Sanctuary on the Fleet: Abbotsbury Swannery, Dorset

Meet the majestic mute swans of Abbotsbury — more than 900 birds!

[Desktop / laptop computers: click any photo in this essay to see a large slide show of all images]

Abbotsbury Swannery is magical — a sanctuary for birds and humans. The grounds are peaceful in this one-of-a-kind place, and visitors are invited to walk amongst the birds, and even help feed them.

Established in the 11th century by Benedictine monks, with written records documenting the colony since 1393, the Swannery is located nine miles from Weymouth, on England's south coast. This is a terrific half-day out, tranquil and spiritual, much like visiting a church.

Most English swans are owned by the Crown. This colony is privately owned, and open to the public. The birds are well cared for and have the freedom to fly into the Fleet, Lyme Bay and Chesil Beach, and along the coast. Many do, but the majority of birds return to the Swannery for nesting each spring. The setting is ideal — a weather-protected lagoon, with shallow, salty water and adequate sources of food (grasses), not to mention attentive human caretakers.

Bring your binoculars — more than 300 different bird species large and small have been documented in the area. Wander the paths and listen to the chorus of songbirds at every turn.

Abbotsbury Swannery's website is HERE

Abbotsbury, England
Dorset

October 2016

Photos by Emilie Pallos and Vic Pallos

Bird photography

Swans are on the move, especially at feeding time. They are curious and smart, so be patient and wait for the perfect moment. The birds will settle down, or take a leisurely swim. Some even pose for the camera!

Cygnets have grey plumage, and by October, are almost as large as their parents. They grow really fast.

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For more info on our Los Angeles-based graphic design studio, visit our website. Send a note to studio@emiliepallosdesign.com.

Our creative services: art direction, graphic design, location photography, illustration, and web development for print and web-based projects. Good design is good business.

Dilbert's Boss

We’ve all had a boss like this!

Le déjeuner sur l'herbe

Edouard Manet

Le déjeuner sur l'herbe 

1863-68

"The Luncheon on the Grass"
I studied this work in college and have always liked it, despite the woman's nudity and the men being fully clothed, which seemed quite sexist to me at the time! Classicism was big in the 19th century, so Manet gets my benefit of the doubt since this work is so beautiful. The Courtauld owns this smaller version of the same work on view at Musée d'Orsay in Paris.

What a stunning canvas, with all four figures in a "triangular" composition and strong use of color. The lady's gaze hints at boredom: What is she thinking?... One man is gesturing, the other pretends to be interested... Rather amusing.

The Courtauld Gallery is a gem of a museum in London's Somerset House. See a nicely-curated collection including French Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and British art, select 20th century paintings, a few rooms of antiques and gorgeous 15th century Italian Renaissance icon paintings. Relax and enjoy the uncrowded galleries.

Then have lunch or tea at the charming French bistro in adjacent courtyard. And bring your skates! Somerset House features an ice rink for the holidays.

Courtauld Gallery's official website is HERE

Pastries, tea and coffee at Somerset House. Clementines, my favorite!

Lease Your Class A Office Space Here!

Behind the scenes of the Charles Dunn Team portrait. Glendale city skyline and Verdugo mountains in distance.

NOW LIVE — Our custom website for Charles Dunn Company Tri-Cities: www.cdctricities.com

The northern L.A.-area branch office for the commercial real estate company did not have its own website, and had been using LoopNet for online advertising and leasing needs. With other commercial real estate offices headquartered in downtown Glendale, CDC Tri-Cities needed to better promote its expertise of this geographic area (Glendale/Burbank/Pasadena and nearby valleys).

Bill Boyd, Linda Lee and Scott Unger have unparalleled experience, and know the commercial real estate market inside out. But their office was "under the radar" without a dedicated website.

Emilie and Bill Boyd met late last year through another client. They talked about "old school" corporate graphic design and the importance of good advertising. She suggested developing a custom website for CDC Tri-Cities, with professional design, impactful photos, quality editorial, strong SEO, and a searchable database of the firm's current property listings.

Bill and his associates hired our team. A budget of $10,000 was set for creative work and site development. 

Location photography
The city of Glendale, located 10 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, has the most recognizable skyline of commercial buildings in the Tri-Cities area. Plus, you can see L.A. from Glendale, so a skyline photo taken from the Verdugo mountains was a must.

Thanks to Glendale Mayor Paula Devine and Art Devine for allowing us to use their home for location photography. Read blog entry “Waiting for the Perfect Shot” for photos.

