40% off in January and May, historically the quietest months. This campaign was promoted through print, digital, and social media channels, and proved so successful that competitors in Bristol began running similar offers. This provided validation for the effectiveness of the campaign and its impact on customer engagement.

One of my urban fox images was selected for the cover of The Prodigy’s album The Day Is My Enemy, serving as a central visual motif across the entire album campaign. The image wasn’t just a static cover; it became a dynamic element that was translated across multiple touchpoints, ensuring a consistent and striking visual identity for the release.

The artwork appeared on T-shirts, posters, LPs, CDs, and digital download graphics, maintaining its impact and recognizability in both physical and digital formats. I also adapted the image for the album cover and inlay, carefully considering composition and design to ensure it worked seamlessly within the packaging and enhanced the overall narrative of the album. Beyond the core products, the fox motif was incorporated into countless promotional and branding pieces, helping to unify marketing materials, merchandise, and campaign visuals.

This project demonstrated not only the power of a single image to define a brand identity but also my ability to adapt and apply artwork consistently across diverse media formats, creating a cohesive, visually compelling campaign that resonated with fans and enhanced the album’s impact.

Brief
Create a brand identity for a startup called Reynish Audio. The business focuses on sound engineering services for recording artists and podcasters.

The client wanted a modern logo that visually reflects the equipment and industry the business operates in, conveying professionalism and technical expertise.

Solution
I began by researching visual elements commonly associated with sound engineering—such as waveforms, audio meters, cables, and studio gear. Using these as inspiration, I developed a sleek and modern logo that integrates subtle audio-themed elements while remaining clean and versatile.

The typography was carefully chosen to balance technical precision with creativity, and the color palette was kept bold and contemporary to reflect the energy of the audio industry. The result is a flexible identity that works across digital and print, from studio signage to social media branding.

Results
The client received a modern logo featuring a sound level-inspired logomark—subtly highlighting the industry while presenting it in a contemporary and minimalist style. The design uses simple circles and a single accent color to create a distinctive and recognizable brand.

Following the logo development, we expanded the brand across various applications, including signage, branded clothing, and other promotional items. These assets helped elevate the brand's visibility and create a cohesive, professional identity across all touchpoints.

Portfolio of work produced at Swindon College.

This was an exercise in creative artworking, closely following the brand guidelines to ensure that every colour, font, leading, kerning, and spacing element was accurate.

Brief
Create an updated brand identity, packaging solution for 8 boxes, flyers and leaflets, and photography to showcase all assets and items.

Solution
I began by addressing the brand update. Once this was approved, I focused on creating a cost-effective yet innovative solution for packaging the boxes. I decided to use shelves that feature icons, providing a visual representation of the contents inside. These were color-coded for clarity and appeal.

An additional solution involved creating a shelf folder that would sit at the back of the box, serving as a display graphic for enhanced visual impact.

Next, I worked on the photography of each individual item, as well as the presentation packs.

Following this, I designed leaflets, point-of-sale materials, and banners for exhibitions and presentations.

Finally, I developed new graphics for social media and led a website overhaul.

This project showcases my skills across digital, print, and photography, all completed in under 8 weeks.

Results
Sales of boxes from both shows and the website increased by 16%. Additionally, new products and services were launched, establishing Wurkplace Wellbeing as a strong contender in its field.

Brief
Design a presentation deck for one of the UK’s leading retail giants. The slides needed to be fully aligned with the Silver Cloud brand look and feel, while showcasing and promoting a new product launch to market.

Solution
Drawing inspiration from the product’s packaging, I crafted a sleek, on-brand set of slides that balanced visual impact with clear communication. The deck was designed to engage stakeholders, tell the Silver Cloud story, and highlight the unique value this product brings to the market—positioning it as a transformative opportunity within its sector.

Results
The final deck combined beautiful, cohesive design with compelling content. It informed, educated, and presented data in a way that empowered stakeholders to make confident, informed decisions about whether to stock the brand—while leaving a strong, lasting visual impression.

Example of Translating INCA’s Exhibition Branding to a LinkedIn Carousel Post:

This approach takes the high-impact visuals and messaging from INCA’s two exhibition stands and adapts them into a cohesive and engaging social media carousel for LinkedIn. The goal is to maintain brand consistency, align with INCA’s messaging, and effectively showcase key highlights from the event. Here’s how to do it:

Start with Brand Alignment:
Maintain INCA’s signature colors, fonts, and logo placements to ensure visual consistency across both the exhibition graphics and the carousel.

The tone should reflect INCA’s brand voice — professional, innovative, and forward-thinking, while clearly communicating the value proposition of INCA’s solutions.

Seamless Messaging Transition:
Carefully adapt the messaging from the exhibition stands into a concise format suitable for LinkedIn’s professional audience.

Highlight INCA's key products, customer success stories, and thought leadership in a way that resonates with LinkedIn’s network of professionals, decision-makers, and industry influencers.

