CROSS Creative Magazine 01

CREATIVE MAGAZINE

CROSS 01 YEAR ONE 4•2023

ANNELEEN VERNAILLEN VISUAL ARTIST

Celebrating creative experiences & growth That’s what I stand for.

Anywhere. Anytime.

Today’s world is fast-paced and exhausting as it emphasizes quick results and instant gratification.

Amidst this chaos, there’s a new focus on inner peace and enjoying the simple things.

I, too, was once caught up in the work hard, play hard mindset, but realized my inner fire had dimmed. Now, as a full-time visual artist, I seek balance in merging my creative passions.

For me being creative is the expression of a process, is growing, moving forward. The love for this process, the love for creative growth brought me to where I am today.

It’s time to live in the moment and appreciate the inner light.

Anneleen

ALL ABOUT...

Creativity is a wonderfully essential part of our overall well-being.

We’re in a rapidly evolving world and it can be overwhelming to stay in sync. I’m sure you’ve felt this before, right? Luckily, creativity can be a perfect antidote.

I’m not talking about high art, but empowering people to use their imagination. From coming up with innovative ideas at work to exploring new hobbies in our personal lives, creativity can be applied in any field to bring a unique perspective and add value.

CREATIVITY IS THE SPARK THAT DRIVES US In today’s (business) world, where competition is fierce, it is vital to set yourself apart from the crowd.

CREATIVITY IS OUR FUEL FOR THE SOUL Creativity has this way of just making us feel better, it helps us connect with our inner selves and express ourselves without any boundaries. It’s like magic!

CREATIVITY IS A WAY OF LIFE We’re all creative geniuses. Yes, including you. Being creative isn’t some special talent only a select few have. It’s a mindset that can be developed with practice.

E R C V I T A Y IT PORATE H O W I IN C O R MY C R E A T IV IT Y IN IE S D A IL Y A C T IV IT

>>

brand design

CREATIVE CONCEPTS & COORDINATION Designing your visual brand or experience to let it resonate with your creative vision

I’M CAPTURING YOUR STORY

In need of a new style, story or chapter for your brand, product, experience, ...?

Let’s have a chat

So, your vision is crystal clear? Great! Go ahead and tell me all about it. Or maybe you’re feeling a bit uncertain, struggling to put your thoughts into words? No worries, I offer creative guidance in designing your visual brand or experience to let it resonate with your creative vision.

What are your biggest passions and dreams?

During our first conversation, I’ll help you crystalize your creative goals. Picking up on unspoken cues

>>

from strategy & design

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VIA DESIGN &

INSIGHTS STRATEGY BRANDING

is my strength to help us get to the heart of the matter. By building this personal connection and understanding where you’re coming from, we can collaborate to create something great that aligns with your wishes.

STORYTELLING VERBAL IDENTITY COPYWRITING

So, basically, what I’ll do is take your ideas and turn them into a visual representation that truly embodies your brand and leaves a lasting impression.

SOCIAL MEDIA

With over two decades of expertise, I am your onestop shop for marketing & communication. And if there’s a task beyond my area of expertise, I will find you the ideal partner from my network.

USER EXPERIENCE

From strategy & design to realization, I’ll manage your project to perfection. Don’t expect woolly words to put you at ease, I am straightforward and truthful, even if we may have differing views, I will discuss them respectfully to achieve the best results.

Together, we’ll make your brand pop and your product stand out. So, are you ready to turn your vision into reality? Let’s get started!

PHOTOGRAPHY

...

The zen trend | SHOWCASE logo,web design & interior advice

SOPHORA With all the flash and frenzy in our world today, more and more people are seeking a sense of calm and tranquility. That’s exactly what the three sisters had in mind when they came up with the idea of their home for family and friends, an inspirational place for colleagues and companies.

When they asked me to design the logo and website, they had not yet decided on the name. During a brief conversation, I helped them expand their creative thinking and eventually, they came up with the perfect name.

Sophora refers to the honey tree, also known as Sophora Japonica, that’s planted right in the center of their garden. The tree symbolizes connection, which is exactly what their brand represents.

LOGO The inspiration for the logo came from this tree and its meaning. The circle or tree trunk stands for (family) connectedness, the soft colour palette stands for what they want to convey to their guests: coziness, inspiring each other, recharge through the tranquility of nature, ... It’s all about creating a comfortable setting where everyone can feel at home.

INTERIOR

WEBSITE

Once the corporate style was determined, we all gathered around the table to discuss the style of the interior. Leen, Sofie en Rosemie were quite surprised by this, they had not expected to receive advice that far-reaching. But after all, the photos are a big part of the website and they help define the look and feel in communication. Which is to say, the interior should be an extension of the chosen style: the decor should directly stimulate a sense of calm among the guests.

So, same colours were integrated, in combination with a lot of wooden aspects.

I also gave structure and shape to their website.

Again, with the same zen feeling in mind, I styled a fairly neutral base to let the photos speak for themselves.

WEB CONTENT The logical choice for capturing the images was a photographer in the family. For the web copy, the sisters chose to fill in the content themselves, but this requires some knowledge. Best is to write thoughtfully in short, direct sentences about what your target audience wants to hear, not what you want to tell them. So I gave them some guidelines for writing out their story. But for whoever starts with this, this is a learning curve.

