SO this is exciting! I know, I know I’ve not been posting for FAR too long,
but i'm very pleased to say that one thing I have been up to this year is
sprucing up the blackboards for The Hinds Head in Bray, as part of The Fat Duck
Group, belonging to Heston Blumenthal.
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff involved in The Fat
Duck Group, with special thanks in particular to David Ashton Hyde for working
with me, and generally being a wonderful support and friend. And also, a huge
thank you to my sister Emily Gunner, for putting me forward for this fantastic
project. Without her, and all of the fantastic staff, I wouldn't have had the
huge honour of having this as my first illustration commission, to which I am
truly thankful.
Also, it goes without saying that during the duration of this project I was
able to enjoy some of the food, and indeed the incredible atmosphere that The
Fat Duck Group are renowned for. If you have ever, or do ever get the chance to
go to any one of Heston's establishments, WOW!!! In quite literally every
sense, I was blown away, and I cannot recommend going more so, as a simple Devonshire
‘shireling’, all I can say is AWESOME!
Just a little note on the theme I chose for the boards: due to the nature of the menu celebrating UK food, I decided to add detail by introducing patterns of plants found in Brittish hedgerows. I felt this complemented the natural beauty of the Bray area.
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| Cheesy picture with the main board, focusing a pattern on ferns ans cow parsley. |
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| Inspired by Art Deco, the gin board with juniper bush detail. |
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| The board for Bar Snacks! As the Hinds Head is renowned for it's fantastic hot scotch quails eggs, I chose to highlight this with a nest style border. |
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| A feather at the other end to strengthen the design. |
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| Again, taking inspiration from an Art Deco style. I can't take credit for the gold writing, hat's off to the bar staff for that. | |
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| Yet again, I can't take credit for the gold lettering on all of the boards, but I am pleased with how the vine and hops designs turned out. |
When I was researching the Hinds Head, searching for patterns, I came across a circular detail in the woodwork recurring throughout the bar. This offered a really applicable basis for a pattern throughout the boards; especially as it then allowed me to incorporate an element of history to my work, as the bar is so old.
