will martin is a falmouth-based graphic design freelancer,

Bistro Arlo is a brand of really posh wet food for the most discerning of dogs.

inspired by French dining, great quality produce, and one very spoiled pooch.

I wanted to communicate the 'fancy restaurant' theming without actually projecting exclusivity or high pricing, so I tried to keep the more 'posh' visual signifiers limited and more tongue-in-cheek.

I found very early on that the illustrations I was using didn't really work in a lighter colour, so they had to be used on a lighter background. I experimented a lot with a 'sticker' aesthetic, using heavy layering and a looser grid.

my process for the logo mark started with a sketch, which I took and turned into a more geometric vector illustration.

for most of the project's development I positioned the logo type in the dog's figure, which was cute but ultimately inflexible and kind of awkward, so I moved away from it eventually.

I think the project really found its stride when I committed to the final colour palette. my earlier drafts had a lot less focus; the lack of a unified palette made my earlier packaging drafts feel kind of directionless and drab.