The same colour palette reflected in the interior and in the final website.

Natural, soft colour palette integrated into a finished website mockup to visualize the overall intended visual language.

Let’s find and embrace inner harmony | SHOWCASE corporate logo & style

HARMONICS Throughout history, music has always been a powerful tool for expressing thoughts and emotions. It allows us to connect with our feelings in a way that words often can’t, transcending language and cultural barriers.

Music and dance help restore emotional balance. That’s exactly why Harmonics was created: to promote inner harmony through the power of music.

Harmonics offers a range of dance practices to help individuals cope with stress and find inner peace. Ecstatic dance revitalizes and promotes emotional release, while trance dance intensifies sensations and enables deep processing.

If you’re looking to regain inner balance or release undealt emotions, Harmonics is your go-to.

This translates visually to a balanced world filled with fresh, vibrant colours on a white base for that very pure and light-feeling result.

All visual elements and corporate colour scheme were delivered to Harmonics - web developer at the base - to get started.

Ecstatic Dance

Music

Sound

Trance Dance

HOW TO ATTRACT AND WARM UP YOUR AUDIENCE

With a big, bright and bold campaign!

FAST FORWARD SHOWCASE | e v e n t i d e n t i t y & o v e r a l l c a m p a i g n

HOUSE OF HR Create a unique House of HR “full festival” experience for our European employees. Rebellious but fun, that was the client’s request. And that’s exactly what it turned out to be!

People are the engine of the company. This is why House of HR - a trendsetting group operating in the HR field - introduced the notion of ‘Happy Rebels’: making every individual working for and in House of HR a happy one, with a sense of rebellion as the ultimate way to find, retain and engage people. This mission is a quintessential part of the social pillar of House of HR’s strategy. (paragraph cfr House of HR website)

So, in line with this strategy - being part of the event team at Fast Forward - I created a rebellious but fun festival identity & campaign for the “Happy Rebels Festival”.

House of HR’s goal? “By organizing this event, we can show our people the family of which they are a part, let them feel the vibes we can create together and give them the opportunity to connect with each other across companies and borders”, is the answer. (answer cfr House of HR website) This first edition of the House of Happy Rebels Festival in September 2022 attracted close to 4000 Happy Rebels connecting and celebrating together during a 2-day private event.

CELEBRATING LOVE & MUSIC TOGETHER Tease. Surprise. Trigger.

Organizing a successful festival for an international audience from nine countries requires a strong months-long communication program. To attract as many European employees to the event as possible, we went all out in our efforts: • a big, bright and bold logo and event identity • a save-the-date video teaser • a unique music card in the

video: StlVisuals

mailbox with a dazzling text, voiced by none other than Marcel Vanthilt: “Hi Happy Rebel, you are invited!”

• the Happy Rebels app, which operated as a central communication tool for several months • company surprise acts by Rebel actors in a fully wrapped van to encourage everyone to book a ticket • cool festival website with an online ticketing system to book your ticket and your

video: StlVisuals

glamping tent, hotel stay or shuttle bus • various contests that allowed the employees to have a say in the festival. Such as help determine part of the lineup • festival unboxing experience, box containing props for a successful festival: a booklet with practicals, a bandana, LED-wristband, ....

On-site this same big, bright and bold vibe was present everywhere in all graphic elements: baches, videos, flags, ...

video: StlVisuals

The story hit the mark!

Employer branding The whole process also turned into a strong employer branding story. Proof: the numbers.

The Happy Rebels app was downloaded 6.890 times in total. The innovative HR player initially aimed for 2.500 festivalgoers, but no fewer than 3.500 enthusiastic House of HR em-

ployees registered present for this unforgettable experience.

Preferably with an overnight stay.

Fast Forward initially planned camping space for 700 people, but this eventually turned into 2.000.

>> high media coverage

14.975 / +9% Linkedin followers

4.200 unique festival likes

Vincent Gorissen Fotografie

Vincent Gorissen Fotografie

Vincent Gorissen Fotografie

Vincent Gorissen Fotografie

Vincent Gorissen Fotografie

Vincent Gorissen Fotografie

Awarded with 2 BEA World awards as the 3rd best cultural and musical event and the best global team-building event of 2022.

The festival convinced the jury in terms of creativity, strategy, efficiency and quality, out of 350 cases, entered by 34 countries worldwide.

Vincent Gorissen Fotografie

in the spotlights

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OTHER PROJECTS From top creative projects to in-depth brand development

FAST FORWARD EVENTS Focus on creating immersive experiences 2018 - 2023 At Fast Forward Events, top priority is to give event attendees an unforgettable experience I worked closely with the event managers to come up with awesome ideas for each event, tailoring our communications approach to the mood of each event. The entire communication process - whether it’s digital or printed, from invitation, registration, welcoming, on-site visuals to follow-up communication - is closely monitored at Fast Forward.

