The Story Behind the Work
I’m Simon Diplock, a CSD-accredited graphic designer Worthing, Brighton & Hove, Sussex, UK and international clients trust.
The brief might be to get a new business noticed, help an established company refresh their brand, or turn a website that just sits there into one that brings in enquiries. Whatever the challenge, I start by understanding what you need the design to achieve, then work back from there.
A Design Foundation Built Over 30+ Years
My design foundation was built more than 30 years ago, during four years of training at Eastbourne College of Art and Design. Those years were spent learning the fundamentals that never go out of date: typography, layout, colour, hierarchy, the power of white space, illustration and, above all, how to communicate an idea clearly and quickly.
Later, I went back to study and completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Graphic Design at Arts University Bournemouth. It was a chance to challenge my own thinking, explore new approaches and make sure my work kept moving forward rather than relying on habit.
Print Experience With a Technical Edge
While I’m well-versed in traditional pre-press and printing techniques, I also bring a strong technical edge to my work. I’m equally comfortable handling HTML, responsive web code, web servers and databases, content management systems, and just enough JavaScript and PHP to be dangerous!
In practice, this means fewer surprises and fewer middlemen. I know how to prepare artwork so it reproduces properly on press, and I understand how websites actually work, so the layouts I design are practical to build, fast to load and easy for you to update yourself.
Web design
A website is often the first place a customer meets your business, so it needs to make a good impression in seconds and then make it easy to get in touch. I’ve designed sites for clients as varied as Dulux, Nurture Higher Education, Forest Enterprises and Masterton District Council. Because I understand the code behind the design, every site I create is responsive, quick to load and built on a content management system you can update without calling me every time.
Packaging design
Good packaging has to stand out on a crowded shelf, explain the product at a glance and still look good on the kitchen table at home. My packaging work includes Lighthouse Gin, Mela Juice, Brodie Estate and Alana Wines, plus many years of wine labels and packaging for Martinborough Vineyard. My pre-press background means the design that wins you over on screen is the one that comes back from the printer.
Advertising and campaigns
Great advertising starts with one clear idea, then carries it consistently across every place your audience will see it. I’ve created billboards, posters, press ads and digital campaigns for Tourism New Zealand, the Hurricanes, St James Theatre, Little Black Gallery and Global Academy’s “2 Degrees” campaign. Whatever the budget, the aim is the same: get noticed, be remembered and make people act.
Print and marketing materials
Brochures, annual reports, flyers, mailers and event materials still do a lot of heavy lifting for a business. I design them to be easy to read, true to your brand and ready for print, with the right paper, finish and file set-up chosen from the start. From a theatre season brochure to a simple leaflet for a local shop, every piece gets the same attention to detail.
Why It Matters for Your Business
Many businesses end up juggling a graphic designer, a web developer and a printer, each working separately and each blaming the others when things go wrong. Working with me, you get one person who understands the whole picture, from the first sketch of your logo to the final files sent to print or the website going live.
As a member of the Chartered Society of Designers, I also follow a professional code of conduct. You can expect clear communication, honest advice, fair pricing and work delivered when I say it will be.
Local Designer, Wide Experience
Based in Worthing, I work with businesses right across Sussex and beyond. Local businesses get the benefit of experience gained on national and international campaigns, without the agency price tag or the layers of account managers.
You'll always know what's happening, what it costs and when it will be ready.