Custom design for clients

Every company or individual in business benefits from a high-quality website, plus solid brand strategy and marketing materials. Websites and print communications are personally tailored for each client. Sites often contain WordPress functionality, so clients can maintain specific pages within sites themselves.

Our associate Tom Ferguson is a master web developer and SEO expert. He and Emilie work closely on all website projects to ensure smooth sailing from design through site launch.

Good design is good business.

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Client

www.cdctricities.com

Charles Dunn Tri-Cities / Verdugo Consulting, Inc.

Commercial Real Estate

Bill Boyd, Linda Lee, Scott Unger

Site Credits

Location photography, staff portraits & copywriting: Vic Pallos

Site development & SEO: Tom Ferguson
Art direction & website design: Emilie Pallos

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Contact Emilie for brandling, marketing and advertising solutions for your company or organization. 

E-mail: studio@emiliepallosdesign.com. See our work online at www.emiliepallosdesign.com.

Glendale, California
Downtown Los Angeles in the distance and Griffith Park to the West
Photo by Vic Pallos

Linda Lee, Bill Boyd and Scott Unger
Charles Dunn Tri-Cities Team
Photo by Vic Pallos

Event branding for new medical series

GAMC CEO Kevin Roberts (right) with event presenters Marco Quadrelli, PhD, and Adrian Stoica, PhD

Client Irene Bourdon, President of Glendale Adventist Medical Center’s Healthcare Foundation, asked our firm to design a custom brand identity for an exclusive new event for donors. 

She gave us free reign to create a current, yet scientific look for this new medical series. "Work your magic!" she said. We were given an outline for an idea of what the event would include. Scheduled speakers were prominent scientists from NASA-JPL and JPL. This design project was a good challenge.

Our team began research, created many pencil drawings (we always sketch ideas before taking concepts to the computer), designed various type configurations and presented two solid concepts for client’s review.

Irene and her team were captivated by “the logo with the dots.”

Finished art

The mark, and its dot configuration, is inspired by cells, the basic building blocks of life. We paired the “monogram” artwork with beautiful typography, and incorporated the color blue for consistency with client's current branding. Typefaces are a Roman, Monotype Bembo, and a sans serif, Johnston Underground.

The inaugural event took place Nov. 4, 2016, at the historic Athenaeum on the campus of California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California. 

Our New Frontiers brand was projected on large touch screens which set the tone for this prestigious event. Our studio also designed the event invitation (print project).

Custom event branding and print collateral design

Contact Emilie at studio@emiliepallosdesign.com. We have great design ideas for all projects. Get in touch!

Good design is good business.

Research on cell structure

Invitation back and cover design

Invitation interior spread

Stargazing: Greenwich, England

Chapel, Old Royal Naval College

A nod to Britain's storied maritime history

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NOTE: Click on any photo within this story to see a large-format slide show of all images.
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London: Greenwich
Catch the Thames Clipper near Westminster Bridge and travel directly to Greenwich Pier. Despite its proximity to central London, Greenwich feels like a day in the country, with vast swaths of green lawns, trees and iconic architecture. Hike to the top of the hill and enjoy impressive views of the Park, Old Royal Naval College, National Maritime Museum, the Queen's House, and Thames. 

Stargazing

At the Royal Observatory, visitors snap endless photos while straddling the western and eastern hemispheres. Watch out for selfie sticks! Inside Flamsteed House, antique-filled rooms and well-paced environmental graphics explain the history of time, navigation and astronomy. Founded in 1675 to help mariners find their way at sea using longitude, the Observatory now defines time and place for the world.

Best way to see Greenwich Park? Walk! The eighth Royal Park covers 180 acres, now in the midst of spectacular autumn foliage. The Park dates to Roman Britain, and has been enclosed since 1433.

The Old Royal Naval College is stately and impressive. Sir Christopher Wren and Nicholas Hawksmoor designed the campus as a hospital for mariners, which opened in 1694. In 1873, the buildings were converted into a school. The campus is now home to the University of Greenwich and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. The Painted Hall and Chapel are well-known landmarks.

Our brilliant and witty friend David Thomas teaches voice at Trinity Laban. David is a classical bass singer (now retired from performing), who began his career as a chorister at St. Paul’s Cathedral before winning a place at King's College, Cambridge, as choral scholar. He has performed with top orchestras and conductors worldwide, and can be heard as soloist in an extensive discography of early music recordings, including this tour-de-force Handel recital conducted by Nicholas McGegan: Arias for Montagnana.