Key Elements to Showcase in the Carousel:
Slide 1 (Introduction): Kick off with a strong hero slide that introduces INCA’s core mission or the theme of the exhibition. This could include your tagline or a callout such as: “Innovating [Industry] with Cutting-Edge Solutions”.

Slide 2 (Product/Service Highlight): Focus on your flagship products or solutions with an engaging visual and concise copy to showcase their features and benefits.

Slide 3 (Client Testimonials/Case Studies): Share quotes from satisfied clients or key outcomes from the exhibition, bringing social proof to the forefront.

Slide 4 (Industry Insights): Highlight key trends or data points from the exhibition that emphasize INCA’s role as a thought leader in the industry.

Slide 5 (Call-to-Action): End with a strong call-to-action, encouraging LinkedIn users to reach out, connect, or visit the website for more details.

Platform-Specific Adjustments:
Design the carousel with LinkedIn’s format in mind: high-quality images, easy-to-read text, and a professional but engaging style.

Use relevant hashtags to increase visibility, such as #INCA, #Innovation, #BusinessGrowth, or any event-specific tags to boost discoverability.

By transitioning INCA’s exhibition presence into a LinkedIn carousel, you create a digital experience that is as dynamic and engaging as the live event, while staying consistent with INCA’s brand and messaging.

This section showcases my work on book cover design, where each project involved exploring creative concepts to ensure the final artwork captured the essence of the story. I focused on using textures, shapes, and color to highlight key elements of each book, helping to visually communicate themes and mood while making the covers stand out on the shelf or online.

In some projects, I wanted the designs to be quirky and fun, adding a playful edge that engaged readers and reflected the personality of the content. Each illustration was carefully chosen to connect with the story: if you had read the book, you would immediately understand why that illustration was on the cover; if you hadn’t, you would soon realise its significance as you explored the story.

Through experimentation with different treatments and layouts, I translated these creative explorations into finished cover artwork that was both striking and cohesive. Textures added depth and tactility, shapes guided the eye to important focal points, and carefully chosen color palettes conveyed tone and emotion. Each cover was designed to be adaptable across multiple formats, from print editions to digital versions, ensuring consistency and impact across all media.

This approach not only created visually compelling covers but also strengthened the narrative and identity of each book, giving readers a clear and engaging first impression before they even opened the pages.

This page showcases my branding and logo design work, highlighting the full spectrum of my creative approach. From small, quirky design treatments that make a bold, memorable statement to carefully considered applications of color, typography, and font, each project is designed to give the brand a clear identity, personality, and sense of place.

I focus on creating designs that are not only visually striking but also strategically crafted to communicate the essence of the brand. Thoughtful use of typography and color ensures each logo and identity system resonates with its intended audience, while playful or unexpected elements add a unique, memorable edge. My approach balances creativity with functionality, ensuring that every design works across a wide range of applications, from digital platforms to print materials, packaging, and environmental graphics.

Ultimately, the work on this page demonstrates how strong branding can combine visual impact, storytelling, and attention to detail, resulting in identities that are distinctive, cohesive, and instantly recognisable. Each piece is an exploration of how design can give a brand both character and presence, making it meaningful and memorable to those who encounter it.

Brief

When we heard we were creating a brand new brand identity for a new business called Mortgaged a website and marketing material we were super excited.

Creating brand-new and bespoke graphics for a new business is always an exciting project. Essentially we were starting from ground zero and building a brand.


Approach

Starting from scratch, we had a blank canvas to create a new and memorable. As exciting as this is, there is a huge amount of pressure to get it right from the get-go.

By talking to the business owner on several occasions and peeling back the layers of the business, customers and what he wants from the brand we had enough information to move forward and start work on the project.

The webiste aspect of the brand and business would need the areas of usability, content, aesthetics, visibility and interaction tackled to ensure as a beautul looking site it has functionality and purpose.

Nomadic Noodles is a self-initiated project to learn more about app design incorporated with great UX and UI elements which keep the consumer loyal, engaged and ensure repeat purchases.

The premise of the product is an app designed to inform its members of the delicious food Nomadic Noodles are selling in different locations over the city centre of Bristol.

Each day the customer can log in and see when the Noodle van is and by using incentives, prizes, and points gained which can lead to free meals ensure the customer are loyal and make repeat purchases.

There is also a social side to the app where customers have profiles which they can link with their friends to build networks, review food, enter competitions, and meet other people in Bristol who use the NN app.

As the NN mobile food van appears in different places in the city each week it has the ability to canvas for more business via people walking past but encourages people to walk to the van thus helping people stay fitter and improving their mental health.

Each Friday there is a Black Friday offer whereby new dishes can be purchased at a cheaper price encouraging people to try different dishes they wouldn't normally purchase so it expands their culinary habits and more repeat purchases of different dishes.

