#4 The Nation of Artisans Design Prize
Design a beautiful logo, win £1500, heal the nation's spirit!
Before I make clothes, films, or anything else, Nation of Artisans needs a logo. This is where you, my Elders and early audience, come in.
I’m launching a crowdsourced The Nation of Artisans Design Prize to help inspire the logo and visual identity to inspire Nation of Artisans’ future identity.
I want designs and branding that forges a dynamic harmony between the magic of heritage (the ancient, the mythic, the rooted) combined with the zeal of future-facing innovation — all celebrating British making, industry, and stories. British Heritage Futurism if you will.
This prize is inspired by the birth of the Burberry Equestrian Knight design in 1901. Following a crowdsourced competition, the Equestrian Knight was selected — who drew it? Burberry doesn’t say.
Nevertheless, I love the idea of a publicly co-created, community-driven visual identity — so I must obey the urge to do it.
This may be a terrible idea. I have been warned against it. Perhaps no one submits. Maybe the designs will be dreadful. But in the spirit of FAFO as a business model, I’m doing it anyway.
If you are a graphic designer this is your moment to rebrand Britain. Or, if you know any graphic designers, please share this with them!
A note on FAFO: Initially, I planned this as a competition to design a logo. Yet, after reading about “spec work” and talking to artists/ designers, I am changing it to be more of an opportunity to inspire the future design. The winner is the person who submits something that truly understands the spirit of Nation of Artisans, not someone who just creates a full set of brand assets! I will then work with winners to adapt designs further.
🏆 The Prize
1st Place: £1,500
Runner-Up: £500
Online Exhibition will showcase all of the submissions!
The winner and runner-up logos will shape the future visual identity of Nation of Artisans. I will work with winners to develop designs to shape the actual logo and visual identity.
In a dream world, the winner could even become a creative/design lead when the project matures! This will take time.
I return the working files and usage rights to all submitted designs, including those that don’t win.
🎨 What I Want
This is about inspiring the brand, not designing it for me. I am not asking for free work and the final designs will be inspired by the winners. In the spirit of creating a low barrier to entry, I will consider anything — even just simple portfolio examples or concept sketches.
Your submission could include:
Logo Concept Designs — could be with four variations: primary logo, secondary/stacked logo, wordmark, and a favicon/brandmark. Do whatever you like
Typeface — I’ve used Garamond so far, but open to suggestions, or even custom fonts.
Colour Palette — currently I’m using gold & woad blue, inspired by Helen Chislett & David Linley’s wonderful book Craft Britain. I love these colours, but I’m not wedded to them. Be creative. The pigments should have a connection to Britain and can be sourced here.
Visual Language & Graphic Elements — I’ve not used much imagery on my Instagram yet, but I am looking for imagery that resonates with the values of rootedness, nature, makers and Britain. Absolutely NOTHING should be Twee. I hate Twee.
Mock up — a visualisation of how you see it all fitting together. I love the way Ragged Edge do it.
A Written Submission — this can be very short, the visuals should speak for themselves, but I would like you to explain your choices for each design decision e.g. what are you referencing, what ideas are you playing with?
Mascots & Emblems — Bonus points for adaptable designs for different types of products and categories e.g. Shoemakers, Tailors, Potters. The possibilities are endless.
3D Textures — I love how Andreessen Horowitz’s new 3D medallion logo plays with texture and dimensions (though it is quite evil-coded). If you have the skills, I’d love to see a Wedgwood-inspired Jasperware sprig-style 3D adaptation of the logo. Or indeed something completely different!
Portfolio — You do not even necessarily need to submit anything new, if you have any past work in your portfolio that demonstrates a deep understanding of what a heritage futurist aesthetic might look like, submit that. Winning requires understanding, not just making things.
🔍 Design Direction: What I’m Looking For
This identity should feel rooted in history but distinctly future-facing. The design needs to evoke Nation of Artisans’ vision, mission, purpose, and values which you can read more about in my introduction to the project and my essay on the Lore behind it.
Purpose — What is the why behind Nation of Artisans?
To Make Britain Make Again by building a cult that celebrates the culture, history, and future of British making.
Vision — What do we want to achieve in the long term?
To make the nation and wider world so madly obsessed with British making it triggers a renaissance in consumption, industry, employment, and spirit.
Mission — How do I want to serve and inspire my audience?
To win by building a world of remarkable stories, products, and experiences that radicalises the moderates, and strike fear into the hearts of the off-shorers, exploiters, and grifters.
Values — What are the core values shaping the project?
My article on the Lore of Nation of Artisans will give you a strong sense of WHY I am doing what I am doing.
I have distilled those four existential motivations into 4 principles:
Elegantly Visionary — This is about Making Britain Sexy Again to Make Britain Make Again. It’s all about being simultaneously chic, rooted & refined but also trailblazing into the future.
Irreverently British — This is also about combining the cool, modern, hip, and maverick nature of Britain (punk) with a respect and embrace of tradition (aristocratic). Doing both at the same time is where the magic happens.
Soulfully Rooted — This is about embracing harmony, nature, roots, and a sense of soul and joy in everything.
Intentionally Fleshy — We must be more than just robots amusing ourselves to death on social media. Nation of Artisans must be a highly physical and social project — not just another link in the chain of limbic capitalism!
Walpole’s Wedgwood-inspired Book of British Luxury 2023/4 actually did this quite well, it balances heritage and futurism beautifully.
