Our guest on the podcast this week is Arthur Foliard, a creative director originally from Paris who is currently based in New York City. Arthur has travelled the world since he accepted an internship at Landor Associates in San Francisco over a decade ago. He later moved to London and worked for Pentagram before joining Moving Brands for a couple of years, rising from junior to senior designer. In 2016, Arthur tried his hand at freelancing for under a year but then was snapped up by the London design agency Koto – becoming its Design Director in 2017. He's still there today but has recently moved to the States to head up its new studio in New York. Although Arthur predominantly works in graphic design, he is also renowned for his illustration work – often merging the two disciplines to deliver stunning identities for the likes of Backmarket, Meatable, and Yubo. His illustration work, meanwhile, is instantly recognisable – often spotted on walls and billboards across London. In this episode, we talk about his adventures around the world. And what "home" means to him when he's not in Paris – how all these other places where he's lived differ from one another; their various cultures and ways of doing business. He also shares how he found himself in San Francisco straight after college. And how he coped with not being able to speak a word of English. We delve into his time at Koto and what it's like to be head of its new office in New York, which isn't even a year old. There's a bit of juicy insight into the studio's culture, how they might follow London's example and how it looks after its people. And Arthur shares why he believes everyone should be together, collaborating and supporting one another in the same room. It's a fun chat with someone who clearly isn't afraid of the future and doesn't dwell too much on the past – something many of us will find comforting during these rocky and uncertain times.

This week's guest is Katie Jones, a graphic designer from Manchester. We met Katie at the Manchester School of Art, where she is currently an associate lecturer. It's a role she adores, as she spends a lot of time doing something she loves while helping the next generation of designers. She enjoys it so much that in 2019, she scooped an MMU Teaching Award for 'Outstanding Feedback', the first teaching award the Art School has ever won. The School is where Katie studied her own art foundation and a degree in Graphic Design. During her course, she looked around at the other students and teachers and found a calling to create a magazine called Fresh – one that would shine a spotlight on diverse creatives. It's a side project that has since opened many doors, built skills and confidence, and introduced Katie to the wider creative industry. In fact, Fresh made Katie realise just how important it is to build her own community. And so, she's since become part of SLAN Collective, a global network of artists and designers who all support one another. She's also become one of the people behind Ladies, Wine & Design in Manchester – the networking group for women. Aside from these valuable hustles, Katie also runs a vegan food truck with her family. In this episode, we talk about the values and life lessons Katie inherited from her parents and two brothers. It's the way she holds herself, not conforming to any gender roles and why she has the strength and courage to pave her way – despite having that conversation with her mother, the one some of you know only too well. We also hear about side projects and why they can be so fruitful. About rebellion and artistic freedom. Of listening to your gut and not being afraid to change or quit something if it isn't working. Katie also shares why she will not accept the status quo and doesn't want to be pigeonholed into one field or merely picked out for the colour of her skin. It's a warm and honest conversation with someone who reminds us to count our blessings and counter these difficult times through the currency of kindness.

We kick off season five of The Creative Boom Podcast with a topic that is, thankfully, getting louder in the creative industries. And that's mental health. We've invited Manchester-based graphic designer Graham Jones as our first guest to guide us through. Now, if you're one of those creatives who doesn't do any marketing or seek fame in this industry, then Graham's approach will appeal. He's stayed deliberately quiet, not seeking out interviews or press coverage. Instead, he's been focusing on navigating his way through a successful career spanning over two decades. And he's had the publicity without even trying, as his work speaks for itself. He's been published in dozens of respected books by Victionary and Counter-Print and celebrated in magazines such as Computer Arts and Grafik. Graham runs the independent design studio Loose Collective and is a part-time senior lecturer at the Manchester School of Art. If there's one thing he's especially famous for in the North West, it's for being one of the nicest people in the industry. Graham knows everyone and is well-loved. He's a positive force for good in the design community and someone who, we discover, has fought many battles to overcome his own mental struggles. In this episode, we chat about the obsession with fame and fortune in the design industry, why it's bad for mental health and why being famous shouldn't be the goal. Graham also gives us a reality check about the field overall – it's not glamorous, for the most part. It can be hard work, a real slog. You have to love the profession to do it. We also discuss overcoming imposter syndrome and the little mind tricks we can play to be happier creatives. And Graham gives us lots more reassuring advice to navigate what can sometimes feel like a demanding career.

