Hello. I'm Elizabeth Ellis, a graphic designer, typographer and letterpress printer.
Based in London, I've had the pleasure of working with a wide range of clients, businesses, and projects; from big brands to small start-ups, global players to local individuals, innovative thinkers to the more traditional establishment. All with diverse briefs that have included brand creation (or revitalisation in some cases), identity design, print, guidelines, environments, exhibitions, signage, liveries, internal campaigns, employee communications...
When I’m not working in an agency, I run my own design studio – The Counter Press – which specialises in typography, using contemporary and traditional methods (think wood and metal type and letterpress printing).
Projects
- TypeNotes magazineEditorial design & art direction The Counter Press — Following the success of issue 1 (it sold out within two months of launch), Fontsmith asked us back to design issue 2 of their magazine, TypeNotes. The new issue has some great articles, including a look at the saucy posters of x-rated movies from the 1960s and 70s; interviews with tattoo artists about the intricacies of lettering onto skin, and why some will never, ever ink a partner’s name; how the humble typewriter had a huge impact on th
- Raw WineIdentity design — Wine is complicated, and that's before you even get to all the processes, additives and slick tricks employed by some modern, industrialised producers. Raw Wine is different. Founded by Deborah Lambert and Isabelle Legeron MW (France's only female master of wine), Raw Wine brings together growers, makers and buyers in a celebration of the best organic, biodynamic and natural wines from around the world. These are wines made with the lowest intervention possible, in both the growing and production. Traditional methods for a new audience. We worked with brand consultant, Dan Rowe, to create a new identity that would capture both the quality and the individuality of these wines and their artisan producers. This balance is perfectly reflected in the idiosyncrasies of wood-letter typography and the crafted production of letterpress, which sits at the heart of the new brand identity. In addition we also created a new bespoke logotype (inspired by the long established use of stencils in wine making) and a suite of custom icons, which represent the five fundamental principles of Raw Wine. The identity has been developed across signage, catalogues, bags and promotional material for the four fairs around the world, as well as stationery and the new website. A perfect combination of traditional letterpress and modern production.
- BibendumBIBENDUM – RELAUNCHING AN ICON Identity design — This year, celebrated chef Claude Bosi joined Sir Terence Conran to help reinvent and relaunch the famed Bibendum restaurant. At The Counter Press, we were asked to create a new identity, which would both signal a new beginning and recapture the original Bibendum magic. Inspired by the incredible architecture, the identity draws on the fabric of the building. The logotype is an interpretation of beautiful tiled lettering that sits at the top of either side of the building, while the grid pattern and blue and cream colour palette used throughout were inspired by the brickwork and tiles. The aim was to harmonise with, rather than embellish, the exquisite existing details. The new identity has been designed to feel like an extension of, and complement to, the building and the experience. The Michelin Man character remains as a playful supporting element within the brand. The identity is used across the downstairs Oyster Bar and the main fine dining upstairs restaurant. We also created a new personal brand for Bosi. The two identities both stand alone and also combine to become “Claude Bosi at Bibendum”. Claude’s identity is inspired by him and his food; robust yet refined, classic French but with a twist. It’s a simple, uncomplicated, but characterful mark. bibendum.co.uk
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Projects credited in
- L'Atypique Craft CidrePackaging design — Ok, it’s fair to say we do like a good cider (well, we are one-half Bristolian after all). So when we were asked to create a new look for a craft Normandy cidre brand, we jumped at the chance. L’Atypique is not your typical cider (or even ‘cidre’) hence the name. A world away from the strong, head-spinning stuff, this zingy and refreshing table cider is easy going and perfect with food. And a distinctive craft cider needs a distinctive crafted look to match. We developed a simple naming structure and visual hierarchy across the four-product range: apple and pear in shades of green on a rough kraft paper make up the standard range; while a soft warm grey and dusky pink on a pale uncoated stock gives the Limited Press Reserve Cidre and Rose a more sophisticated feel. Hand typeset in a lovely old 10-line grotesque, L’Atypique sits proudly across the top half of each label. Below the details of each variety are set in a variety of crisp Caslon founts. And it's so far so good. The rebrand has gone down a treat, and can now be found in bars and restaurants across London.) hence the name. A world away from the strong, head-spinning stuff, this zingy and refreshing table cider is easy going and perfect with food.
- FS Brabo Type SpecimenSometimes a project comes along that requires us to leave our type in its cases, the inks on the shelf and fire up our Macs instead. If it’s the right people asking, that is. Fontsmith is London’s leading independent type design studio, and with good reason. While their work adorns everything from global brands to tv channels, and apps to airlines, their printed specimens grace the bookshelves and reference files of design and advertising agencies around the world. So we were honoured to be asked to create the type specimen for the release of their latest font, FS Brabo: a contemporary reinterpretation of the early serifed typefaces, known as Garaldes, that originated in 16th century Europe. Celebrating the typeface’s literary lineage, we created the persona “The Eloquent Type” and the core idea “FS Brabo has a way with words”, which sat at the heart of the project. The typeface itself was inspired by the extraordinary archive of punches, type and books at the world-renowned Plantin-Moretus Museum in Antwerp, so we based the specimen on an equally historic Belgian paper size. Taking its cue from the font’s letterpress leanings, the large newspaper format incorporates a number of different typographic formats, including book title page, chapter openings, a play manuscript, and an editorial piece: the perfect way to show a typeface intended primarily for books, magazines and newspapers. And having been named after the mythical hero of the city of Antwerp, what better story to tell than the myth itself – beautifully written for us by Michael Evamy – as the centrepiece of the specimen. A story, a play, an article, a newspaper, a type specimen. Introducing FS Brabo. The eloquent type. Printed offset litho by CPI Colour.1
- BibendumBIBENDUM – RELAUNCHING AN ICON Identity design — This year, celebrated chef Claude Bosi joined Sir Terence Conran to help reinvent and relaunch the famed Bibendum restaurant. We were asked to create a new identity, which would both signal a new beginning and recapture the original Bibendum magic. Inspired by the incredible architecture, the identity draws on the fabric of the building. The logotype is an interpretation of beautiful tiled lettering that sits at the top of either side of the building, while the grid pattern and blue and cream colour palette used throughout were inspired by the brickwork and tiles. The aim was to harmonise with, rather than embellish, the exquisite existing details. The new identity has been designed to feel like an extension of, and complement to, the building and the experience. The Michelin Man character remains as a playful supporting element within the brand. The identity is used across the downstairs Oyster Bar and the main fine dining upstairs restaurant. We also created a new personal brand for Bosi. The two identities both stand alone and also combine to become “Claude Bosi at Bibendum”. Claude’s identity is inspired by him and his food; robust yet refined, classic French but with a twist. It’s a simple, uncomplicated, but characterful mark. bibendum.co.uk
Work history
C
C
FounderCounter Studio
London, United KingdomFull Time
Designer and FounderThe Counter Press
London, United KingdomFull Time
Begun as a creative outlet, The Counter Press has developed beyond a letterpress workshop into a design studio, working with an interesting mix of clients, such as Fontsmith, Design Bridge, Bibendum, Rattis Books and Raw Wine, across a variety of touchpoints, including identity design, editorial and art direction, publishing and packaging.
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Skills
- Typography
- Branding
- Brand Identity
- Book Printing
- Brand Guidelines
- Design Guidelines
- Logo Design
- Communication Design
- Editorial Design
Education
2:1 BA (Hons) Communication Design (Graphic Design)Edinburgh College of Art
- Edinburgh, United Kingdom