LISTEN: David Thomas sings Purcell with soprano Emma Kirkby HERE.

Traveling…
Future blog entries will showcase more British architecture, gardens, art exhibitions and galleries, plus the city of Dorchester, England, birthplace of novelist Thomas Hardy.

Design for Clients

Emilie Pallos Graphic Design produces websites, marketing collateral, annual reports, and corporate identities for clients in a range of professions. We have a strong team of creative pros with many years' experience in art direction/design, photography, writing, illustration, post-production and website coding. View projects: www.emiliepallosdesign.com. Contact Emilie: studio@emiliepallosdesign.com. 

Good design is good business. Since 1997.

Chapel interior

Greenwich Park, Queen's House, iconic spires and beyond

Observatory — red time ball drops at 1 p.m. every day

Observatory Gate 24-hour clock
First clock to show Greenwich Mean Time to the public (1852)

   

The Prime Meridian attracts visitors from around the globe

John Flamsteed, the first Astronomer Royal (1646-1719), who catalogued more than 3,000 stars

Catching up with friend David Thomas at Trafalgar, a Greenwich pub frequented by Charles Dickens

New graphics for L.A. tennis store + demo day!

Graphics screenprinting: Arcadia Sign Company
Awnings: Pasadena Awning Co.
Art direction & design: Emilie Pallos Graphic Design

New Exterior Graphics and Color Scheme

Cascading tennis balls lure shoppers into L.A.'s largest tennis store!

The Racket Doctor, Inc., is located 10 minutes north of downtown Los Angeles in Atwater Village, just around the corner from stylish Silver Lake. The store stocks the newest racquets, string, clothing, shoes and equipment — a "candy store" for tennis players, and all other racquet sports, for more than 40 years.

We gave the exterior a hip new look to better match the neighborhood. Forest green and white color scheme — with touches of "tennis ball yellow" — jazz up the storefront on busy Glendale Boulevard.

Stop by for 'while-you-wait' stringing, and browse the vast inventory of gear and clothes for men, women and kids — Wilson, Nike, Adidas, Head, Babolat, Yonex, Fila, Prince — the list goes on and on. Helpful, tennis-playing staff offer superior service.

Store re-branding kicked off an advertising campaign which began with a new website in 2015: www.racketdoctor.com. Our creative team also designs the print and online campaign for Demo Day, a popular event co-sponsored by The Racket Doctor, Inc., and RZ Tennis (www.rz-tennis.com). Event poster is shown below.

EPGD offers personal service and professional design to clients in a range of industries. Projects include corporate identity and brand strategy, websites, e-news and print communications. 

Get in touch with Emilie at (818) 242-9055 or send an e-mail to studio@emiliepallosdesign.com to discuss your creative project. Visit our website to see recent work: www.emiliepallosdesign.com.

Good design is good business!

Thomas Hardy

British novelist Thomas Hardy was born on this day in 1840 in Dorset, England. This is a favorite "vintage" paperback from our personal collection, circa 1958.

Design inspiration comes from many sources — literature, the world around us, music, art. For help with advertising and design projects, in print and online, please contact Emilie at studio@emiliepallosdesign.com.

Good design is good business.

Mother's Day

Landing page for Healthcare Foundation's new Linear Accelerator Campaign

Irene Bourdon, President of the Healthcare Foundation at Glendale Adventist Medical Center, asked our firm to create a marketing campaign for the Linnear Accelerator project. She values our "real world" knowledge of healthcare, track record of successful projects, and our classic, modern design aesthetic. Earlier this year, we created business cards for ER staff which generated a lot of "buzz": http://designerbird.blogspot.com/2016/02/sleek-modern-business-cards-for-er-docs.html. 

The Hospital Foundation and the Board of Directors are raising $2 million toward the purchase of a new Linear Accelerator, medical equipment used at the Cancer Center for radiation therapy. This machine will enable patients to stay closer to home, convenient when someone is undergoing five-day-per-week treatments for six weeks. New machine will replace the 12-year-old "Linn Acc." 

Part Two of the new fundraising website will launch soon. A "forum" will allow Board members to engage with each other as they raise funds through personal and business connections. The Linear Accelerator website features great information, resource materials and videos. Most of the site is "password-protected" for secure access. Site is "responsive" (adjusts to all screen sizes). Typefaces are Gill Sans and Helvetica.

Print campaign
We're designing a print campaign to supplement the website. Many donors prefer a printed brochure to read and also give to friends and colleagues.

