Studio 3.04

We recently took a look inside Studio 3.04 and chatted to four of The Whisky Bond’s busiest designers.
13Image: Studio 3.04 in The Whisky Bond.

Hello! Could you please introduce yourselves to everyone?

We are Kerr Vernon of KVGD, Ross McNally of Scarinish Studio, Tom Holmes of Tom Holmes Graphics & Illustration and Shirley Lochhead of Tea & Type.

Can you tell us what you each specialise in?

KV: I work in branding, logo design, packaging and design for print and the web.

kerr-vernon-designImages: Print design for Scotland’s Marine Tourism Sector and and branding for Nomad studio by Kerr Vernon.

RM: I specialise in 3D and interior design focusing mainly on brand home design for distillery visit experiences throughout Europe and further afield.

Scarnish also works closer to home creating bars, restaurants, hotels and retail interiors for design led clients.

scarnish studio

Images: Completed projects for Absinthe and Bar Soba by Scarnish Studio.


TH
: My background is in Graphic Design, but over the years I’ve become more interested in vector illustration too. I do both separately, but also enjoy when I can combine the two to offer something unique.

tom holmes

Images: Design work for Glasgow Women’s Library, vector illustrations and poster design for Glug by Tom Holmes.

SL: I produce large scale graphic design for exhibitions and way finding solutions. It’s the same principles as design for print but instead of designing an A4 brochure I could be designing an exhibition on walls that are 4 metres high by 20 metres wide with content that is a mixture of text, photos, illustrations and maps, most of which I design and illustrate.

shirley tea and type

Images: Children’s Nutritional Factsheets design for NDR-UK and graphic panel designs for ‘Jurrasic Seas‘ exhibition at Sea Life by Shirley Lochhead.

Can you tell us a little about some of the projects you are working on right now?

KV: Currently I’m working on promotional materials for a BAFTA nominated Scottish Documentary. I’m also working on a branding and packaging project for a local chocolatier as well as finalising the launch of the branding outputs for Maryhill Locks – a new housing development.

RM: We are working on brand home environments for Irish Distilleries and an Aperitif in the South of France as well as hospitality projects throughout the UK and Europe.

TH: I’m continuing to work with Scottish Book Trust on items for their promotional book bags and have recently started working with a CRM company called Redspire on a series of illustrations to accompany blog posts and software guides.

SL: I am designing graphics for a new National Trust for Scotland interpretation shelter on the Isle of Iona. I have also started a new collaboration with Douglas Colquhoun Design for Scottish Natural Heritage. We are designing an exhibition and producing signage for the Craigellachie National Nature Reserve near Aviemore.

What made you decide to share a studio space together at TWB?

We each had a fixed desk in the Distillery at TWB, where we met. We decided to share a smaller space so that we could create our own bespoke studio environment. 

studio 3

Images: Inside studio 3.04 at TWB

Do you ever collaborate with each other?

None of us have collaborated fully for a client yet, however it’s definitely on the cards. We have collaborated on a smaller scale and often support each other and offer advice.

What do you each have planned for the rest of 2015?

KV: I have a lot of ongoing stuff with Scottish Canals and existing clients.

RM: The studio is scoping out a new and exciting bar & restaurant project in London.

TH: I’m hoping to get back to working at the Whisky Bond soon after some time away bringing up our puppy, Jake. I’ll be working on a new illustrated book with Code Babies soon, and hoping to start building up a collection of prints and greeting cards to sell in my web store.

SL: An exhibition I designed earlier this year, Jurassic Seas, will expand and travel to SEALIFE centres in Germany in 2016. I’ll be dropping in the new German text and creating a couple more bespoke panels. I also programme typefaces using Fontlab and I will be collaborating with calligrapher/illustrator Sarah Coleman to create some script fonts as a side project.

Kerr Vernon
Scarnish Studio
Tom Holmes
Tea and Type