Alpharetta Flower Market

It happens sometimes that I get interest from a potential client after they have seen a design that I have created for one business that is similar to what they want for their own business.  This is a great way for me to get attention to my work, because it allows the client to visualize how their own concept might look without too much risk on their part. For me, the challenge is making sure they get something that is uniquely their own, even if one of the elements (subject, theme, etc.) are the same.

This happened with the owner of Alpharetta Flower Market, who was looking to find a vintage style sunflower logo for her business.  She saw the logo I had created for the Sunflower Farm Creamery (whose owner had, in turn, been inspired be some of my other drawings).  She, too, was looking for a sunflower logo, but with a rich, vintage, elegant feel to it. Photos she sent me of her lovely shop helped me to visualize what it might look like.

I started by offering her color-blocked layout suggestions so I could understand what shape she was considering, and by suggesting an elegant font that looked like it had an elegant 1920s vibe to it. I also liked how the text reminded me of the stalks of flowers done by Mucha.  Once she approved a shape for the composition, I sent her a very loose pencil mock-up, as you see here.

Alpharetta Flower Market, pencil mock-up.

Alpharetta Flower Market logo being transferred to Arches Hot Press on my light board.

I transferred the approved image in very light lines to my good Arches Hot Press Paper, which honestly is not terribly ideal for pencil work on its own, but gives such a smooth surface that it is good for a project like this.  Shortly thereafter we also decided on the addition of a bee, which was great for me, considering I had written my master's thesis on a portrait bust bearing the Barberini bee, and had used the bee on my own wedding invitation and as a decoration on the base of my bridal bouquet. 

Logo on watercolor paper, with light pencil work, and a bee.

I did a lot of hatching style shading in this to give it the look of an old print.  Once the pencil work was complete, I scanned it and cleaned it up on Photoshop.

Logo with only pencil work. Ready for digital color.

To give the drawing a more vintage vibe, I altered the pencil in Photoshop to a rich brown, and added the digital color on a layer below the pencil drawing.  I added a few lilac blossoms dipping down toward "Market" to make it a little whimsical as well. 

Completed logo for the Alpharetta Flower Market. Pencil and digital color. Copyright 2013 Jessica Boehman and Alpharetta Flower Market, all rights reserved.