I wanted to design an app using Figma to show the effective use of UX and UI and my branding skills. And how the brand can be implemented across digital and print landscapes

Brief
The goal was to develop a brand that strikes a balance between modernity and the rich heritage of craftsmanship found in historic buildings. The brand needed to reflect the company’s expertise in heritage consultancy, traditional trades, and arboriculture, while remaining contemporary and relevant in today’s market.

Soultion
I drew inspiration from traditional architectural elements, particularly the ceiling rose—an iconic feature often found in period properties. By reinterpreting this motif through a sleek, minimalist lens, I was able to bridge the past with the present, creating a visual connection to heritage while ensuring the brand feels fresh, clean, and poised for modern relevance.

Result
The final brand seamlessly combines contemporary design with elements of heritage and stonework. It features a complex, detailed logo mark that maintains its integrity across all sizes. The identity is versatile, working in full color or as a whiteout, adapting to different color gradients depending on the business sector.

Brief

When we were contacted by Ferrante’s they were a successful business that had been in operation for over 35 years. This meant they were great at what they did, but they needed a helping hand with their branding.

After our initial conversation with the team, we quickly digested the brief and scheduled a plan of action. The client wanted their brand identity updated, stationary and other point of sale materia transformedl. They wanted to stay safe with the identity but have a more polished look and feel.


Approach

How we approach a project like this is vital to its success. And we always tackle the brand identity first as many of the brand attributes will follow in this style and can be implemented through the creative process.

Once the brand is signed off, we can progress and create the corporate stationery. After that, we can create the point-of-sale documents and pulled the project together to deliver a package which postion Ferrantes where they need to be to thrive in a compacted market place.

Pop up photo shoot for Ruby & Butchers based in Clifton and the client ST. Dalfour which are based in France. This product shoot was for social media channels only.

Product photography shoot for the internationally acclaimed skin care company Codage based in Paris. 

https://europe.codageparis.com/en/

Brief
Create a brand for my guitar custom design and refinishing hobby.

Soultion
By using a bold icon, carefully selected colors, and a distinctive typeface, I developed a brand that’s memorable and impactful—designed to stand out in a competitive marketplace. The goal was to create a brand identity that could seamlessly transition from print to digital, maintaining consistency and strength across all platforms.

Results
The brand's presence on social media and sales platforms saw improved engagement, leading to increased sales and stronger connections with the target audience. This helped establish a solid brand identity that resonates with the intended market.

Women's fashion giant PRETTYLITTLETHING.com needed a flyer produced which would sent out with items of clothing to customers. The flyer needed to be on-brand and represent the on-trend corporate look of this fashion giant.

The graphic was presenting a free lip gloss to their loyal customers. It was also promoting the services of Response One and their dedicated sampling department called Experinece Marketing.

Portfolio of work from Response One who are an insight-driven marketing agency, backed by the power oft he St Ives Group. There goal is to inspire a positive response by using data to change behaviours.

Brief
A complete rebrand of the business—covering brand identity, website, signage, and social media.

Solution
I began by developing a bold and eye-catching brand identity. The goal was to create something visually striking, using a high-contrast color scheme that balanced dark and bright tones to grab attention and convey a strong, modern feel.

With the identity in place, I moved on to the website, focusing on both UX and UI. Using the new brand color palette, I designed a user-friendly site that made it easy for customers to navigate and book appointments—leveraging my UX and UI expertise to improve the overall digital experience.

Next, I revamped the business’s social media presence and designed a flyer-drop campaign to boost local visibility and attract new customers in the area.

Once this was completed I looked at. the webiste and UX & UX. Following with he colour pallette from the brand I make sure the webiste was easy to navigate and book a cut utilising mu UX and UI skills.

Following that I transformed the social media and opted for a flyer drop graphic to be distobuted locally to gain new customers and highen there visibilty in the area.

Results
A striking brand that really puts the business above its competitors it it look and feel, espially with the clever signage soultions. Sav the owner noted that customer footfall has risen by 10% and customer love the new brand.The result is a striking and professional brand that stands out clearly from competitors—particularly through clever signage solutions that reinforce the identity. According to Sav, the business owner, customer footfall has increased by 10%, and feedback on the new look has been overwhelmingly positive.

Brochure design for Branded3 and Response One highlighting their cross over of skills in Data and Digital fields. The brochure contained multiple info-graphics which broke down complex pieces of information and showed them in intresting and informative ways. Communicating a stronger and easier to retain message. 

Collection of food photography from restaurants in Bristol. This photography showcase starters, Mains, and desserts in style of photography which is simple, light and uncluttered. By photographing the food this way it really showcases food with its beautiful textures and shape and cuts out any distracting backgrounds.

My services were called upon at Response One based in Bath for a series of portraits.  Response one wanted simple classic black and white portraits to showcase their staff in an approachable professional manner. 

In total I shot 80 induvidual in a one day photography shoot.

Photography of a superyacht publication aimed at captains and owners of superyachts over 85 meters.