Development Done Right have just launched their new website and were good enough to ask me to contribute by creating some cartoon representations of the team, plus a character to promote one of their services they offer. Pop over to their site and take a peek.

Your logo represents your business and is an important part of that first impression you give to a potential customer. I'm sure you've read stories about logos costing a staggering amount of money to develop that never justify the expense. Because a logo can be a personal thing if you're a small business or a group decision if you're a large one, inevitably it can be a drawn out process. But the time spent - and so the costs incurred - can be greatly minimised by taking the initial time to understand what it it is the client is after and so narrow the focus for the creative process.

I've recently completed a new logo for DataClear, a Southampton-based company that helps businesses become more effective through information technology. 

DataClear already had a strong idea of what they wanted, especially with colours, but were open to anything from minor tweaking to a full reworking of something they'd created themselves.

Because they were so clear in what they liked the first step was to produce variants and subtle reworkings of their starting point. This helps keep the costs of the development down rather than me take time creating fresh ideas from scratch. Dataclear were quickly able to identify a version that was working and the entire process was completed with the minimum of fuss and cost, including the design of business cards.

If you've a child with allergies - or suffered from them yourself as a child - you'll appreciate what a constant worry it can be.

Allergykids.co.uk are a British company dedicated to raising awareness of childhood allergies. They have a range of wristbands that specify what allergy your child has (there are even customisable multi-allergy bands) so anyone coming into contact with your child will know what allergy your child has, even if that allergy is preventing them from communicating it directly.

I was fortunate enough to be asked by Allergykids.co.uk to create a range of cartoon characters to be featured on the wristbands, from bee sting to wheat allergy, and even a pair aimed at boys or girls who require an inhaler for asthma. You can see the full range on their newly re-launched website, again featuring my cartoons.

As someone who even today gets the sniffles in the presenece of cats, I think it's a great idea. Pay 'em a visit.

The books are available from most of the New Forest visitor attractions and camp sites, as well as from independent shops in and around the National Park. Fernhill do a brilliant job of keeping them stocked up, meaning they're selling better than ever.

Or, if you're really stuck and can't make it into the New Forest, you can drop me a line here. The books are £3.99 each - a bargain!

Throughout December I was busy creating a number of cartoon characters for a company that develops products to raise awareness of children with allergies (more about this later in the month).

Now that the character side is finished the client asked me to help design the packaging. This has involved a series of stickers, and 14 different branded box designs for each of the allergy-specific products. Not only did this include the designing and laying out of the box, but also the creation of the various different types of barcodes and the assembly illustrations.

If that's something you think I may be able to help you with, regardless of whether it's got cartoons on or not, then do get in touch.

I design and lay out the magazine for Hampshire FA three times a year, and this issue is a healthy 44 pages including the FA pullout in the centre. 

Hampshire FA supply the stories and most of the imagery and I present them by laying them out in this mag format. If we're short of imagery I try to source something suitable from affordable image libraries. The magazine has grown from what was once a simple newsletter, so over the years we've devised a good working relationship that can accommodate the magazine's size and number of stories with the minimum of fuss.

If you're looking to spruce up a magazine, pep up a periodical or enliven a newsletter into something friendlier and more accessible, then do get in touch. We'll be happy to help.

Just thought I'd quickly share the gag cartoon Christmas card I created for Ceratopia this year. A belated Merry Christmas to you all and have a wonderful new year!