The Fandangoe Kid on creativity as catharsis
Artist Annie Nicholson, aka The Fandangoe Kid, shares how grief has shaped her practice, and discusses the complexities of using creativity to work through trauma
New animated short emphasises the harsh realities of animal testing
Working with Andy Gent’s Arch Film Studio and director Spenser Susser, the film Save Ralph features voiceovers by Taika Waititi and Ricky Gervais
What does the ideal creative office look like?
Over a year on from the first UK lockdown, many offices remain closed. What will we want from them when they reopen? Here, Gabriela Hersham of co-working chain Huckletree, advocates for an environment that encourages spontaneity and collaboration
Valentin Pavageau’s digital collages fuse surrealism with psychedelia
Inspired by old paintings and stop motion, the illustrator combines small characters and vast landscapes to create dream-like images
Polly Irungu on creating Black Women Photographers
The platform Black Women Photographers was set up in 2020 to create a community that empowers Black women and non-binary photographers. Here Irungu discusses her motivations and the journey she’s been on
How the Pandemic Graphic Archive is preserving our new reality
Founded by recent graduate Charlotte Walker, a new online archive is collating Covid-19 signage and wayfinding from around the world
Latest from CR
Making sense of the NFT gold rush
NFTs have been all over the news, spreading a mix of confusion and excitement in equal measure. Here, James Britton, group managing director at Stink Studios, explores what opportunities they might open up for artists and designers
Donald Graham Burt on making a career in production design
The Oscar-winning production designer discusses his journey from night janitor to one of David Fincher’s most trusted collaborators, plus his work on the director’s latest film Mank
How design is bringing new places to life
The past year has created a new emphasis on our surroundings, leading to an acute awareness of whether areas really serve their communities. We explore how place branding and marketing have been adjusted to reflect this
Inter Milan introduces stripped back ‘I am’ logo
Bureau Borsche is responsible for the updated visual identity, which is tailored for digital environments and, according to the club, aims to “establish itself as an icon of culture as well as sport”
Why portrait photography is all about trust
CR speaks to three portrait photographers about why they were drawn to the art form, and the importance of trust and collaboration when working with a subject
Rachel Seidu’s photography captures what she sees around her
The Lagos-based photographer is inspired by her environment and favours close crops to capture the emotions of her subjects
Kara Haupt on art directing for daily news websites
Haupt is senior art director for the websites of NBC News, Today and MSNBC. Here she talks about the importance of commissioning and the pressure of millions of viewers every day
My breakthrough moment: Simon Buckley
“I wanted to be Ultravox, but sometimes I worry I’ve ended up like Joe Dolce.” Simon Buckley’s photograph of Manchester in the rain became a viral sensation in 2019. He explains what happened next
Confessions of a former Trump designer
As the founder of social impact agency Smakk, Katie Klencheski’s mission feels a million miles away from the Trump Hotels brand that she helped establish in the early noughties. She discusses how the experience taught her the importance of practicing what you preach
Photographers finding humour in the streets
Everyday life is packed with unintentionally comical moments – if only you have the skills to spot them. Here, three photographers discuss ways of capturing humour on our streets
Documenting the drag explosion
Armed with her camera, Linda Simpson found herself at the heart of New York’s burgeoning drag scene in the 80s. Her new book gives an insight into the hedonistic heights and melancholic lows that came to define the era
Radio 2 becomes one of the family in quirky new campaign
Presenters including Sara Cox and Rylan Clark-Neal join some enjoyably awkward family photos, complete with matching outfits, disgruntled children and swathes of 80s lycra
An oral history of the Old Spice ads
First launched in 2010, Wieden + Kennedy Portland’s shirtless one-shot ads for P&G brand Old Spice turned heads and spawned a cascade of spinoffs. We retrace how the ads were made with the creatives as well as The Man himself, Isaiah Mustafa
Alex Merto on his less is more approach to book cover design
Having designed book covers for around ten years, Merto says his process is driven fully by the book rather than his own personal style
Tackling graphic design’s relationship with race
In new book The Design of Race, Peter Fine discusses how technology, graphic design, typography and photography have all influenced ideas of race in America
The golden age of webcomics
Dwindling attention spans and a hunger for immediate punchlines mean webcomics are flourishing – and they have plenty to teach us about what the internet finds funny. We talk to artists Alex Norris, Sarah Andersen and Reza Farazmand to find out more
How I Got Here: Nicholas Blechman
The New Yorker creative director talks about his first job in the industry and how to avoid predictability in editorial design
Are brands the new mansplainers?
