Behind the Scenes: How I Work for My Clients.

Here’s a little behind-the-scenes look, where I show you using the example of Annemarie Börlind how I work for a client and what can come from it.

Annemarie Börlind has become one of my most important and loyal clients in recent years. Why do I love working for the brand? Besides the brand philosophy, I love the fragrances and products. What might have once been found more in a health food store is now seen everywhere, and the appreciation for “sustainable” brands has, in my opinion, never been as great as it is today. That’s why it’s so important to me to work with a client whose products I can also identify with.

How it all started

It all started with a small blogger event in Hamburg. Here, in addition to handmade invitations, a complete setup for the event was created. A cooking class with the ingredients of a new skincare series was on the agenda. Accordingly, we developed an invitation in the form of a small recipe booklet for the invited guests.

After that, numerous other projects followed:

• Invitations
• Decorative setups for display purposes
• Design of shop backwalls
• A trade fair product world
• Advertisements
• Illustrations for the blog and website.

To my great joy, the brand image became increasingly associated with my work.

One of the most beautiful projects for me was designing the back walls at the “Point Of Sale”, the sales locations that offer ANNEMARIE BÖRLIND products. In addition to the logo, I illustrated ingredients with chalk and wrote chemical formulas. Unlike my other illustrations, here white was printed on black, creating a real slate board look. In front of these walls now stands the entire product range of the brand in the stores.

A second passion project for me was designing the Algae Guide. When the request for it landed on my desk, I initially found myself pondering: How can one depict a variety of algae in an engaging and visually appealing way? What was wanted was an algae guide that charmingly shows which algae is hidden as an ingredient in the corresponding product. Various plants were illustrated in a free style by me and watercolored. Alongside these, the corresponding products were introduced in the guide. The result was an emotional brochure that artistically portrays the connection between the product and the ingredient.

How do I approach my projects?

For all projects, my approach is the same.

Every project starts with extensive research, idea gathering, and rough sketches. Once I have defined a direction, I consult with the client. Once we are in agreement, I proceed to develop the illustration.

I work quite “old-fashioned” and draw everything by hand. The first step is always a classic pencil sketch. In the second step, the lines are traced with ink pens or markers. Usually, the images are colored with watercolor. However, occasionally, I also resort to digital coloring on the computer. Depending on the look and print, I adjust it accordingly.

It is always a new challenge for me to manage different clients and meet their requirements. But that’s exactly where the greatest joy lies. These different thematic worlds make my job exciting every day. The variety of projects, clients, and materials is very inspiring to me. Of course, I always try to stay true to my own style and bring it into harmony with the client.