Octavo Issue 4 1987
Octavo/8vo were a British graphic design company founded in 1984 by Mark Holt, Simon Johnston and Hamish Muir. During their time working together they designed and produced some of the UK’s most exciting graphic design. They also published a series of typographic journals called Octavo, in which Michael Burke was invited to be co-editor and an associate of the studio. Preferring the term ‘visual engineers’ to designers, 8vo largely practiced a typographic-led form of communication; much of their work was produced using pre-digital tools and often utilised techniques of rendering the typographic content in camera, offering a multi-layered reading experience and enabling them to keep a tighter control over the finished product. A good example of this working process is the collaged artwork for the Durutti Column’s Circuses and Bread, Fbn 36, which was shot on 8 x 10-inch transparency and supplied directly to the printer in Belgium.
Octavo Issue 5 1988
8vo produced the artwork for many Factory sleeves and promotional material and were an integral part of the Factory design family. Principally designing for label stalwart The Durutti Column, 8vo produced sleeves for releases including Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say, Fac 114; Domo Arigato, Fact 144; The Guitar and Other Machines, Fact 204; and Obey the Time, Fact 274. 8vo also created some of the legendary Haçienda birthday posters, whilst still finding time to set the tone for late 1980s design in the United Kingdom before they disbanded in 2001.
Fact 274 The Durutti Column Obey the Time 1990
Talking about their experience of working for Factory, Mark Holt and Hamish Muir have said “A remarkable thing about Factory was the complete creative freedom they gave their designers. Throughout the period of our working relationship, they never interfered with design (except once rejecting a complete job at the final proof stage – The Durutti Column’s Vini Reilly, Fact 244). Something along the lines of ‘music is our bag, graphics is yours’. They were happy to see designs for the first time when they were delivered, printed and finished. Scary indeed – the weight of expectation was immense. But this working relationship brought about some of our best work. We designed each job knowing there could be no excuses, striving to make the next job better than the one before.” Years later, Wilson referred to 8vo as The Durutti Column’s “Graphic Magicians.”
Haçienda seventh birthday poster 1989
