The Process: How I Bring Brands to Life

The creative process can be a complicated one. As both a teacher and a designer, it’s something I’ve thought about many times. In schools, students are given a structure that leads them on a journey of discovery, guiding them towards an end point or final outcome. This can be frustrating for both students and teachers, creativity simply isn’t that linear. Does everyone need to follow the same steps of research, design ideas, and final outcome to arrive at something great?

As a visual identity designer, I like to follow a structure, but mine is more free-flowing and intuitive. I’m experienced enough now to recognise when a design doesn’t look right, and I’ve developed ways to solve those problems. When working with clients, especially small business owners who may not be familiar with the brand design process, it’s important that the journey feels clear and transparent. I never want clients left in the dark, wondering what’s happening. Their ideas, opinions and feedback matter enormously, and collaboration is a huge part of creating a strong design.

It’s really important for me to clearly communicate what to expect while I’m creating a visual identity. In the past, I regrettably worked with small businesses without a clear plan or process. Unlimited revisions and waiting weeks for feedback won’t help either of us. Early in my freelance journey, I worked with a friend on their branding and without structure and proper communication, the design process became frustrating for both of us. Feedback over text message and endless tweaks are things that could have been resolved in a simple email or Zoom call. Setting a limit on revisions would have really helped both of us, making the feedback more concise and useful, ensuring the whole branding process stays on track. We ended up with a fabulous design, but the process was exhausting.

In this post, I’m going to walk you through my design process step-by-step and explain what each stage means for both of us. This is the story of how I bring a brand to life.

My Graphic Design Process

1. The Pricelist

Before we begin, you’ll choose your preferred service by downloading the pricelist from my website. This doesn’t just include package costs, you’ll also learn more about me, my approach, and what to expect when we work together. Whether you’re looking for a full brand identity or a smaller logo package, you can choose what suits your business. If you need something more bespoke, just let me know and I can create a custom quote.

2. A Little Chat

We’ll meet over Zoom, or face-to-face if you’re in the East Sussex area (I’m in Uckfield). This call is a chance for me to understand you and your lovely business, and for you to get a feel for whether I’m the right brand designer for you.

3. Welcome Kit

Once you’ve decided to go ahead, I’ll send over a contract and a Welcome Kit. This includes the agreed deliverables (e.g. logo suite, iconography, colour palette) and a project timeline so you always know what to expect. You’ll also have a bit of homework: a client questionnaire and a Pinterest board to help shape your visual identity direction.

4. Visual Concepts

This is where your brand starts to take shape. Using your questionnaire and Pinterest board, I’ll create a set of moodboards, each representing a potential direction for your new brand identity (You can see the mood board I made for Check Your Thread below). You’ll receive a Loom video and PDFs explaining everything clearly. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t worry. Your feedback is essential, and we can jump on a quick call if needed.

5. Designing (The Fun Bit!)

Now I get stuck into the part I love most: designing. I’ll create three logo concepts based on the chosen moodboard direction, and you’ll choose the one that resonates most. Once we’ve chosen your strongest direction, I’ll refine it by adding typography, colour palettes, iconography and patterns, building the foundations of your complete visual identity system.

6. Revisions

You have three opportunities to refine and adjust your chosen design direction. Don’t rush this! Take your time, revisit the designs with fresh eyes, and think about what feels right for your business. Collaboration is such an important part of great branding. You know your business better than anyone, and as a teacher of nearly 15 years, I’m very used to feedback, I promise I won’t be offended!

7. Final Files

Like opening a birthday present when you’re seven, all your shiny new design files arrive together in a neatly organised zip folder. To make things easy, I include a guide explaining each file type, along with full Brand Guidelines showing you how to use your brand assets consistently across your business.

8. It’s Not Over Yet

Just because the project ends doesn’t mean our connection does. I’m always at the end of an email if you have questions, need support, or want advice on using your new brand identity. I genuinely love following and supporting the creative businesses I work with.

There it is, my process, wrapped up in a clear and supportive structure. The best part for me is working with you lovely business owners. I want everything to feel transparent, friendly and easy to follow, with no surprises along the way. I use Loom videos to explain ideas, and we’ll check in on Zoom throughout the project.

If your business is still small and you don’t yet have the budget for a full branding package, I also offer an icon pack designed especially for creative businesses. It includes a variety of craft-inspired illustrations and natural motifs that you can use across your brand, from your logo to your website, social media, posters, packaging and more. They’re available in both print and digital formats, and I’ve created mock-ups to inspire you. You can find the full icon pack in my Etsy shop here.

Having a process is so important, it brings clarity, builds trust, and ensures consistency. Every time I create a logo or visual identity, the behind-the-scenes work might vary slightly, but for my clients, it means they always know what’s happening at each stage. I never want my clients to feel lost or overwhelmed; I want them to follow along confidently and be part of creating a brand identity they’re proud of.