Ok, not strictly web design. But its a title that has got you a little intrigued hasn’t it? And rightly so – its an interesting tale non the less!

Let me begin somewhere in the deepest darkest recesses of a Welsh shipping town in the latter half of the 19th century. My great, great grandfather Leonard Hook began the family studio – Hook Signwriting. Specialising in hand painted signage and advertising for local business & the community. Fast forward 120 years and HookSigns are still trading and remains family run. Whilst still retaining the same traditional hand painted techniques that his forefathers have used for generations…

But what has this got to do with today’s dynamic technology driven creative industry?

Surprisingly more than I thought…

As a child I always had a penchant for drawing, building, creating and experimenting, and then as a student a keen interest in computing, gadgets and technology. But never, strangely, in the long family tradition of sign writing.

However, now I am a web designer. A natural progression and combination of my personal interests. But only recently have I become to take notice of the fundamental similarities between these creative practices.

Regardless of how much the canvas for creation has changed in the 21st century, I’m sure when I’m designing for the web the creative thought, process and sense of achievement remain the same. Creating work to be proud of, that is fit for purpose and that leaves the client enthused and satisfied.

From translating the clients brief into a tangible, practical and visual solution, to the observation and implementation of design techniques and styles. Inevitably there is a strong legacy of traditional design that pervades our digital spaces.

As a designer I am now developing a new found appreciation for the aesthetic choices employed in typefaces, iconography, materials & skill demonstrated in the work of my forefathers, and I hope to be able to match the same level of quality in the digital work I create.

Even though my great, great grandfather could never have imagined the medium or tools we employ today to create work online, in many ways I like to believe that I am following my traditional family footsteps. The 21st century equivalent of a sign writer in this digital age.

And who knows, I think even Leonard Hook would appreciate some clean code if he saw it…