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.....!
Djamel on March 18, 2015 at 3:46 pm
Bonjour Monsieur Clode Simon.
It is still me, you know, French which annoys you all the time with his questions ;-)
But I note that my questions have been the subject of several posts in your blog. ;-) my questions inspire you! Short.
First of all bravo for the work that your made and the sharing. I am among the first ones to have bought the book, moreover it was dedicated to me by all the team W. R including you Monsieur c. Simon. And I am certainly going to order the second edition.
Now my question is; do you intend to make a version in French?
very cordially
Djamel Talha (Best of makers only gun)
Simon Clode on March 18, 2015 at 9:30 pm
I am not sure to which questions you refer as I believe this is the first comment approved of yours to date. Anyway thank you for your inspiration if that is the case!
I am afraid I don’t have a plan to do a French version of the book, it was hard enough doing in my mother tongue!
Simon
Neill Clark on March 18, 2015 at 6:59 pm
Simon
A lady I know (wife of my closest friend so nothing inappropriate) took up rifle shooting and joined my rifle club. In her case, her husband does not just allow her to buy guns, he buys them for her!
As for me, I actually don’t ask permission, I just brace myself to feel the wrath!
Vic Venters on March 18, 2015 at 9:05 pm
I liked the gun parts initially — very striking — then thought it looks awfully busy, maybe best on the inside covers? I think # 6, the finished locks …
Or maybe the Bishop’s hands — but is that too obscure?
OK, # 6 it is
James de Penning on March 19, 2015 at 5:58 am
Numbers 6 for me. I think Vic’s got a point that the gun parts looks somewhat busy, and the locks are such an iconic WR component and set off well by the hatched background.
The parts would look great as an inside double spread I think.
As ever, collective thanks to you for such a great resource as the Explora.