What does it feel like to be immersed in a scene documenting the rise of the UK's most important musical genre since punk? Simon Wheatley is an acclaimed photographer who did just that, capturing grime culture as it happened. His subsequent book Don't Call Me Urban! The Time of Grime was released in 2010, offering a fascinating insight into that world through music portraiture, reportage and architectural imagery. It shot to the top of the book charts and was immediately hailed as a classic of British documentary photography. Since then, Simon has continued his work around the grime scene – also as a filmmaker – and he is currently editing for a more comprehensive book that will cover the genre's evolution up to the present day. Amongst Simon's career highlights have been a spectacular spell with the Magnum agency – producing groundbreaking work from the French suburbs after the riots of 2005 – and being selected as the worldwide ambassador for the launch of Leica's legendary M-series camera in 2006. In 2018, he was invited to be the in-house photographer at London's Abbey Road Studios. Over the past decade, Simon has divided his time between London and India, the land of his maternal ancestry, where he has continued his photography and studied yogic philosophy and music. He also carries out workshops worldwide and is developing a course of photography that seeks to combine physical, mental and spiritual development. A self-proclaimed outsider, we wanted to know more about how his childhood, moving between the varying cultures of Singapore and England, and how that experience shaped him as a person. We asked what it was like to attend a Surrey boarding school where he didn't really fit in and what led him to documentary photography, finding a sense of belonging in London. There's a lot we cover. It's a humbling conversation with a gentle, curious soul that today embraces his many quirks and traits – something we can all aspire to. Season Four of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Astropad Studio.

We speak to many people about how they got into graphic design. But we never expect anyone to admit that a dislike of their handwriting would set them off on this creative path. This was certainly the case for Alison Haigh. Realising computers were the answer to crafting neater typography, she fell in love with design. And today is Design Director at Accept & Proceed, a respected studio based in London that's behind identities for Dickies and campaigns for Nike. Alison has had quite the journey to get here. After graduating from the University of Brighton in 2009 – at the height of the global economic crisis – she had internships at NB Studio, Small and various other agencies. It was typical of that era – jobs were scarce, and Alison did all she could to get onto the ladder. Her determination paid off as she landed her first role at Nelson Associates. She later joined Proud and spent three years building skills and experience there before securing a dream role at Wolff Olins as a senior designer. In 2018, she became part of the team at Design Studio, but two years later, she found her way back to a smaller agency via Accept and Proceed. After spending 11 years in the creative industry, Alison realised there wasn't much support for the difficult "middle" – that part of our careers between graduation and the top of the ladder. So in 2019, she launched The Middle School to provide honest advice and practical skills to designers in the middle of their careers. By helping more people stay in the industry, realise their potential, and become better leaders, Alison hopes it'll be a small step towards tackling wider industry problems around diversity and mental health. In this episode, we talk about this and much more, including how she feels the industry is becoming more honest and vulnerable and why that's such a good thing. Season Four of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Astropad Studio.

It was the picture books from her childhood that inspired our next guest to become a freelance artist. The illustrated stories sparked a passion for drawing for Aysha Tengiz but were also what kept her sane growing up in Turkey, where her family had moved to be closer to her father’s. Now based in London, Aysha specialises in illustration, animation and textile design. Her work is playful, colourful, and often of everyday scenes full of charming characters like Fil, a lonely elephant who was also the star of her first picture book. A graduate of Camberwell College of Arts, Aysha has worked in Illustration since breaking into the industry five years ago. Today she is represented by Closer & Closer in North America, and her clients include The New York Times, Facebook, and Stella McCartney. It’s been a whirlwind of success. One she partly puts down to being part of a thriving London community. In this episode, we talk about freelancing as an illustrator and why it can often be hard to find your place in the world and settle on a style that suits you and your personality. We talk a lot about money – a subject that we feel just isn’t covered enough. And we understand more about what it takes to survive in an increasingly competitive field. Season Four of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Astropad Studio.

