Then There Was Us

Lucy Harmony Grimes is a creative studio working with an eclectic range of clients on thoughtful branding & identity, striking and experimental motion, strategic art direction through to website design and social content, to deliver work that stands out in an over-saturated visual world. Their ethos is to be anti-boring and their goal is to work on socially rooted and educational projects that aim to champion smaller voices. From exciting to paintings, to the most creative branding imaginable, we thought Lucy was perfect for a collaboration with Sculpd.

Favourite colour.

Pink! Always.

Tell me where creativity began for you.

I think it began when I realised I could fill up a whole piece of paper using sparkly gel pens.

What makes you feel creative?

I think I feel the most creative when I just have a day all by myself. I’ll usually make some coffee, put on some music and get my head into whatever it is I’m doing, whether thats designing, animating or painting.

Describe your favourite piece of art.

My favourite artist has to be Hilma Af Klint. Her beautiful giant paintings are influenced by her spiritualist beliefs – mixing geometric and almost biological/natural forms.

Favourite film.

Little Miss Sunshine! All day.

Favourite album.

Couldn’t possibly choose! I listen to literally everything. Apart from Coldplay.

Do you see yourself in your work?

When I am happy I do – I think my work is happy, whimsical and joyful. Someone told me once

‘you make nice work so you must have a nice brain’ and I liked that.

What’s your favourite accomplishment?

Running my own business and being self employed for two years whilst living in London. Also, being a visiting lecturer and giving workshops to uni students was so great.

How important are others forms creativity on the side of your practice?

I love painting and spray painting huge canvases (much to my housemates disdain) which gives me a sense of freedom graphic design can’t. Also, gardening, going to galleries, swimming in the sea – these feel creative in a really different sense: which I need to feel inspired to design.

What other creative avenues have you explored?

Painting and seeing myself as more of a ‘visual artist’ rather than graphic designer. I used painting in a recent album cover for a client but we decided to go down a more design-based route. I’d love to eventually sell some of my paintings and see how I could explore that as more of a serious career path.

Is there a place you feel particularly inspired?

My Mum’s garden on the Isle of Wight.

Talk us your through Sculpd creation.

I wanted to use the opportunity to create something that I know how to do best, so thought I would use the clay to create objects that I would then photograph and use as elements for a poster.

I’m always drawn to natural forms so made a flower, a sun, a leaf, and a butterfly. I photographed these and put them into Photoshop, removed the background. I loved how all the textures came through on the screen , and how it looks like it’s almost made with a 3D programme (something I’m currently trying to learn).

I then decided the poster needed some text... so I made some letters using the clay and added these to the poster. I played around in Photoshop until I had a few different posters that I really liked – adding colour over the top, moving everything around on screen, and trying different compositions.

I also have all these little cute clay objects now... and some posters! I’d love to use this method in future to make some prints for events or client work.

Did you achieve your expectations?

Yes! I was really surprised how cool the clay looks on screen, and want to go on to create a whole

typeface out of clay. I think the texture of the clay gives really unexpected and interesting results.

What inspired your Sculpd project?

Visually the project is inspired by summer – being outside in nature.

What and how do you try to be unique in your creative process?

I’ve always loved pushing the boundaries of generic graphic design, rebelling against the hyper- masculine, modernist standards we are taught is ‘good’ design. I’m really drawn to using maximalist techniques which I guess is a rebellion against everything ‘minimal’ and ‘clean’. I guess I’m still ‘trying to fill the whole page with gel pens’.

I love when my work evokes joy in people! It’s also not everyones cup of tea – so I guess I kind of like that it’s polarising.

Do you think creativity is innate or learned?

I think some people are naturally more creatively attuned than others, but I also absolutely think that through experimentation, play and practice, anyone can be creative.

If you're inspired by Lucy's work, then purchase your own Sculpd kithere.