BEKINA Focus on building a consistent brand 2007 - 2018 By incorporating a distinctive style in colours, photography and illustrations, I created a visual identity that makes the brand instantly recognizable and resonate with its intended audience. Brands can stand out by showcasing their unique visual style. Whether it’s logos, typography, colour palettes, trade show booths, corporate events, employer branding, you name it, it all came along.

FREELANCE WORK Focus on logo design 2013 - ...

When clients first come to me, their go-to question is usually ‘Can you design a logo for me?’

Depending on what they want, I might put in more effort to make sure their message gets conveyed.

collective

e

A TEAM OF CREATIVE MINDS I’ll manage your visual project to perfection

YES... we do need enough time to be able to fully tap into our creativity

BUT... a good creative designer must also have ...

Dankjewel voor alles Anneleen!

Fijn om zo constructief samen te werken. Mooi werk geleverd ook!

Klant is happy.

Evelien Van Dorsselaer, event manager

excellent management skills Strategy. Agreed commitments.

Deadlines. All creatives deal with these daily.

That’s why I find it crucial to maintain a personal connection with my client throughout the process.

If we want to deliver excellent work, we have to be one with time, team and project management, so to speak. Cristal clear communication and agreements - both for the designer and his team and for the client - are essential from start to finish of a project.

I consider trust, open communication and proactivity as real added values. Do you recognize yourself in this? And in need of creative guidance?

Let’s talk

Mooie shout out naar Gentopia en Jens zijn werk. Dat is wat goede team managers doen. Nice job!

Lotte Demolie, colleague Fast Forward Bedankt Anneleen, ook voor je na-service! We zijn content.

Katrien Degroote, client

When you are surrounded with people on fire...

You catch fire, too.

focus

expertise

A collaborative of creatieve solo entrepreneurs Getting guidance and direction during your creative process can be a huge help. Whether it’s web developers or translators e.g., with my experience I help you find the absolute best partners and suppliers to put together a winning team for your project. When everyone puts their unique expertise into the mix, you’re going to end up with some awesome results.

The most important part in the creative process is translating your vision into a clear brief. As your guide, I listen carefully to understand your vision and turn it into a clear and concise briefing. This brief is the starting point for everything else, making sure that everyone involved is working towards the same goal.

han

nds-on

CREATIVE COLLECTIVE

>> proactive

rock’n roll

I am here to support you every step of the way.

With my structured approach and years of experience, I’ll guide you so you can achieve the success you deserve.

cross-pollination of ideas cross-functional design indicating action from one individual to another or a group being a little bit contrary or headstrong the starting point of a new story, to write stories together

...

As a good team player, I’m always thrilled to see how much the team can achieve. This gives me a sense of flying with wings and makes me happy :).

wall art & ceramic

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PERSONAL CREATIVE WORK Exploring my creativity to stay energized and inspired

OBSERVATIONS. INTERPRETATIONS. How much or how little must we see for our mind to register and complete an image correctly? What happens when we cross that line?

Where does reality end and (our) imagination take over?

I like to invite you to slow down, to give your mind the space and time to be triggered.

I wanted to create something that acts as a counterbalance to the fastpaced, superficial nature of our digital world where everything is expected to be consumed at breakneck speed. To do this, I explore the contrast between two themes that we encounter in our daily lives: urban versus nature. Fast versus slow.

I also wanted to reflect this contradiction in the materials I used - digital prints for the “fast” side, and porcelain, an ancient craft that forces you to slow down and focus, for the “slow” side.

art initiation Creating helps me grow and become more aware of myself. It also brings me peace and helps me keep balance. From that personal vision, I want to inspire others to explore their creativity too.

I have shared this vision before and noticed that people are energized by it. So, I’d like to take this experience to a higher, more individual level through workshops. I would love to start a dialogue with you and who knows, we might come up with some amazing stuff together. What do you think, are you interested in joining me?

ABOUT ME

FINE ARTS From the age of 10, I went to the art academy in my spare time.

GRAPHIC DESIGN Because of my broad interest in design from an early age, the choice of study turned out to be not so obvious. I started studying product design but dropped out the first year. However, here I gained a solid basic knowledge of perspective drawing, a great advantage for the final choice of master of fine arts, option graphic design at KASK Ghent.

Over the years, working as a graphic designer on marketing and communication teams, I grew in that direction myself. I took classes in marketing & communication, followed workshops on web usability,

picked up tips & tricks from a course in commercial copywriting and a few years ago, I added a course in event management to the list. However, creativity still has the leading role, so during the job, I could also devote myself a little more to photography on a (semi-)professional level.

SPARE TIME CHOICES Throughout the work process, I kept looking for additional creativity in my spare time. I made a transition from acrylic on canvas to ceramics. After a few years, I put ceramics on hold for the search for a home, which allowed me to put creativity into interior design. Then evolving towards photography, in line with my job path. And yet, ceramics was something I never gave up on. Resulting in this moment: I as a visual artist, creating photographic wall art on plexi and transferring those visuals to ceramics.

contacts

anneleenvernaillen.com hello@anneleenvernaillen.com +32 496 56 87 38

©Anneleen Vernaillen

Unless stated otherwise in this magazine, all content was created by me in a freelance occupation, during my job at Fast Forward events or my job at Bekina.