Those of you who remember the glory days of web design, Web 2.0, Flash and ActionScript, when the FWA and Deviant Art were just getting started, and when everything felt new and exciting, almost like a Wild West of the Internet, then our next guest will make you smile. Elliot Jay Stocks is a legend in the web design world. He began working as a junior designer for EMI Music, which he admits was a lucky break thanks to his portfolio, which had all the websites he'd designed and built for friends' bands while studying Contemporary Media Practice at university. Some of you will remember Elliot's time spent at Carsonified – the website he designed for that agency went down in the web design hall of fame and today is still seen as a turning point for the industry. With all that experience, Elliot has done a ton of talks around the world and written for magazines such as Computer Arts and Dot Net. In 2010, he launched a print magazine called 8 Faces, dedicated to type, typography and lettering. Later on, he joined Typekit as Creative Director, which has since become Adobe Fonts. Then, after getting married and becoming a father, he and his wife Samantha launched their own magazine on the elusive idea of work-life balance. Today, he's working with Google on Fonts Knowledge, a library of original guides to the world of typography. Interestingly, he's been remote since 2013, working from his peaceful garden office near Bristol and where I was invited to sit down and chat about his journey so far. Surrounded by many keyboards and instruments, showing a clear passion for making music on the side, we wanted to know if Elliot ever sits still and whether side projects and experiments have always been a focus. We wanted to ask how he feels about working for Google. And whether he's managed to achieve that ultimate goal that we all dream of – to balance life with work and be happy. Season Four of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Astropad Studio.

If you've been running a design studio for quite some time and with some success, does it feel like you've been doing so for many years? Or do you feel like you're only just getting started? This was the curious question we posed to Max Ottignon, a co-founder of Ragged Edge in London. Launched nearly 15 years ago with friend Matt Bland, the pair wanted to create a branding agency for people who "care less about how things are, and more about how things could be". That is anyone with the conviction to challenge the status quo. It's a mission that's done them proud. Today, the studio is behind fresh identities for the likes of Papier, Mindful Chef, Laka and East London Liquor Company. It's won many awards. And there's a team of nearly 40 talented designers, strategy directors, 3D artists, digital specialists and writers – all of whom the studio calls 'change-makers'. So what does this change mean in design? And what has Max learnt over 15 years of running a studio that wants to do things differently? What's it been like growing a team – from global economic crisis to global pandemic? And how does Ragged Edge stand out in an increasingly competitive industry? Does Max even feel like the studio is fully established now? Or is there still work to do? We sat down with Max to find out more. A tall yet quiet character, there's a humbleness to Max and an eagerness to push forward, keep improving and build on their success. To do the right thing. And to create something that puts people before profit. Perhaps leave a legacy that's about meaningful change and making a difference, more than anything else. Season Four of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Astropad Studio.

Boma Krijgsman is a cultural champion who is currently part of the team at JDO in London. As a brand ambassador and talent manager, she helps the creative agency raise its profile to attract clients and diverse talent. A self-proclaimed 'hustle bunny', Boma began her career travelling the world, working incredibly hard and picking up skills and experience along the way. She spent two years in Vietnam as the PR and marketing manager for a large fashion retailer, which she admits was a "dream job" as she worked with brands such as Versace, Christian Louboutin, and Jimmy Choo. She then returned to the UK, where she launched her own business to specialise in project management. Today, she's settled in Kent and is the proud mother of three children, juggling parenthood with her role at JDO. We wanted to learn more about her exciting adventures and how she found herself in her current role. From a dip into tourism and then modelling to discovering a passion for PR and marketing, there seems to be no limit to Boma's infectious energy and talents. We talk about diversity and inclusion in the creative industry and why we still have a long way to go. And we share truths about confidence, motherhood and being a woman in design, and finding ourselves – realising our potential and embracing everything that comes our way. Season Four of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Astropad Studio.

What was it like to move to the UK from Delhi in the 1970s, aged just five years old? For Gush Mundae, founder of creative agency Bulletproof, he felt that, as an immigrant, he was never "invited in", so he admits it was a real hustle from the beginning. Hip-hop was just emerging in Britain, which he became obsessed with – along with all the associated culture, like graffiti art and sneakers. But Gush admits the street art "got him into a lot of trouble with the boys in blue and rival gangs" until his art teacher encouraged him to take that passion for art to explore graphic design and consider a respectable career in the creative industry. So, in 1998, Gush took the plunge and founded Bulletproof using £2,000 of his personal savings. Today, his agency works with Cadbury, Football Association Wales and Soapsmith from studios in London, Amsterdam, New York, Sydney, Singapore and – most recently – Shanghai. Describing Bulletproof as his "life's work", we were eager to learn more about what he's been through. The blood, sweat and tears. The big lessons and the bold moves. Join us for this fascinating, honest chat from one of the best names in the business – from racism and Brexit to hip hop, modern music and design; from overcoming childhood traumas and growing a global agency to adapting to the world today – Gush Mundae reveals all. Season Four of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Astropad Studio.

