At the height of the dotcom gold rush, Hothouse Interactive was one of the first digital only agencies in Australia. They produced and hosted many leading websites including Hutchison Telecom, Telstra BigPond, ETrade, and an early version of the Microsoft Network (MSN) website. For the Australian Business Online site, Hothouse Interactive briefed Franklin on building a series of user interface icons and banners based on an approved initial concept. Stephen produced up to twenty-two icons, each having to be visually recognisable in a large, medium, small, and tiny format. The result was over eighty individual designs, which gave the Hothouse Interactive developer’s more than enough variation for multiple user experiences.

Design Direction: Hothouse Interactive
UX/UI Design: Stephen Franklin   
ABOL website navigation icons inset on blue corporate colour background.
Samples of icons were supplied to Franklin from which he developed new designs, extending the navigation UI.
List of all ABOL icons showing their file name designation and size range.
Along with the primary large size icon Stephen had to develop each at a medium, small, and tiny size.
Mock-up of the ABOL Home Page.
The final icons were exported as low file size GIFs to meet the internet bandwidth constraints of the day.

View more projects

Microsoft Catalogue Cover Image
Cover image of the Microsoft Windows product catalogue produced for the Frontline agency, Sydney, Australia. This image is a composite of multiple stock photography images and a photographic shoot involving two models: one for positioning and one for face and hands.
Concept Visualisations for Landini Associates
Concept visualisations created for Landini Associates client projects. Each image was based on supplied architectural elevations, along with a creative brief for the materials to be used for the interior design.
Thick & Thirsty Point of Sale Hero Image Retouching
Retouching of hero image for Thick & Thirsty point of sale promotion.
Sqeez Juice Tetra Pak Packaging Finished Artwork
Finished artwork for the Sqeez range of juices in Tetra Pak packaging.
Brightspark Brand Identity
Identity design for Brightspark, a Dublin-based digital marketing agency.
BigPond Cable Packaging Image
Worked with the Art Director at the Frontline agency to produce this secondary pack image, used as part of a Telstra Big Pond Cable Modem packaging. Involved matching and applying the colour halftone screen effect of the hand image to an image of the Microsoft mouse, combining both into a seamless composition.
The Oceania Project Logo
Logo design for The Oceania Project, a Not-for-profit research and information organisation established in 1988, dedicated to raising awareness about Cetacea (Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises) and the ocean environment.
Braams Brand and Marketing Collateral
Creative direction and production of Braams Property Services design collateral, and marketing materials from 1997 through to 2001.
Merrilake Promotional Calendar Illustration
Stephen's contribution to the Merrilake agency’s promotional calendar. He was requested to respond to the brief "Merrilake Illustrators are not just bums on seats!" in the style of his favourite artist. Salvador Dali's "Sleep" was Franklin's inspiration.
College Portfolio
Portfolio submitted as a requirement for graduating from the KvB College of Visual communication, Sydney Australia. Stephen received a diploma in Graphic Design on the 7th of December 1987.
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