The latest episode of Studio Snack, a five minute food podcast about design that I make with creative collaborator Narcis Sauleda, started with Narcis discovering that the root of the word ‘company’ came from breaking bread. Brainstorming at a bakery (well, it would be churlish not to) we discussed all … Read More
Inspired by the best question I’ve ever been asked in a briefing meeting – “Could we have some sweary type?” I discovered that it has a name: Grawlix. Or does it? My sixth talk for Nerd Nite London goes down a rabbit-hole of research on cartoon history, fashions in writing, … Read More
In a guest lecture for postgraduate students at Loughborough University London’s Creative Research and Innovation Centre, I’ve talked about how working in East London creative clusters has shaped my practice. Sketch-mapping my story, I’ve seen just how much geography has played a part in the work I’ve done, the broadening … Read More
Doing prep for sketching at events, I like to consider context. So for a party at Trampery Fish Island Village, a campus for fashion, innovation and sustainability, I made swing tags from waste, spare supplies and offcuts. This is where my multi-stranded creative practice comes in. But it also uses … Read More
A recce. On foot. With a sketchbook. Surely not, when the brief is to produce a simple sketch map and we have search engines? Well, it’s not as overdone as it seems… There’s good practice – I can’t use an image for illustration reference that may be in copyright. And there’s … Read More
Rubbish sketchbooks – a surprise hit in a trio of activities for Cody Dock’s Lea Way Celebration, part of Open House and Totally Thames… Made from waste and originally an approachable add-on to a sketch walk (nobody need worry about doing a bad drawing on materials destined for recycling) they … Read More
Accessibility. Reverse engineering it into existing materials is a challenge. But in a project modifying PDF publications designed for long-term client Bowen Craggs, it’s also changed how I think about layout. As someone who loves words and visual communication equally, I’ve found it fascinating to have to consider for the … Read More
It’s called a linen tester… They were made for the textile industry and repurposed by designers and printers for checking proofs and print. I have a newer one but I reach for this, my late Dad’s, because it’s good, and true, and it has the heft of a proper piece of engineering. What … Read More
Work on design, illustration and sketch graphics for a Sphere Unpacked guide has taken place virtually, across four time zones. With its print edition produced in Europe via online supply for local delivery, I hadn’t seen a physical copy. So my client from Sphere contacted me while in the UK … Read More
I was looking for a milliners’ head, a prop for a brainstorm. The only ones I could find were proper grown-up milliners’ equipment, which is, quite rightly, expensive because it’s beautifully made, or plastic. So I invented a flatpack one that could slot together and made some out of waste … Read More