The surprising links between comics and branding
Writer and author Mat Groom shares the story behind his parallel careers in branding and comic books, including the unexpected connections between the two and his thoughts on the rise in side hustles
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
The Glue Society’s mag is “a portable vessel for art”
The new biannual publication works as a kind of paper-bound gallery, showcasing 18 artworks commissioned especially for the mag – encompassing graphic design, writing, art photography and sculpture
Multi-disciplinary artist Daisy Tortuga is giving the humble rug a rethink
The Kingston School of Art graduate’s quirky, handmade pieces aim to push the boundaries of traditional illustration, and have attracted the attention of brands ranging from adidas to Nando’s
Cindy Sherman embraces the art of tapestry in new show
World famous photographer Cindy Sherman experiments with tapestry in a new body of work that sees her translate her self-portraits into large woven artworks
Ludwick Hernandez channels his fears into absurdly funny illustrations
Using an iPad to create his works, Hernandez pulls inspiration from artists, magazines and album covers to create his offbeat illustrations
Leif Podhajsky on his mind-bending psychedelic art
The visual artist behind a range of Tame Impala, Foals and Bonobo album covers talks to us about creating his debut monograph and how a childhood immersed in nature shaped his outlook
Lakwena on belief, mythology and making a statement
The London-based artist discusses the motivation and process behind her epic painted murals, which combine vibrant colour palettes with uplifting messages that are rooted in spirituality
Giselle Dekel’s delicate illustrations elevate everyday acts
Having found illustration by accident after years working away from the creative industries, Dekel taps into the quiet moments in life in her watercolour-based images
Reverting to Type exhibition features protest posters by 100 letterpress artists
The online exhibition features a mix of famous names and less-heard voices, who all use letterpress techniques to express their feelings on a range of contemporary issues
The evolution of street art
While art shown indoors may have temporarily lost its audience to the pandemic, street art is on the rise. Here, Hazel Davis reflects on how the medium is growing ever more part of the art establishment, yet can still be used as a force for change
Musa Okwonga’s latest book comes with 1,000 rainbow covers
Every copy of In The End It Was All About Love, published by Rough Trade Books, is unique, thanks to its hand screen-printed jacket by Tommy Davidson-Hawley
The history of the open plan office
From its surprisingly radical roots to its role post-pandemic, Jennifer Kaufmann-Buhler – assistant professor of design history at Purdue University – talks CR through the legacy of the open plan office
Inside the design boom at ad agencies
We talk to Wieden + Kennedy Portland, Droga5 London and Mother Design about bringing together design and advertising work under one roof, and the perception of design work produced at ad agencies
Inside the surreal world of Slowthai
As Slowthai reveals his introspective side with new album Tyron, we speak to frequent collaborators Crowns & Owls about the album art’s attempt to crack the glossy veneer of fame, and why the Northampton-born rapper is still the voice of a generation
CR’s pick of the 2021 Super Bowl ads
While the pandemic inevitably ushered in some changes to this year’s Super Bowl, we saw some familiar trends in the advertising around the big game
Lakwena on belief, mythology and making a statement
The London-based artist discusses the motivation and process behind her epic painted murals, which combine vibrant colour palettes with uplifting messages that are rooted in spirituality
Twitter’s new identity reflects the messiness of life online
Created by Twitter’s in-house team and French studio Irradié, the social media platform’s refreshed branding features an “intentionally imperfect” aesthetic and new brand font, Chirp
Oliver Jeffers on changing plans
The artist and children’s book author shares how Covid derailed his travel and career plans and how he’s adapted his life and creative practice as a result
The changing nature of book cover design
Donna Payne, Faber’s creative director, explains her creative process when designing a cover, and touches upon the impact of the pandemic and the boost in online sales it’s prompted
How I Work: Bukola Garry, adam&eveDDB
The ad agency’s new head of diversity, equality and inclusion talks to us about her experiences in advertising, her plans for the role, and why it isn’t about being the ‘PC police’
Denizen Works: in praise of off-kilter creativity
Murray Kerr, founder of architecture practice Denizen Works, shares his purposefully ‘naïve’ approach to design and discusses the challenges of leading his studio off the beaten path
Reverting to Type exhibition features protest posters by 100 letterpress artists
The online exhibition features a mix of famous names and less-heard voices, who all use letterpress techniques to express their feelings on a range of contemporary issues
The evolution of street art
While art shown indoors may have temporarily lost its audience to the pandemic, street art is on the rise. Here, Hazel Davis reflects on how the medium is growing ever more part of the art establishment, yet can still be used as a force for change
Behind the scenes of Burger King’s juicy rebrand
JKR executive creative director Lisa Smith explains why the fast food giant ditched the glossy buns and embraced a bit of nostalgia, to become “how you imagine BK to be on its best day”
Jack Forrest’s daily poster project puts an emphasis on bold typography
Having just graduated, the designer experiments with different styles and imagery in his posters to challenge himself and connect with the design community
How crucial is luck in making great work?
Lucky Generals founding partner Andy Nairn talks to us about why brands and organisations should embrace strategies to encourage a stroke of luck – and also recognise the positives in bad fortune
Seesaws along US-Mexico border named the Design Museum’s top pick of 2020
Teeter-Totter Wall has been announced as the overall winner of the Beazley Designs of the Year, while category winners include a Covid-19 visualisation and a portable school
Anthony Burrill has designed a seven-storey-high mural for Leeds
Black and white lettering stretches 88ft high in the designer’s biggest artwork so far, which adorns the end of a historic canal-side building in the city
How to survive 2021: A Guide for Creatives
With the uncertainty and challenges of 2020 following us into the new year, we talk to a number of industry experts about the ways that creatives can survive – and even thrive – in 2021
How the tech revolution failed creatives
Tech firms once claimed they could set us free. But, as a new book points out, for those working in the creative industries, the offering has proved a particularly bad deal
