About Frank Duffy MA

Flexible Welsh creative & professional printmaker, illustrator and graphic designer in Carmarthen with a wealth of experience, wide-ranging clients and excellent testimonials.

A bit of history

I’ve been working as a full-time graphic designer and illustrator since 2000.

Initially I worked for an agency in Cambridge. In 2002 I became senior designer, working directly with clients like Blackwell’s Bookshops, Marks and Spencer, InterContinental Hotels Group and Bass PLC, from brief to sign-off.

In 2003 I went freelance. I’ve worked for a wide variety of clients – from start-ups to FTSE 100 international corporations, and I’ve designed logos, adverts, posters, brochures, business cards, created animated backdrops for conferences, come up with huge murals and constructed fabric wall hangings. I’m pretty flexible.

In 2018 I graduated with distinction from Falmouth School of Art’s Masters in Illustration: Authorial Practice and was asked to speak at their Illustration Forum the following year.

What I can do

I have desktop and laptop macs both running the latest Adobe CC suite, along with a Wacom Cintique pro (a large fancy tablet for digital drawing).

I can create design work from scratch – I can help you flesh out your brief, choose papers, provide pencil sketches, comps, photoshop your spots out and provide printers’ PDFs. I can source print quotes, liaise directly with printers and translate technical speak into plain English. I will not blind you with science. If you are new to this stuff I will hold your hand and walk you through it.

I’ve advanced skills in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign. My hand-drawing skills are excellent, and I can paint well in acrylic and oils. I illustrate by hand using pencils, pens and paints as well as digitally. I practise traditional lino printmaking on an etching press.

I am not fluent in Welsh (yet) but very comfortable working with the language. I have plenty of experience working bilingually – for clients like Amgueddfa Cymru, The National Trust and TUC.

What I am like

I’ve been doing this a while and know my stuff. If I don’t know an answer to your question I’ll be honest about it. I provide firm quotes, communicate clearly, I meet deadlines. I take responsibility for things, I get excited about things, and I work with humour and enthusiasm. I like working for the good guys.

I’ve no interest in bullshitting people. I probably swear too much.

I have lots of nice testimonials and am more than happy to provide references.

I am a non-binary trans person and my pronouns are they and them 🙂