Our guest this week is Marina Willer, an award-winning graphic designer and filmmaker and one of Pentagram's many respected partners. Before joining the global agency, she was head creative director for Wolff Olins in London. With an MA in Graphic Design from the Royal College of Art, Marina has enjoyed an incredible career so far. She's led the design of major identities, including Rolls Royce, Oxfam, Nesta and Amnesty International. She recently rebranded Battersea and Sight and Sound Magazine. And as a multi-faceted designer, she has even designed major exhibitions for the Design Museum, including Ferrari: Under the Skin and Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition. Both were the most-visited shows in the museum's history. Elsewhere, Marina's first feature film, Red Trees, premiered at the 2017 Canne Film Festival and was released worldwide by Netflix in 2018 to much critical acclaim. She talks about it fondly in this episode and shares many other fascinating insights into her amazing creative journey. We talk about her process and inspirations. We learn more about Pentagram and how she feels about the world right now. We discuss the idea of "home" and how it feels to be in London post-pandemic. And she shares the joy of realising that work continues to surprise her, even after it's been 20 years since she famously rebranded Tate. Season Four of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Astropad Studio.

Mat Voyce describes himself as a "non-award-winning" graphic and motion designer based in the UK – not only because he hasn't yet won any awards and wants to joke about it, but perhaps to prove a point that you don't need a trophy to be a success. And a success Mat has truly been. Specialising in 2D type animation, Mat has become known for his pioneering style that explores illustrative kinetic typography. It's actually what made him famous, as he spent the pandemic creating simple yet positive type art on Instagram. He gained a huge following, which allowed him to raise his profile and network with the global creative community, leading to huge client wins such as Disney, Google, Nike and YouTube. Spending so much time and effort on his Instagram account allowed Mat to flex his creative muscles and build on his skills. We wanted to chat with Mat about this rise to fame, his experience of Instagram overall and how when Covid-19 hit, he just got his head down and got on with his work. We talk of the treadmill of freelancing and how to find a good balance – even whether that's possible. We discuss looking after our mental health and the highs and lows of social media. And we hear more about creative copycats and how to cope with people who are a little too inspired by our own work. There's a lot that Mat has generously shared here. So we hope this "friendly neighbourhood type animator", as he describes himself, brings you some warmth and wisdom this Monday morning. Season Four of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Astropad Studio.

Darnell Brown is a growth strategist and educator based in North Carolina. Originally a graphic designer, he now helps businesses to harness their superpowers, hack their time and impact lives through creative courses and consulting.  It’s a career he carved out for himself after suffering the effects of burnout during his days of crafting logos and building brand identities. It was 2008, at the peak of the global economic crisis when he decided to make the change from full-time employment to freelancing, spotting an opportunity to hire himself when no one else would. Almost fourteen years later, Darnell has helped hundreds of clients to thrive and continues to apply everything he’s learnt so far – from his days as a kid in the '90s, hustling and making money from his comic book drawings, to his time helping tech startups to raise millions in funding. We wanted to hear more about Darnell's path to success. And discover all the things he's learnt along the way. Believe me, his passion for business and creativity will spark a spring in your step today. Season Four of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Astropad Studio.

For episode 74, our guest is Sarah Hyndman, a graphic designer and researcher and the person behind Type Tasting – a practice that's on a mission to change the way we think and talk about typography by making it fun and exciting for everyone. Sarah specialises in making typography entertaining and relevant with humour, a dash of theatre and lashings of audience participation. And she is also the author of various books on type, including the bestselling book Why Fonts Matter and the title, How to Draw Type and Influence People. Through her practice, she gets us to think about type in ways we never thought possible. Whether she's doing a TED X talk, TV interview, radio show or installation at the V&A – she takes typography way beyond the world of graphic design. Chef Heston Blu-men-thal even calls on Sarah as his "font science" expert. I wanted to pick Sarah's brains on all things type. On how typography has changed since she first discovered it as a child, looking at chocolate and sweet wrappers in her local corner shop. We hear her thoughts on trends and the overall design industry about type snobbery and why we're all experts. And we delve into the subconscious and how we feel about various typefaces. Even whether they have the power to change the world, shape our behaviour and influence pop culture. Season Four of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Astropad Studio.

