Edith Holden
Retouching, Artworking and Toolkit creation
It was a pleasure to work with Heidi Lightfoot and contribute to the graphic toolkit for the brand refresh of Edith Holden: A Country Diary.
The diary (illustrated in 1906 and first published in 1977) became a major success in the world of publishing. In 2024 the new style guide aims to bring Edith's beautiful artwork to a new audience whilst also raising awareness of the effects of urban growth and climate change on the British countryside.
Graphical text assets were created from the original diary scans. Significant efforts were made to improve the clarity and accessibility of Edith’s handwritten text whilst at the same time retaining the identity and characteristics of her letterforms.
A combination of the isolated water colour illustrations were used to create the suite of logos in the final brand toolkit.
An isolated asset from the source scan. A balance was required to provide clean mask edges whilst retaining the aesthetic and unique qualities of the watercolour and original stock.
A scan of Edith’s original artwork, featuring beautifully crafted watercolour illustrations accompanied by her handwritten descriptions.
An example of colour tests created to optimise brand colour and scan adjustments.
Another scatter proof/test print to check finalised assets and compare final colour adjustments.
