Fraserburgh art students produce fresh branding for local farm

June 20, 2025

HNC Art & Design students at Fraserburgh Campus have put their creative skills to the test by designing logos for a North East family-run farm and its new egg line.

As part of their Digital Media project, sixteen students were tasked with creating branding for Sauchentree Farm located in New Aberdour. The 650-acre farm is home to sheep, cattle and cereal crops, and has a new chicken unit coming this summer.

The project idea came from NESCol Art & Design lecturer, Vicky Irvine, who helps her husband Bruce run the farm. The couple invited students to design logos for both the farm itself and their new egg brand, Curious Eggs.

The students presented their ideas to Bruce and Vicky, who chose their two standout designs, which will be used for packaging, merchandise, and staff uniforms. They selected Alana Jade Miller’s logo for the overall farm identity, and Erin Sim’s logo for the egg line.

Alister Middlemas, Lecturer in Creative and Service Industries, NESCol, said:

“Vicky mentioned that the farm’s new egg business needed a logo and wondered if we could incorporate this as part of the project work for the HNC cohort. The department thought this was a great idea that would give the students the opportunity to work on a real-life client brief.

“It felt good to be able to support a local business and simultaneously give our students valuable work experience and an insight into the world of freelancing.

“It was also a great opportunity for the students to learn and explore digital art software, especially since some had no prior experience. This made the project even more rewarding for both the students and myself as a lecturer, particularly as they went on to create their final logos using the skills they had developed.”

Sauchentree Farm has been passed down through generations for over 200 years and is managed by Bruce in partnership with his mother and Vicky. A true family enterprise, they call on their two daughters, and Bruce’s sister and brother-in-law to help out during the busy lambing season.

The family’s new venture will see two free-range egg sheds, housing a total of 32,000 birds (16,000 each), added to the farm.

Vicky Irvine, Lecturer in Art & Design and owner of Sauchentree Farm, NESCol, said:

“The students worked incredibly hard on this project, showing the greatest passion and professionalism.  Bruce was genuinely very impressed with the standard of quality and creativity on display by the students, which made deciding very difficult.

“He has been telling other clients and business folk how impressed he was and that he would recommend anyone looking for rebranding to contact the College. We are very proud of the students and the designs they all came up with.

“We selected Alana’s design as we felt it was timelessly classic and captured the generations the farm has been established and all aspects of the farm.  Alana understands less is more and it was simply beautiful.

“Erin’s design was selected because of her fun personality which shone through at the presentation, and she clearly demonstrated her passion for the project. We also felt that Erin’s design captured our fun nature as a family and the curiosity of the hen looking at the egg, as if to say, “Where did you come from?” It made us all smile and laugh! We hope when others see it, they will feel the same.”

The students worked on their designs for 17 weeks, keeping in regular contact with Vicky and Bruce throughout. At the end of the project, they presented their branding visions.

Alana Jade Miller, HNC Art & Design student, NESCol, said:

“Creating the design for Sauchentree Farm was a truly rewarding experience. I wanted to capture the farm’s deep roots, the diversity of its livestock, the unique landscape of New Aberdour, and the genuine care that goes into everything they do.

“I chose a minimal, classic style to honour the long family history, while keeping the design versatile for modern use. The triangular framework in the logo was inspired by ‘The Pointed Rock’ at New Aberdour Beach, a local landmark that felt like the perfect way to represent the area.

“I was genuinely shocked to have my design chosen, especially as I don’t have much experience with Adobe software or computers. It’s been a huge confidence boost knowing my work will represent a real, working farm. I’m so excited to see it on packaging and uniforms. This project has taught me so much about working to a client brief and the power of thoughtful, meaningful design.”

Erin Sim, HNC Art & Design student, NESCol, said:

“I am very happy that the Irvine family enjoy my work and have decided to use it for their brand. This experience was very positive for me as it has given me a taste of what it’s like to work for a client and confidence to potentially work with more moving forward.

“It’s so exciting seeing something I designed being used commercially, and I wish Vicky and her family all the best in the future.”