We're kicking off season four of The Creative Boom Podcast with Constance Fleuriot – a writer, games developer and producer based in Bristol who runs her own game design company, Pretty Digital. Constance also runs Grrrl Games to support women and girls of all ages to make games. A big part of her practice is helping people to develop ideas and research plans – and she encourages people of all ages to be creative producers, rather than consumers. Her work history includes creative technologies research for HP, Intel, NESTAfuturelab, pmstudio/Watershed and various community-based and educational organisations. She’s also part of the University of West of England team delivering the MSc in Data Science. In this episode, we talk about women and girls in gaming, why there still aren't enough of us and how we can inspire more to join the industry. We talk of diversity in gaming overall and whether any progress has been made in recent years. We consider gender roles and identity and why it's important to create female as well as gender-neutral video game characters. And there's a delve into the creative process of game design, and why you don't need to know how to use a computer to get started. For anyone interested in making video games, Constance is hosting a course at Clayhill Arts in Somerset from 13 to 15 May 2022. Titled Creating Stories: Game Design For Complete Beginners, it will show participants how to experiment with this rapidly-growing medium using simple, analogue tools. Season Four of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Astropad Studio.

Venessa Scott is a Manchester-based prolific artist and a specialist in creative education whose reputation and artistic practice have grown significantly in recent years, leading to two commissions for Blue Peter, one of which involved her designing a Blue Peter badge. Venessa is also behind one of the UK's tallest murals, celebrating the pioneering work of Sylvia Pankhurst. She's won awards, become a Great Mancunian – which is a local project by Manchester College to celebrate people who have had a significant cultural and creative impact on the City of Manchester and its surrounding areas – and has been appointed as an official ambassador for The Pankhurst Centre. But despite all this success, Venessa has gone through unimaginable suffering and loss of late. Even for this podcast, she told us of further sadness. But as always, she is positive, and full of and warmth and determination. This strength perhaps comes from having a solid family and local community. It's perhaps why Venessa dedicates so much time to helping others, as she and her sister also run Seven Three One, a non-profit organisation that uses creativity to further the education and skills of serving prisoners, ex-offenders and disengaged young people. Here, Venessa chats about finding her voice despite the sexism or racism she has sometimes endured. About not having a seat at that mythical table and why it's important to build our own, welcoming everyone else to join us. We hear why it took Venessa a while to declare herself an artist. And we talk of her work, colour, pattern, doing what we love, having confidence, speaking up, speaking out – and why great things can happen if we let down our armour, be ourselves and embrace all the joyful wonderful things that make us unique and special. Season Three of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Capture One.

Dave Smyth is a designer and developer based in the UK. Over the last few years, Dave has become increasingly interested in privacy and surveillance capitalism. He sometimes shares his thoughts on these topics via his blog – from looking at our permanent digital records and how to de-Google ourselves, to read receipts, Twitter lists and cookies. With so much happening in the tech world right now – including Facebook rebranding as Meta, the increasingly noisy conversation about privacy, and recent leaks that have shocked the world – we felt it was a timely conversation to consider how we use the Internet and social media, and why we might want to review the browsers, search engines, tools, platforms and apps that we use. We talk about digital minimalism, social media holidays, managing Twitter and removing all followers (and why that is beneficial but sometimes problematic). We talk data, tracking and advertising. We also ponder over the value we get back from sharing our lives with the world. Of course, these are themes that have possibly entered the realm of death, funerals, and pensions – we don't like to talk about them. It's often easier to ignore, hoping that the issues will go away. But the elephant in the room is that millions of us are suffering from "online fatigue" and we're increasingly worried about our mental health, weekly screentime and privacy. As such, many of us are looking for an escape from this digital world. Never mind the metaverse, if you've been thinking about how you use apps, how you email or browse the web, then Dave will definitely leave you something to think about. Season Three of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Capture One.

