STUDIO HOEKHUIS | Theory and practice
In the last quarter of 2017 I started working on new project 'Studio Hoekhuis'. After twenty years of being a freelance web dev, graphic designer and illustrator, I wanted a place to show and sell my personal work. And it dawned on me pretty quickly that more creative professionals like myself, were looking for a place to show and sell their work. And so started what would become 'Studio Hoekhuis', an art gallery and bookshop.
TYPE LOGO
I came up with the name 'Hoekhuis' (translates to 'corner house'), because my design studio is situated in a house on a corner. I'm by no means a professional typographer, what I do is somewhat of an educated guess in typography. But here goes, I started out with a Futura-derivative font. I was pretty sure about the type of font I wanted to use, I particularly wanted the 'O' to be as circular as possible. I extended the arm of the 't' in 'studio' to create a ligature. I didn't like the default ampersand, so designed my own. I wanted to emphasize the word 'Hoekhuis', so I used Black, as well in weight as in color. To make the contrast even bigger, I used the lightweight type for the sub-titles.
LOGO MARK
In 2017 I was working on a personal illustration project, the 'Big City Lights'-series. The series is mostly about architecture and how it affects people. Inspired by the series, the idea for the logo was a single house, with the door open so the light from inside is pooring out, illuminating the darkness outside. I would like for you to see my creative process here, but one of my weaknesses as a designer is ... I rarely sketch. I just start working, mostly in Adobe Flash, and create a design from scratch using basic shapes and lines. While I try to save iterations, most of the time I'm too caught up in the process and just forget ...
The final logo
LOGO PRINT
To emphasize the concept of 'print' I designed three rubber stamps, a 'general purpose'-stamp with the brand name and address data, a 'handle with care'-stamp and a 'personal signature'-stamp. The business cards are made of 120 grams paper, cut to size (8x5 cm) and stamped with the 'general purpose'- and 'personal signature'-stamp. The signature is stamped in red ink, a little reference to a 'Hanko', a Japanese name stamp.
Most of my designs and illustrations are made digitally, the creative process is clean and precise. What I like about using the stamps is that no two prints are alike, there's room for error. And in effect each business card is unique.
SHOP SIGN
I asked Erik Stehmann to help me out with the window sign. I wanted the sign made in multiplex and have the logo routed in the wood. After Erik delivered the routed sign, I handpainted it in black and white. I wanted people to see that the sign was handpainted, that someone put time and effort into it. This in contrast to the plastic and printed signs you see a everywhere these days.
SHOP IN THEORY
My design studio, Grootlicht Interactive Design, is based in a 19th century former tobacco shop on the main street in the district 'Klarendal', Arnhem. It's modest in size, about 16 square meters. So I had to be creative and efficient in designing the floor plan. I had to have enough space to house my design studio, which is nothing more than a chair, table plus a computer, and space to display all the paintings, prints, books and whatnot.
By now it was clear the brand colors of Studio Hoekhuis would be black and white. I did not intend the gallery to be a 'white cube', but it still kind of happened. In the end, I think a 'white cube' is still the best setup for a gallery, it doesn't interfere with the art and it's light and inviting.
The original interior design sketches in Google SketchUp
SHOP IN PRACTICE
In March of 2018 I cleared out my old studio and started working on the gallery. With a lot of wallpaper, paint and with a little help from friends, the shop was done by mid April. Since then the gallery is constantly changing/evolving with every new art work, book or print that comes in.
SHOP SNAPSHOT
Something I realised from the first day on, a gallery or bookshop is always in a state of flux. With the arrival of new works of art, prints or books, the look-and-feel can change in an instant. And that's fine, I like the idea that customers can discover new things with each time they visit. So what I can offer you is nothing more than a snapshot.
Welcome Sign
Erik Stehmann also helped me out in the production of the Studio Hoekhuis welcome-sign. Considering the Dutch weather we decided that it was better to use layered plexiglass in this case.
SOCIAL MEDIA
The main social media platforms I use for Studio Hoekhuis are Facebook and Instagram, and to a lesser extent Google+, Tumblr and Pinterest. I use Facebook and Instagram different ways, on Instagram I mostly post about new art, prints and books that are for sale at Studio Hoekhuis. While I do the same on Facebook, I also try to branch out to art related content, like YouTube videos or artists portfolios.
INSIDE OUTSIDE
Studio Hoekhuis is housed in an old tobacco shop, probably late 19th century. Around the 1970's the stained glass windows were replaced with plain glass. Comparing this with other shops in the street, the stained glass must have been in the style of Art Deco. I wanted to restore the stained glass windows with the four letters of the word 'HOEK' (translated 'corner') incorporated in the design. The design and preparations are on its way and the stained glass is likely to be placed by the end of 2018.
An impression of the stained glass design
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
It's been a busy couple of months since Studio Hoekhuis opened, there's a lot of things in a shop that need attention. Almost every day I discover little things that I can improve or do differently. In comparison to my old life as a designer, I like the daily interaction with customers, there's always a story to what people like or are looking for. As I look at it now, it's going to be busy for a while, and that's ok.
If you like to visit Studio Hoekhuis, check out the website for our address and opening hours,
Ivo van de Grift
I like to thank the following people for their support building Studio Hoekhuis,
Martine - The Wallpaper Expert | Piet - The Allround Handyman | David - The Bearded Cameraman
