I first met Colin 20 years or so ago whilst he was creative director at Zappia & Zappia, a design group here in the Midlands. Colin has worked with me now for most of my time at Westley Richards, time he has spent casting his superb eye over most of the things we do. I have heard whispers that he cannot understand why on earth he continues to come in to work with me under the ever increasing demands, criticism, general abuse and disappointment when his ideas are summarily dismissed. I guess it is a sort of love hate relationship we have endured over the passage of time! Certainly from my side I rely heavily on his judgement and the quiet polite manner of his telling me 'no Simon', it doesn't actually require words, it is a look.
Colin was responsible, amongst many other things, for the design, layout and production of our bicentennial book, a book which received widespread acclaim and was certainly unique amongst the histories of the gunmakers so far. It was certainly a publication we were very proud of.
A designer of the 'old school' Colin is barely able to use a computer, certainly when we started the book he couldn't and I have always thought that a good thing. We have always put everything we have worked on together based on his wonderful, traditional, felt tip 'scamps', such as you see here. Each and every 'scamp' is a little piece of artwork, one which immediately conveys a mood and message so much better than the computer generated versions of the modern designer ever could.
So today Colin brought in these 8 designs for the 2nd Edition book cover, they had no doubt taken him some days to produce and it took 10 minutes to decide which direction we would go from these.
I hope you like seeing the process behind the design and that you like our choice when you see it. The new edition of the book which we aim to release later this year will have an additional 32 page chapter, one that will show the guns we hadn't quite finished when we went to press last time and will discuss entering our third century as we exited the great recession of 2009!
Of course you still have time to influence our choice so please do so in the comment box below! Me may listen.....!
Neill Clark on March 17, 2015 at 7:52 pm
I must confess to liking the “Bishops Hands”, there’s something subtle about it. Looking forward to the book coming out, I missed out on the last edition simply through dithering, I won’t make the same mistake again.
Simon Clode on March 17, 2015 at 2:36 pm
And another ‘very well said’ one received by email:
My two cents, err pence worth….
Any number of people could design your book cover with most of the examples offered.
Very few would have the eye and the insight to simply hone in on Bishop’s hands and the gun they are holding. I would offer that you and your company are in the tradition business as much as the gun business. If the detachable lock was invented today and you possessed all the modern machinery to make it you would still play hell to sell such a remarkable development without 200 years of tradition to back you up. Tradition brings respect and, even with your wonderful, almost frenetic drive and creativity I think the catalyst for your success stands to some degree on the shoulders of those clever, great characters who showed up at their benches and offices for now over two centuries.
Simon Clode on March 17, 2015 at 2:34 pm
I don’t feel this is too much hot air for the blog so am posting comment on behalf of A.N Other! Simon
This too much ‘hot air’ for the blog so here you are, in order:
8. Gun Case Croc – Too predictable, not good use of the space. Doesn’t highlight W-R.
7. Materials Stock Black – Same
6. Bishop, Historically critical, had his day in the sun in the first book.
5. Engraving Plates, Gorilla had his day in sun also.
4. Gun Wraps, I see all kinds of great guns on the blog all the time. What gun deserves that cover?
3. Green- Something about it I like.
Tie – Parts & Finished Locks – W-R method of delivering parts to Gunmakers and actually producing and delivering guns for clients is such a differentiator from the rest of the business. I think these two make that case. The finished locks ‘this is our marquee achievement’ (among others). Parts – modern economy of scale – yet leveraging the methods of handwork of the best quality Gunmakers, and more importantly the way forward. The parts are interesting. That transparency does not exist with any other maker.
So no earth shattering insight there. That said, none of them are a mistake at all. It will be fun watching this develop and come together. Sorry so long winded!!
Jeff Powers on March 17, 2015 at 10:54 am
I like “Gun Parts” best.
Peter D’Ambrisi on March 16, 2015 at 11:48 pm
The Bishop is very nice as well, and though he was an integral figure in the company’s past, Westley Richards is, at its core, a gun making firm. I can think of no better display of the best gun making process than to show the parts of the whole.There is no dispute. The ‘Gun Parts’ cover for sure.
Wonderful.