Effective Design and Marketing tailored to Your business...
...getting you online fast!
Delivering on time and on budget.

About Silver Spurtle

An independent design company with over twenty years experience in delivering effective design and marketing solutions on time and on budget.

Silver Spurtle have worked with many clients in many sectors of business, industry and the creative arts, what we've learned is that it pays to be a great listener. We enjoy superb working relationships - some of whom we've worked with for decades. We love to get under the skin of a project, to understand a business and to get to know what makes things tick and to help you get where you want to go, first time. Have a look at some of the problem solving examples below and get in touch and we'll talk about how Silver Spurtle can help you out.

Glad Rags & Cartridge Bags

Scotland's only ladies shooting club came to Silver Spurtle looking for a brand to help consolidate a fantastic first year in business. After several revisions a logo was arrived and a marketing overview identified a mobile ready website as being essential to their diverse customer base. A site was devloped to promote the rolling calendar of events with integrated booking forms and mapping for directions on the day. The site has been constructed for the client to easily add pages and to update events.

 

Luath Press

This established Scottish publisher had the issue of how to best present diverse areas of literature while maintaining an overall brand. Consistent typography and high quality cover designs united legacy items with new titles and allowed the development of new authors and subjects. The quality niche approach also informs the development of marketing materials.

Audio Media

This title is pre-eminent in the field of pro-audio production. When I was first involved, the magazine didn't reflect the sophistication of the products featured in its pages. After a design audit, all aspects of design and production were reconsidered. These changes led to a quicker to produce, higher quality publication. This in turn attracted higher advertising revenues.

Banchory Interpretation and Signage

A suite of display panels, produced for the benefit of both visitors and local residents, highlighting interesting stories and walking routes as well as practical transport links in and around the Deeside town of Banchory. The panels serve to encourage people into a deeper engagement into the town.

Some of Our Work

 

BP & Amoco

Safety Manual

Macsween of Edinburgh

Specialist food retail

Laurel String Quartet

Marketing Materials

Tandoori in Tarland

Illustrated Recipe Card

The Botanics

Annual Report

Eden's Orchestra

Exhibition

Croatian Grasslands

Literature & Website

Return of the Natives

Exhibition Catalogue

Luath Press

Book publishing

John Muir Trust

Identity & Branding

Food & Music Weekend

Identity & Branding

Audio Media

Pro-audio magazine

Plantweave

Exhibition
These are just a few examples of our work, get in touch and we can have a more in depth look at how Silver Spurtle can help you.

So, How Do We Do What We Do?

In a competitive world your design can be the first impression your prospective customers have; I design corporate identities that stand out and tell a story about who you are, what you do and why a customer should use you. Tell me what your company's image should say about you and I'll show you how my experience can make a real difference to the success of your business.

Discuss

Getting the design you want doesn't have to be difficult! We meet to discuss the project. These initial discussions are used to determine budget and deadline and any other critical matters. We'll also discuss outline concepts.

Design

Following the primary meeting, I develop ideas and creative treatments, with as much contact and discussions as needed to steer the work in the right direction. The bulk of revisions and changes are most likely to happen in this stage.

Develop

Once we are both happy with concept and direction, I'll roll out the project across all required channels. This is the stage which sees ideas are developed to a complete state, working towards final approval.

Launch

The job is signed off - sent to press, or goes live on the web. As with every stage in the project, I'll continue to manage any third party suppliers involved. All relevant files are made available to you, the client.

Just who do I think I am?

I'm John-Paul Shirreffs, I'm based in north-east Scotland, but with clients across the country. I bring many years of working with business and industry to the venture: Silver Spurtle. Applying my design ideas to solve business problems - that's what I spend my working life caring about. I've worked in many sectors, providing design solutions for the biggest corporate clients there are, to working with the local small business, the principles are the same: to listen; to understand and to deliver, and to make sure we’re all enjoying doing it!

I'm as passionate today as the day I graduated from art school, the difference being that I have an in depth knowledge of what works and what doesn't work in visual communication. With the tools for doing business improving all the time, it's an exciting time, of course it’s the same enabling technology that can sometimes be confusing or diverting. I've got an in depth understanding of the multiple marketing channels and how they can be used to maximise returns, making sure that you can concentrate on your business and not be limited by technology.

I'll look after you and I'll look after your design. I know how important it is that your identity reflects you and your business, that it appeals to your customers. This means we work on your design until we reach perfection! I love the design process. Without a thorough design process there would be no perfect design. I go through various stages of research, sketching and drafting, followed by delivering your concepts and mock-ups on all relevant items, making sure that the design is robust, ensuring you go forward with the best possible identity. Once your design is complete, I'll send the files over.  These will include the key file types for every purpose covering all your day to day needs, I'll also make sure that print and web files are available. If you need something additional I should be able to accommodate that too so just ask!

I am currently taking on new clients so if you would like some graphic work done please do get in touch. I'm really pretty approachable and happy to answer questions whether you are a potential client or just have some design issues you would like help with, so email me or fill in the contact form below and let's get the conversation started!

Other services

  • Marketing
  • Photography
  • Branding
  • Typography
  • Vehicle Livery
  • Signage
  • Packaging
  • Print production
  • Web Design
  • Powerpoint

Need a quote or information? Get in touch!

Let's talk!

Call me on 01339 886757 or email me.