Ananya Rao-Middleton is a London-based freelance illustrator and chronic illness activist who uses her work to express herself post-brain injury and as someone living with multiple sclerosis (MS).  Her work is vivid, vibrant and explorative. Eye-catching colours and powerful affirmations are a common feature, too, as Ananya describes herself as a feminist illustrator and someone who wants to support people with invisible illnesses.  Here, we learn more about Ananya's journey and how she came to suffer herself. Why it's important to speak up and share her experience to help others. She highlights the importance of rest and listening to our bodies. She also talks of discrimination, a lack of understanding – and how she's trying to turn that around, making people more aware of the invisible disabilities or illnesses that people might have. It's an important topic.  Ananya also talks of her childhood, about bullying and racism, how that's made her a stronger person, able to cope with the challenges of today. She is so hopeful and positive that the creative community can be the force that brings positive change. This is a positive, thoughtful chat for anyone curious to learn more about these topics or perhaps have the reassurance they are not alone. Season Three of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Capture One.

Tim Easley is an award-winning illustrator, designer and photographer from London who's probably best known for his bright palette and bold lines, as well as playful characters and hand-drawn lettering. Influenced by urban kitsch, nature and neon signage, he works across many mediums, including hand-drawn skateboards, canvases, plasticine sculptures, painted basketballs and digital pieces. Tim came up to Manchester earlier this year and popped round my house. As expected, he turned up very well dressed and donning an excellent pair of sneakers. Trainers are, in fact, something of a passion project for Tim, who has Nike, Adidas, and Foot Locker amongst his many happy clients. Interestingly, he's entirely self-taught as he didn't have a formal education. We talk about this and much more, including his days living in Japan and returning to the UK to open an independent record shop in London. It's where he discovered a passion for graphic design and illustration and began moving in that direction.  Tim also shares his love of technology. We get nostalgic and talk of Walkmans, CDs and computer games. Tim reveals why he wants to live forever, so he can see how the world changes – particularly how technology advances. We also talk about why he immediately had to go freelance and why social media was a saving grace and is something he still enjoys today. And we hear why next year, Tim hopes to spend more time playing and doing things he loves. A fun, joyful and light-hearted conversation with an optimistic, humble human being. Season Three of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Capture One.

Anoosha Syed is an illustrator and character designer for animation whose clients include Google, Netflix, and Warner Brothers. Born in Pakistan, Anoosha has spent much of her life moving around the world, growing up in Switzerland, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and settling in Toronto. She studied Illustration in Switzerland and began her career in animation, starting on the preschool series 'Dot' for Sprout and Disney Jr before beginning to work extensively in children's books. Her debut picture book, Bilal Cooks Daal, won an award and led to further commissions, including the most recent Rise Up and Write It by Nandini Ahuja. And this year, she was excited to have a dream come true, publishing her debut children's book, which she wrote and illustrated. In her spare time, Anoosha co-hosts a podcast called The Art Corner, which aims to educate younger artists on the ins and outs of the art industry. She also has her own YouTube channel. As a woman of colour, Anoosha's priority in her work is always diversity; she never saw herself in the media she consumed as a child and wants to correct that with more diverse stories and characters. Here, we talk of diversity in animation, how she's thankful for being a freelance illustrator in the 2020s when she's free to create a wealth of different characters and stories, and why audiences have more power to shape the books and the films we all enjoy. She is optimistic about the future and talks of her passion for creating children's books and inspiring the next generation. We also learn of her career shift from animation to publishing and why listening to your heart and knowing when to make a change is so important. We also hear how she moved away from her identity when she was a child, as a teacher mispronounced her name – sadly, a common issue.  We dip into the issue of pricing and why no one is talking about money in the world of freelance illustration. And if you're an illustrator yourself, keen to find out how to get published, Anoosha gives us an insight into that often secretive industry. Season Three of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Capture One.

Ben Tallon is an illustrator who has two decades of experience in the field with a hand-drawn style that's lively, loud and expressive. One that has done him proud across many disciplines from print, digital and animation to set design and large-scale media. So far, his clients include The Guardian, EasyJet, World Wrestling Entertainment, Penguin and UNICEF. His debut book, Champagne and Wax Crayons, was published in 2015 to much acclaim – it offers an honest account of what it means to be creative. Since then, he's won an award, written a few more books, and started his own show, The Creative Condition Podcast, which features insightful interviews with people across the creative community. Ben grew up in Keighley, West Yorkshire, where he loved Leeds United, wrestling and video games – things that clearly inspire his art today. He has a BTEC in Graphic Design from Keighley College and a BA in Illustration from the University of Central Lancashire. Here, Ben shares his experience of being a freelance illustrator and what he's learned over the past 20 years. It's an inspiring conversation with someone who is full of passion and determination, and who has this innate ability to capture the many ups and downs of modern life – from imposter syndrome and losing ourselves in creative trends to suffering isolation working from home and overcoming those difficult days when we get stuck and can't seem to get going. This is especially insightful for any aspiring illustrator who is hoping to carve a career out of freelancing in what can often feel like a challenging industry. Season Three of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Capture One.

