Re-branding Western was a thrilling undertaking. Travelling there to conduct foresight workshops with staff, faculty and alumni opened our eyes to what the school was all about. Their school spirit is unmatched across Canada and we wanted to create something everyone associated with Western would be proud of.

As lead designer, client liaison and workshop facilitator, our Creative Director’s involvement in this project was in-depth. It was created when she was a designer at Kerr Smith Design.

This project was created when our Creative Director was a team member at Context Creative, under the direction of Lionel Gadoury. She designed the original illustrations and put together this storyboard which drove the informative, yet whimsical video for the Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD). Accessibility isn't always the most exciting topic, but this fun video drives home the message while being engaging.

The signage, wayfinding, donor recognition and donor walls for this 337,000 sq. ft. building took nearly two years to complete. With 1,000 signs on nine floors throughout this state-of-the-art research facility, it's no wonder why.

As lead designer, project manager and client liaison for this project, Danielle presented concepts and solutions directly to CEO, Dr. Robert Howard. On several occasions she presented to the Foundation’s Board of Directors, which includes distinguished Canadians like Terrence Donnelly and Senator Nicole Eaton. This work was created when she was a designer at Kerr Smith Design.

This bistro in Toronto was opened by a baker and pastry chef who studied and trained in Paris. She wanted this Parisian influence to inspire her brand. 

Bauer Bodoni's elegance, paired with modern treatments, a classic sans serif and playful patterns make you wonder if you're strolling the Champs Elysées, or if you're here, in Toronto.

This project was designed at Context Creative under the direction of Lionel Gadoury when our Creative Director worked there. Danielle developed these dynamic materials for various faculties at Ryerson University: the annual Impact Report, websites for two graduate departments and ads focusing on the strength of entrepreneurship at Ryerson.

These pieces brought a fresh perspective to the school while staying within their brand guidelines.

As a new practice, the owners wanted to convey gentle chiropractic in their branding. To achieve this, the logo incorporates a typeface with thin strokes, almost reminiscent of the contours of the spine; inviting colours and a dynamic spinal column image throughout the materials.

The graphic device in the logo is a visual representation of the axis vertebra at the top of the spine. Used throughout the branding materials, it allows for the brand to reinforce itself without endlesslyrepeating the logo.

This high-end catalogue was created to showcase the 55 works in the Gluskin Sheff + Associates art collection. They are stunning pieces spanning decades of modern art and photography. The design was minimalist and precise, allowing the beautiful works of art within it to be the focal point.

To reflect the prestigious nature of Gluskin Sheff + Associates, we created bronze signage throughout their offices on the top two floors of a Toronto building in the heart of the downtown. 

In all things creative, the hardest work is the work we create for ourselves. We wanted something modern, but whimsical, like us. To capture this, the fonts were classic but the copywriting was tongue-in-cheek. The back of the print pieces featured bold patterns, either in grey or tones of coral, that were seen throughout all elements of the big day. No detail was too small, from the monogram featured on the pieces to the custom Canada Post stamp.

The photography below showcases the print pieces in their natural habitat: the wedding day. Featured throughout is the blend of classic and whimsical, from the bridesmaid gowns and their colourful accessories; to the ornate detail of the frame on the 'don't drink and drive' sign.

For this event, twin design were the designers, event planners, organizers, project managers, copywriters and everything in between. Yes, in retrospect, the bride wishes she'd hired a day-of coordinator because it was all a bit much to be in charge of.

Photography: Contagious Photography
Hair & Makeup: Blush Pretty
Flowers: Blush & Bloom
The Dress: Mrs. Bridal Boutique
Desserts: Ange & Co.

These large-scale banners were created for an in-house exhibit at the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario's office in honour of two of the Lieutenant Governor's who served during wartime.

They were designed at Context Creative under the direction of Lionel Gadoury when Danielle was a team member there.

This lookbook was created to pitch to networks for the digital series Boring Girls. 

Relying heavily on death metal images with strong, edgy female influences, the piece needed to be engaging and immediately convey the look, feel and messages of the show.

This retro-inspired New Year's Eve wedding package needed to convey 1950's classic Hollywood without feeling like it was from that decade.

Drawing inspiration from the venue, the art-deco Eglinton Grand, the treatments of thick stripes, small dots and ornamental patterns wove cohesively throughout the stationery as well as the table numbers, place cards and menus on the wedding day.

We created the signage and wayfinding for the Sales & Industry department at TIFF. These signs were placed strategically throughout the conference, informing delegates of their whereabouts.

We also organized, output and managed the production of large-scale banners from designers throughout the world and designed a 400-page delegates catalogue. 
 

My Story is a memoir telling the story of a family's harrowing journey from England to Northern Ontario in the early 1900s. At 95-pages long, with over 100 family photographs, it touches on the family's past, present and future. Written by the subject, Mabel Overton Mason, who lived to be 97 years old, this keepsake will be passed down in the family for generations. It was a joy to create this book with images from the family. Wherever Mabel is now, she's happy her tale is with her loved ones.  

The Oakville Rangers wanted to get kids (and parents) excited about the new size of the rink for some of their youngest players. To give the kids a chance for more puck handling and spending less time skating, they will section the rinks in half.

The logo, save-the-date e-blast and web banner needed to reflect the Oakville Rangers' current brand without feeling like it was a replica of their logo. It also needed to be obvious this was a tournament for their youngest hockey players.

This engagement party invitation was actually for a surprise wedding. The couple wanted their guests to arrive on time for the ceremony. To achieve this, a bookplate symbol with knocked out type was used, becoming the focal point of the invitation.

The gold foil stamp on a heavy paper stock pulled this luxurious piece together; exciting guests to attend and reflecting the unique style and elegance of the couple.

Laura Clarke

For the final print issue of UTM Magazine, Toronto Artist, Robert Fones, was featured. Our Creative Director participated in the cover shoot and created the concept and layouts for the cover stories when she worked at Kerr Smith Design.