Target Mindset — Who do I want to like this?
Aesthetically, let’s start with a target mindset/audience of Modern Connoisseurs — the sorts of people who get their coffee from Gail’s, dream of St. JOHN, and buy their clothes from Toast and Drake’s. Refined, but modern. Those who like nice things with interesting stories.
Of course, I want a very broad audience! However, when it comes to actually selling the first batches of products, I suspect these are the sorts of people most likely to buy.
Some references & inspiration — majestic visual identities/ branding I love:
Burberry’s 2023 rebrand — balancing heritage & modernity
St JOHN — simple, soulful, elegant, British!
Officine Universelle Buly 1803 — this is a little too witchy, and faux heritagey but it’s beautifully executed.
Andreessen Horowitz — The 2025 Gold Medallion rebrand. As Sean Monahan writes in his response, it’s very Randian, but I love the way “reflects” light and isn’t designed overly optimised for screen.
Fitzcarraldo Editions — Those striking blues and whites.
Mont Saint Michel — just the ornate logo.
Wedgwood — less the logos, more the old school sprigs and blue on Jasperware.
Drake’s — very vibey.
If you think of more references that may capture the vibe, please suggest!
Some principles
🔹 Lore-Driven Design: I want to know the reasoning behind your choices—why you picked certain colours, styles, or fonts. What’s the story behind it? How does it relate to Nation of Artisans?
🔹 Distinctiveness/ No Sans Serif Blanding: The world has had enough of this. Yet resisting Sans Serif should not just become an unconscious act Serification. I want it to have distinctive soul.
🔹 Premium: I want this to feel high-end, interpret that as you wish! The purpose of Nation of Artisans is making British making desirable to seduce more and more people to aspire to it. Luxury brands are very good and using visuals to make things sexy and desirable.
🔹 Legibility: I love characterful, playful typography, but nothing I can’t read easily. I need this to work across digital, print, and signage.
🔹 Flexibility: I want the logo to be highly adaptable so a transparent version can be put on top of different photographs/videos to create very different vibes, taking on new meanings in different visual contexts.
🔹 British: In my piece Britain, Reimagined, I identified 15 different aspirational dreams of Britain. I highlighted Royal Britain, Workshop Britain, Bopea Britain, New Britain, and Retrofuture Britain as key inspirations for Nation of Artisans. Check them out.
Less this:
More This:
📦 Usage Applications: It Should Work Everywhere
The future visual identity needs to be versatile — so whatever you share, you need to show me that you can create things that look good across:
Digital (Website, Social Media, Films)
Physical (Stationery, Packaging, Embossing on Card, Painted Signage, Murals)
Fabric & Craft (Labels, Engraving, Embroidery, Hand-Printed Goods)
My first act once the logo is fixed is to create some labels to go inside the underpants I’m making.
📂 File Format & Submission Requirements
Please submit your entry to this Google form.
If you have any trouble, please email me at louis@nationofartisans.com
Logo / Visuals Files: Vector format (SVG, AI, or EPS) + High-res PNG so I can see whatever you submit in its full glory. You should be able to upload these to the Google form which allows up to 10 x 100mb files. If that is not enough, please send it to me on WeTransfer.
Typeface Files: If custom, please provide the full font package.
Colour Palette & Guidelines: A simple reference document is helpful.
Final Submission Deadline: Midnight on May 1st (or sooner!)
Submit via: Google Form (here) + send high-res assets via WeTransfer to louis@nationofartisans.com
🎭 Who Can Enter?
In an ideal world, the winner is an emerging British designer/artist/creative who loves this project and wants to make their name.
However, this is open to all, regardless of age, nationality, or experience.
As this project is rooted in the idea of exploring British identity and making, I’d love to hear about any personal connection you have to Britain (e.g., born and raised, studying here, working in a British company, a passion for British craft).
📝 Selection Process
A soon-to-be-announced judging panel will review submissions based on:
Understanding the spirit of Nation of Artisans
Beauty & pioneering design
Storytelling / “Lore”
FAQs
Q: Will the winner’s logo become the final logo?
No. This is a design prize that will inform and inspire the future logo. I will adapt the designs in collaboration with the winners. Future work on the design with the winners will be remunerated paid equitably in accordance with their level of experience.
Q: Can designers submit multiple things?
Yes! You can submit whatever you like and however much of it you want.
Q: Will designers get feedback?
I promise to respond to all submissions. However, if there ends up being thousands of applications (unlikely), I may have to reevaluate that!
Q: Will the winner have opportunities to work with Nation of Artisans in the future?
Yes—but not just the winner. Other top entries may also be invited to contribute to future projects. I will also sing your praises and shout about your talents from the roof tops.
Q: Can I enter as a team?
Yes, but the prize money remains the same.
📢 Stay Updated
Please subscribe to the Substack and follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn to receive updates about the contest.
💡 Things might change based on responses, so keep an eye on all three platforms to make sure you don’t miss any updates or clarifications.
Feel free to contact me with questions.
Final Thoughts
This is more than just a logo — this is a chance to shape the identity of a project that I hope transforms Britain!
The best designs will live far beyond this prize, influencing how Nation of Artisans looks, feels, and evolves over time.
If that excites you, submit your entry. I can’t wait to see what you create.
— Louis Elton
20th March 2025