With the release of our new collaboration with resident artist, Nick Potts, I felt no better time to properly introduce the master.
He's been onboard with CHD for about 3 years now. Responsible for the majority of the artwork you'll see online, from the small web icons through to the largest campaign pieces and logo's. My personal favourite of Nick's work, was done on the 'obsolete product designs', for the Crooked Howlet Designs Filters. Taken from the vintage cigarette packet designs, see below... I love the idea of branding CHD across completely irrelevant products, "stay in your lane" couldn't mean less at this point. Heading the way of Crooked Howlet Designs branded mops and buckets...
As most artists do, you'll cringe with the idea of giving your work a 'genre', feeling your own brain giving yourself the wanker sign whilst you stumble over adjectives trying to sound the least bit corny. But when needing to be somewhat defined, you could get in the right ballpark by describing Nick's work as psychedelic. The pieces that Nick has produced for us remain quite dark and mystical, yet with that 70s Woodstock touch. A quick viewing of Nick will describe his art better than any team of renaissance poets could. He's a walking Crooked Howlet, a better representation of his art and our brand combined. Even the 70s would post a photo of Nick hastagged #throwbackthursday.
The design briefs we give Nick are rarely beyond a basic concept, in which I'll feed him some barely coherent smut and he’ll take the idea and let his flare run amok. With this collaboration, we were working on a piece for the Display Case Giveaway, which landed on the Queens Birthday. We took the inspiration from the Sex Pistols 'God Save the Queen' album cover and stir fried in some CHD hype by giving the old duck half a skull/face - along with the same collage text as the album, to say 'God Save The Queen, Display Case Giveaway'. See the evolution play out below...
Our Sex Pistols rendition...
The original artwork was too good to let slip on by as just a giveaway promo. As we were already looking to have a Nick Potts collaborative piece, this was the perfect design to build off.
The Queens head lent itself real well to an antique/vintage coin. So we ran with a Coin Pendant and smaller plate for an Oval Signet. Keeping the coin very oxidised, the design was ideal with a 9ct Yellow Gold band. The high lustre on the gold and heavy oxidised texture, contrasted perfectly.
Nick, here's to cold crayons and warm beers, looking forward on whats to come!