So the first thing I did before we left for summer was set myself a little project. Actually I started it all before we had even finished our last brief of the year (well done me). 

Fathers day was on 20th June this year and I wanted to make something nice (mainly because I was too poor to buy him anything). Almost as an extension of the product - range - distribution brief I decided to design a range of labels for my dad's fruit, veg & eggs. 

The idea was for people to know exactly where the produce he grows comes from, and because it's only him and mum at home these days they usually have more fruit/veg/eggs than they need and end up giving it away to anyone who wants it (his customers, people at the pub, friends, family) and it's always nice for people to have an idea of where a product has come from.

Initially I was only going to do eggs, strawberries and tomato labels as they are the things which grow in abundance, but after I made those the idea sort of grew and grew. I made many more than pictured but most of them I scrapped because I had made labels for produce he doesn't actually grow which was a bit silly. 

Because it wasn't a project for college I didn't bother with much research/development work - I just sort of got stuck into it. I did a few rough sketches and then went straight into making them. Obviously the design was tweaked a bit as I went along. It took me a couple of days and then I went and printed them.

If I did this as a serious project for a client (who I'm guessing wouldn't be as easily pleased as my dad) I would have done like hundreds of variations on the design, I wish I had done that as I went along now. I also wished I had done this for my product range distribution brief, because I really really really enjoyed doing it.

Oh yes, and to complete the packaging I ordered 100 medium brown paper bags for him to pop his fruit/veg in and then use the sticker labels to seal the bags. 

There are lots more photos of all of the labels on the bags but I'm a shit photographer and I feel a bit embarrassed about my overly girly photography skills. One of my 3rd year resolutions (like new years resolutions but far more scary) is to embrace the photography department and actually learn how to use a camera. 

Erm, oh yes and this little project of mine has lead me onto a brief I have written myself for this year.

I plan to either expand on this range and pretend it's not just bits and bobs for my dad but actually a real business I am designing for. I will be making business cards, potential web layout/design, letter headings, more product packaging design, anything and everything a business needs design-wise I want to do it. 

I think I will start from scratch though - make up a company a bit like what my dad is doing (fruit & veg).

On mary queen of shops she re-vitalized a manky old green grocers and made it all fancy and nice. Anyway I might use their business. Here it is... http://www.hoylakejunction.com/3-sisters-grocers-opens

Strange that they don't have a website though? I will make them one.