Cog Design looks to the big picture forcultural production company Web brief

The consultancy was appointed in January following previous branding and digital projects for a range of Artichoke’s individual theatrical events.

Cog Design was briefed to create a photography-led website that could be easily updated with information about recent and upcoming events.

Artichoke communications associate Holly Race says, ’Most of our projects have individual sites with their own personality. Our own website is targeted at companies interested in working with us, so we wanted it to have a corporate feel.’

Cog Design director Michael Smith says, ’Artichoke’s large scale artworks are difficult to describe, but as soon you’re presented with an image, you understand. The aim was to put these exciting visuals in front of people who might commission them.’

Instead of the usual process of research, site-planning, creating a wire-frame and then skinning the website, Cog Design began by sketching the site’s visual appearance, as this was key to Artichoke’s brief, says Smith.

Smith says, ’When you start putting things on the computer people can get obsessed with the detail. Sometimes, to get the look and feel right, it helps to use traditional pen and paper.’