I get in touch with clients from time to time to see where we are on their projects. It’s part of the choreography in getting processes to work, individually and around each other. Which would suggest that every project is dancing the same steps, to the same tempo, in the … Read More
We learn something from each episode of Studio Snack, a collaborative food podcast about design. And this month, exploring seeds and sowing has given us much to discuss about the how and when of a design project. I’ve used type to illustrate stories from my inexpert gardening that make good … Read More
Time travel. It wasn’t what I expected from my free-range Friday. But as I sketch walked my way from an exhibition recce at Springfield Park Café in Hackney, looking for a vantage point I found an information board about the geology of the view. On it was the logo I’d … Read More
Four days, two cities, a wintry beach and nerding out on Delft blue and the House of Orange… it’s been the latest leg of my project visiting places with colour stories. Delving into blue at the Royal Delft factory has turned up a story of resilience, adaptation and innovation. On … Read More
Binding sketchbooks. It’s very Zen. It’s useful (I get through sketchbooks at a rate that’s been described as voracious). And I love a blank sheet of paper. But is it a new leaf? Well, yes and no. I make my sketchbooks from offcuts, dummies and surplus swatches and materials. And … Read More
A by-product of writing a bio or summary information is the chance to wrangle the question I’ve often asked branding clients: “In one sentence, what do you do?”. On the face of it, my work has got more complicated as I’ve gone along. As I’ve gathered knowledge, graphic design has … Read More
A lemon top ice cream in Redcar. That hadn’t been the plan. Whitby had been my next colour trip, for jet black and the Old Norse for white, more of which later. But getting there turned out to be fiddly so I had designed a scenic route North, wiggling down … Read More
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
This year, there’s a new rhythm to the week. My studio days are Monday to Thursday; the fifth day of the working week is Free-range Friday, earmarked for personal work and exploration. So what goes on, on these days resolutely away from a desk? Well, like the best sort of … 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