View the new site here: http://www.gamcfoundation.org

Creative Direction: Emilie Pallos

Website Development: Tom Ferguson

Mother's Day

On a personal note, my mom Barbara passed away from glioblastoma multiforme, the most serious form of brain cancer, in 2010. Barbara was treated at Glendale Adventist Medical Center and USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles. The staff at both hospitals were so compassionate during her many treatments, and our family is forever grateful. 

#StandUpToCancer

Good design is good business.

For thought-provoking advertising campaigns, corporate identity, websites and other creative projects, contact Emilie at (818) 242-9055 or send a note to studio@emiliepallosdesign.com. High-quality, custom design work for clients in a range of professions, since 1996.

Please visit our website: www.emiliepallosdesign.com.

Emilie and Mom Barbara
Easter Sunday, 2009

Waiting for the Perfect Shot

"There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer."

Ansel Adams

We are inspired by great artists past and present. Legendary photographer Ansel Adams (1902 – 1984) was known for waiting many hours on location for the light and shadows to be perfect. His patience paid off. Mr. Adams left an incredible legacy of work. The Yosemite National Park series and winter scenes are breathtaking.

Our design firm is currently creating a custom website for Charles Dunn Company, Tri-Cities office. The Tri-Cities team — Bill Boyd, Linda Lee and Scott Unger — asked us to design and develop a compelling, bold and stylish new site for the Glendale-based commercial real estate office. CDC Tri-Cities' work in real estate is impressive, but their online presence was lacking. The new site will feature an overview of the firm in words and images, capabilities, team biographies and testimonials, plus current information and photos for all properties.

Home Page
For the "panorama" photos (above and below), our creative team did two photo shoots near the top of the Verdugo Mountains, in a location with a stunning view of the Glendale skyline and beyond. The towers of downtown Los Angeles are a beacon 10 miles to the south. Skyline photos by Vic Pallos. Creative direction by Emilie Pallos.

Thank you to Glendale City Councilmember Paula Devine and husband Art Devine for allowing us to shoot from their home for this project. They have a spectacular view!

See the Charles Dunn "Coming Soon" page here:

www.CDCTriCities.com

Full site will launch in late Spring, 2016. Stay tuned!

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For creative website design and development, photography, illustration, marketing communications, annual reports, collateral materials and corporate identity, contact Emilie at (818) 242-9055 or send a note to studio@emiliepallosdesign.com. Initial consultations are free.

See our work here: www.emiliepallosdesign.com

Good design is good business. Since 1997.

Moon and Half Dome (1960)   Photo by Ansel Adams

Oak tree (1948)  Photo by Ansel Adams

Sleek, modern business cards for ER docs & staff

A few of the 32 different business cards produced for Emergency Dept. staff

Welcoming business cards for patients and families

Glendale Adventist Medical Center asked our studio to create a series of business cards for 32 members of the Emergency Department's medical staff. The cards feature hospital's official identity/brand, but offer a more personal touch. Cards feature individual portraits of each staff member, and are used as "welcome cards" to greet new patients and families in the department.

New staff portraits

Cards list name and contact info plus staff portraits shot on location. A 24-hour phone number is included for patients who may have questions after discharge. A valuable card!

Paper stock is substantial and high-quality. Printing is by Chromatic Lithographers, a Glendale, CA- based printing company and longtime collaborator of our firm. We always prefer to work with Southern California printing companies. This ensures best results for clients.

HP Indigo Press

HP Indigo Press

Cards were printed on an HP Indigo Press, one of the newest and best machines featuring digital printing technology. No offset press can match the color brightness and ink holdout at this price point. The staff photos really "pop."

Cost-effective printing

Clients will appreciate the substantial cost savings and faster turnaround time compared to offset printing.

Samples

Ask us to see these business cards at our next meeting. You will be impressed!

PROJECT CREDITS

Client: Glendale Adventist Medical Center Emergency Physicians Group

Harlan Gibbs, MD

Serineh Melidonian, MD

Pao Chiu, MD

Ron Lieberman, MD

Art direction & design: Emilie Pallos

Staff portraits: Vic Pallos

Printing: Chromatic, Inc., Lithographers, Glendale, CA, Mike Sevigny, Vice President / Sales

Harlan Gibbs, MD

Beverly Cuano, PA-C

Contact Us

For more examples of work for clients in print and online, please visit our website at www.emiliepallosdesign.com. Call Emilie at (818) 242-9055 or send a note to studio@emiliepallosdesign.com to talk about your creative projects.

Good design is good business.