Design Commission, The Novium Museum

Design Commission, The Novium Museum

Commemorative Print Design Commission - The Novium at 10

Earlier this year I was approached by The Novium Museum and invited to design and create a print design to celebrate the museum's 10 year anniversary.

Celebrating 10 years of the novium museum, graphic elements designed by Victoria Oatway for Bobbie Print

The commission brief began as a discussion between myself and The Novium Museum about what they wanted to convey in a print, the style and how they wanted to be able to use it. It needed to be a flexible design that could be used not only on the original print but within advertising and possibly on other products.

It was important that the print was not only celebratory but needed to include specific items within the museum's collection which either tell the story of the museum, are important from a local history point of view or are artefacts that are synonymous with The Novium. They also held an online public vote so that visitors and members of the public could help select artefacts to be included within the design.

Once the artefacts had been chosen I visited The Novium and looked in particular at the objects which had been selected, taking photos and making sketches.

Bobbie Print Original Drawings and Sketches to Inspire The Niobium Museum Print

My own personal style and the style that runs through Bobbie Print is naturally quite graphic but I wanted this print to retain a hand drawn feeling, some of the artefacts I was drawing are incredibly old and naturally show their age so I wanted the print to reflect that and have a slightly imperfect feel.

I think the print came together really well with some elements being repeated across the print to tie the various artefacts together and with input and discussion from The Novium all the way through the design process it made a great collaborative project. The finished print design really reflects the diverse number of artefacts that are housed within The Novium and also links itself specifically to Chichester with the inclusion of very specific local items and prices of history.

Within the print are illustrations and references to Shippam's paste (which was once made exclusively in their premises in East Walls, Chichester), Tim Peake's 'Principa' mission on the International Space Station, the Mystery Warrior helmet and openwork crest, the Jupiter Stone, the Bath House, aspects of The Novium Museum's building and architecture and more!

Bobbie Print signing art prints for The Novium Museum 'The Novium Museum at 10'

It was such a pleasure to be asked to design this anniversary print. The final art print is available exclusively from The Novium Museum shop in either A4 or A3 size and it is also available as a greeting card. Both the prints and the cards are printed here in the UK on to beautiful heavyweight card stock. 

Printed Greeting cards designed exclusively for The Novium Museum by Victoria Oatway for Bobbie Print

Making sure the printed products were produced in a mindful and eco friendly way was important too. The greeting cards are printed onto recycled card and come complete with recycled envelopes, they are also free from any plastic packaging. The prints are printed onto a paper which is made of a combination of ECF fibres, post consumer waste and cotton fibres, the A4 prints are wrapped in biodegradable and compatible vegetable starch bags.

Art prints and cards for The Novium Museum wrapped and packed in plastic free packaging.

Elements from the print design have been used across the marketing and promotion for the accompanying exhibition and it really is a thrill to walk past the museum and see my design used in such a large scale, prominient position.

Take a look at The Novium Museum at 10 for more information on their celebrations and the accompanying exhibition.

If you have a project or a commission that you'd like to discuss I'm happy to help and work with you on anything from individual, personal projects to large scale, commercial briefs, please take a look at some of the other projects I've been involved in and get in touch using the details on the 'Contact Us' page.

Bobbie Prints Exclusive Art Print Designed for The Novium Museum to Celebrate 10 Years of The Novium Museum

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