To mark its twenty fifth anniversary, the Royal Drawing College has revealed a model new visible identification, courtesy of Pentagram associate Harry Pearce and his workforce. And I have to say, it is an actual magnificence.
Unveiled at a celebratory reception hosted by HM King Charles III and Queen Camilla at St James’s Palace, the brand new look captures the distinctive spirit of the College: artistic, beneficiant, open, and rooted within the timeless energy of drawing.
Based in 2000 by King Charles and artist Catherine Goodman, the Royal Drawing College is without doubt one of the solely establishments on this planet devoted to the follow of observational drawing. It presents world-class tuition to artists and creatives of all ages and backgrounds – from whole inexperienced persons to seasoned practitioners – by means of its postgraduate Drawing 12 months, public programs, and programmes for younger artists. It is unbiased, artist-led, and not-for-profit, pushed by a perception in drawing as a basic device for seeing, pondering, and expression.
Because it approached its quarter-century milestone, the College needed a refreshed identification that mirrored each its heritage and its future – one thing that might sit comfortably throughout every little thing from sketchbooks and signage to worldwide fundraising campaigns. The temporary known as for heat and rigour, readability and character. In brief, one thing that felt as alive and human because the drawings made inside its partitions.
Harry and his workforce started, fittingly, by drawing and sketching the letterforms for a brand new brand by hand. Beginning with a fundamental sans serif, they launched sculptural quirks and refined flares to present the sort a painterly, human high quality. This bespoke wordmark led to a customized typeface with echoes of basic grotesques, however softened and refined to really feel up to date and quietly distinctive.
The supporting visible language leans closely on pictures, with Rory Landon-Down commissioned to doc life on the College. His photos seize a lot of the artistic course of, from inky fingers and silent moments of focus to figures hunched over easels in full circulate. There is a heat and intimacy to the photographs that feels proper at house with the ability.
To coincide with the rebrand, the College additionally curated The Energy of Drawing, an formidable exhibition celebrating 25 years of inventive output. It pairs works by family names like David Hockney, Es Devlin, Tracey Emin and Tim Burton with items by Royal Drawing College alumni – a considerate reflection of the College’s attain and ethos. Even the King himself contributed a drawing, displayed as a part of the present.
The exhibition catalogue – outsized, lovingly crafted, and printed on Fedrigoni inventory – is one other Pearce and Pentagram creation. Designed as a memento, it options fluorescent pink detailing, a wrap-around cowl, and intimate portraits of the artists, many taken by Harry himself. Inside, every contributor displays on what drawing means to them – a reminder that even in a digital world, the pencil nonetheless has energy.
The College’s new identification will now roll out throughout its web site, advertising supplies, signage, and merchandise. However it’s already doing the factor it got down to do – supporting a rising international presence whereas staying true to the College’s unique mission: to make drawing accessible to all.
It is at all times a pleasure to see considerate design meet significant goal. Even higher when it is executed with such care. Hats off to Harry and the workforce, and here is to the following 25 years of drawing, studying, and making.
