by Frank | Feb 3, 2014 | CIO Connect, graphic design, illustration, magazine design
This issue of CIO Connect magazine seems to be quite focused on growth. The economy (we are told) is improving, apparently, so a couple of the articles are about how to get the best out of that growth. Thus, two of my illustrations feature plants – a big tree with speech bubbles for leaves (showing how growth can be made more solid when everyone’s opinions are taken on board) and a watering can nourishing seedling employees and helping them be more creative.

As ever there is some stunning photography from Martin Burton who makes my job so much easier.

You can view the whole issue digitally here
by Frank | May 14, 2013 | CIO Connect, graphic design, magazine design

Henry the cat presents the latest issue of CIO Connect magazine
Well hello my lovelies! Now that it’s summer *looks out of window* I mean, now that it’s MAY, the latest issue of CIO Connect magazine is dropping on to doormats and desks across the world. And I designed it! Here is a picture of the magazine, with a cat.
I guess some people might think that designing a magazine about IT would be boring. It’s quite the opposite. It’s about IT leaders and how they solve problems (solving problems being one of my favourite things to do) and the editor Mark Samuels lets me have a bit of a free rein with the design. We want to keep it fresh and interesting and have the personalities of the people interviewed jump out at you. Because I’ve been designing it for so long I feel I know their readership quite well, so I have a lot of fun creating illustrations and spreads for the magazine.
I guess my best advice for those thinking of publishing a magazine is to invest as heavily in images as in copy – good photography and illustration make the world of difference. They bring life to the page and really draw the eye in. You can go the other extreme and have a periodical with few photos at all – and still have wonderful design – but bad photography is really worse than none.
More spreads below for your viewing pleasure (click on anything to make it bigger), and the full issue of the magazine can be read online here!

by Frank | Feb 18, 2013 | CIO Connect, illustration, magazine design, slider
Illustrations from the last two issues of CIO Connect magazine:

by Frank | Oct 12, 2012 | CIO Connect, graphic design, illustration
Here is Professor Brian Cox presenting at this year’s CIO Connect annual conference. He is stood in front of the conference branding, designed by yours truly. Hooray!
Picture credit goes to the fantastic Martin Burton

by Frank | Sep 10, 2012 | CIO Connect
Hey, just waiting for my computer to update some software so thought I’d show you these quickly – a couple of ads I did for CIO Connect. They’re for News International’s iPad app and featured in last weekend’s Sunday Times (9th September 2012).

vertical iPad ad for CIO Connect
Obviously when designing an ad for a device like the iPad it has to work horizontally and vertically.

Horizontal ad for CIO Connect
by Frank | Aug 15, 2012 | CIO Connect, graphic design, illustration, magazine design, slider
As I write, it’s raining. Plus ça change. But that doesn’t stop there being a fabulous new issue of CIO Connect magazine out! Hooray!
I designed it from front to back, and this issue, like the last one, I was asked to create some illustrations. Here are some of the purty pages for your eyes’ happiness!