Brandsplaining is a new book tackling how women are addressed and represented in marketing. We talk to the authors about the ‘femvertising’ trend and why brands mustn’t rest on their laurels
How I Work: Nadia Lee Cohen
As she releases her first monograph, Nadia Lee Cohen discusses the inspiration behind her surreal images – which draw heavily on cinema and Americana – and the curious characters who frequent her photos
Heinz website stunt takes 57 minutes to load
Website Holdforheinz.com was designed for the more patient ketchup lovers among us, embracing a purposefully drawn out loading process to show that “good things take time”
Creative Inspiration
Images and ideas to feed your imagination
Advice for Creatives
Expert tips on how to navigate a creative career
The Creative Workplace
How flexible working is changing the creative process
Creativity and Coronavirus
How the creative industries are responding to the pandemic
Penguin’s Len Deighton covers are a twist on classic 60s book jackets
A new Modern Classics collection of the British writer’s spy novels reinterprets the chevron graphics of Raymond Hawkey’s original Penguin paperback covers
Otherway’s grocery-inspired Weezy branding is decidedly untechy
The online supermarket’s updated identity taps into our nostalgia for the paper bags and price labels of traditional grocery stores
Inside the VFX boom
The VFX artists behind Disney’s award-winning film The One and Only Ivan talk about tapping into their secret inner thespian and why VFX is in the midst of a golden period
KFC’s latest stunt is pinching other brands’ slogans
With It’s Finger Lickin’ Good temporarily on hold, the fast food brand is trying on some alternative slogans for size – and they’re ones you’ll already be familiar with
Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics logo revealed
The logo, which features an angular version of a two and six, drawn in a single movement, was decided by a popular vote held online
Comics artist Leomi Sadler on her new book and the journey to get there
The first in a series of books, Tummy Bugs gathers ten years worth of work. Here Sadler talks about the process of reflecting on work that was created during a different time
Two creatives have made the D&AD Annual you never got
After D&AD announced its annual award winners would be showcased online only, creative team Rhys Hughes and Barret Helander decided to make a print version themselves
Ode to the cassette: a mixtape of emotions
The cassette tape changed our relationship with music in ways that are still playing out today. Here, MassiveMusic’s Marijn Roozemond reflects on how it opened up our ways of listening to, making, and sharing the songs we love, plus what brands can learn from this
Ad campaign aims to raise awareness of the impact of the pandemic on NHS staff
The new ad, directed by George Hackforth-Jones for the charity Duty To Care, which provides mental health and wellbeing support to NHS workers, intends to remind people that ‘even superheroes need saving’
Qianhui Yu’s sugar-coated animations come with a serious message
The animation director and recent RCA graduate uses a pastel colour palette and cutesy characters to address important subjects such as sustainability
How to create a charity
The people behind suicide prevention charity CALM are launching a new helpline aimed at supporting women and girls. We look at how it’s been devised and what the service is doing differently
New B&Q ad underlines the hope that comes with Spring
The pandemic isn’t mentioned specifically in this new campaign but its message that ‘we will grow again’ clearly alludes to our hopes for an emergence from lockdown as much as our ability to grow B&Q plants
In partnership with Facebook & Instagram
On Brief: Museum of Happiness x Hannah Jacobs
Our On Brief project pairs creative talent with startups, non-profits and community groups to create scroll-stopping visuals for Facebook and Instagram. Here we take a look at Hannah Jacobs’ collaboration with Museum of Happiness
In partnership with Facebook & Instagram
Great Work: Defected Records’ virtual music festival
The house label surprised dance music fans with a series of live streams – starting with a 12-hour performance broadcast from Ministry of Sound
In partnership with Facebook & Instagram
Great Work: WWF’s Black Friday Twist
The wildlife charity put a new spin on Black Friday sales promotions, with a series of Facebook ads urging consumers to adopt animals which are endangered or at risk
In partnership with Facebook & Instagram
On Brief: Help Refugees x Luis Mazon
Our On Brief initiative pairs emerging talent with startups, charities and community groups to create scroll-stopping visuals for Facebook and Instagram. Here we take a look at Luis Mazon’s work for Help Refugees
In partnership with Facebook & Instagram
Great Work: Specsavers, Don’t Lose the Picture
The optician chain used AR to illustrate the effects of common eye conditions in a campaign to promote free eye tests
In partnership with Facebook & Instagram
Charlotte May on her vibrant still lifes
Our New Talent series highlights visual creatives who are sharing great work on Facebook and Instagram. Here we talk to photographer Charlotte May about her colourful images
In partnership with Facebook & Instagram
On Brief: Freddie’s Flowers x Charlotte May
Our On Brief initiative pairs emerging talent with startups, charities and community groups to create scroll-stopping visuals for Facebook and Instagram. Here we take a look at Charlotte May’s work for Freddie’s Flowers
In partnership with Facebook & Instagram
Oliver Sin on his playful animations
Our New Talent series highlights visual creatives who are sharing great work on Facebook and Instagram. Here we talk to Cheltenham-based animator and former designer Oliver Sin about his work
