About

I’m local (traced the family to 1605 in Royal Wootton Bassett). I’ve been in the graphic design industry for over 35 years.

Originally trained as an architectural technician. Absolutely hated it so when I passed my ONC and HNC in Building I left and spent three years in the music business touring with a three piece band and started designing band logos.

Got married in 1980 and thought I’d better get a real job. After many applications I was offered a position with Images, an advertising/exhibition agency in Swindon, producing working drawings for display work. Within two years I became chief designer and continued with them for another three years designing exhibition stands and graphics for all the major shows (all pre-computer).

I left Images and returned to the world of architecture with MWT Architects (became The Company of Designers, 4th largest design group in the UK) in the city of Bath where I worked on a special projects team producing scheme proposals and project brochures.

I left The Company of Designers in 1987 and started freelancing as a graphic designer and for the next 17 years worked on a huge variety of projects for a huge variety of clients  covering design for print, exhibition and display.

I got into computers in 1990 (an 8mhz 4Mb Atari ST with a 30Mb hard disk and a 12″ mono screen), survived the recession of 1991, took an HNC in electronic publishing at Wiltshire College in 1995 (passed with distinctions) and was then asked back to lecture at the college in design (I have an FAETC stage 1 certificate).

I discovered the internet and built my first web site in 1997 (I wasn’t very impressed with the web at the time). I’ve since had to re-learn webdesign three or four times as the web has developed.

Went to prison in 2000, but on the right side of the wire. Wiltshire College laid off all their part time lecturers and a chance phone call led to lecturing part-time in computers and design at Erlstoke Prison – fascinating!

Continued on a freelance basis up to 2004 and was then asked to join Kelston Communications, a full services agency in Bath, as Design Director and Studio Manager. We had a very successful 18 months and then the agency was bought out by a large American client. Not for me the multi-national I’m afraid so I agreed to freelance for them and left to set up Colin Harrison Design as a limited company in September 2006.

In my “spare” time I’m Chairman of Melksham Chamber of Commerce, was a trustee of The Wiltshire School of Gymnastics up until 2006 (15 years is a good innings) and still play guitar play in a folk rock band and an acoustic folk dance band.

So there you have it, a potted history. 

Give me a call on 01225 707659 or email design@chdesign.co.uk and let’s see what I can do for you!