Amanda Rach Lee is an artist and digital content creator based in Toronto, Canada, who has built a successful career out of social media. It all began in 2013 at just 14 years old when she uploaded her first video to YouTube. Today, she has millions of subscribers and social media fans who enjoy her fun and quirky doodles, positive illustrations and updates on bullet journaling, as well as hand-lettering tutorials. If you've not heard of bullet journaling, it's a planning system created by Ryder Carroll which is meant to be an "evolving, adaptable practice meant to be self-curated as you determine what's best for you". This is certainly reflective of Amanda's own career path – one that she admits has been a massive learning curve, as she has had to wear so many different hats over the years and find ways to continue to grow. Luck has played a part, she admits, but it's clear that hard work has also helped. It's not all been fun and games: social media has an ugly side, too. We talk about internet trolls, dealing with negative comments and the impact on our mental health. But then we share lots of tips on coping with these things and seeing the positive in everything. And Amanda is indeed positive, as we share a few laughs on things like gaming, Animal Crossing and the absurdity of modern life. Given that being online is such a big part of our work life, I thought it would be fascinating to chat with Amanda and hear about her immense success, as well as her thoughts on changing algorithms, internet trolls and staying sane online. We also learn more about how she's carved a career out of content creation and illustration. I think this is especially helpful for anyone hoping to learn more about marketing and build their own online presence in what has become an increasingly competitive space. Season Three of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Capture One.

Timothy Goodman is an award-winning designer, illustrator, muralist and author based in New York City who also teaches at the School of Visual Arts. His beloved grandma simply calls him an artist. We've seen Timothy's art and words across everything from basketball courts and buildings to magazine covers and galleries worldwide. And his clients today include Google, Samsung, and Airbnb. He's co-created lots of notable side projects – like the famous 40 Days of Dating (which also became a book) and 12 Kinds of Kindness with Jessica Walsh. He's also behind People of Craft, a growing showcase of creatives of colour. And he's the author of the Sharpie Art Workshop. He's got a third book in the making, which he announces in this podcast. Timothy has also done a collection with Uniqlo. And he's just enjoyed his first solo exhibition in New York, too. I'd got some impression of what Timothy might be like through various interviews and projects, but I didn't expect such an open and honest chat about his life and work. Or that we'd cover the meaning of life. Timothy also talks candidly about the lessons he's learnt, of having to pay and work his way through education, and why it's so important to have side projects, ask for help, and speak up and speak out. As we're on the verge of welcoming 2022 and hoping it brings much positivity, I thought this was a timely conversation with someone that doesn't hold anything back. Season Three of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Capture One.

Our next guest is Niki Groom, also known as Miss Magpie Spy, an award-winning fashion, beauty and lifestyle illustrator from the UK. Creating work that is colourful, hand-drawn, and feminine, her clients include Vogue, Saatchi & Saatchi, and Liberty. Whether it's for ad campaigns, window displays, editorial pieces, or live events, Niki favours a mixture of watercolour paints, marker pens, ink, and fine liner. Before her venture into illustration, she was a fashion designer for 15 years, something she says helps her enormously in her career, as she has a unique understanding of colour, fabric and print. Aside from her freelancing, Niki is part of the brilliant live-illustration LIL Collective, which brings together a selection of talented fashion illustrators who specialise in events illustration. So far, she's illustrated at venues such as Selfridges, Harrods, and even live on air for BBC Radio 1. I met Niki in London last month to hear more about her creative journey. Our conversation threw up lots of helpful advice on freelancing, marketing, and surviving as a professional illustrator. We hear of her fascinating experience of being a fashion designer, her time living in India, and how a backpacking trip to Australia led to her first illustration commission and work with Vogue. And we dive into cultural shifts, slow fashion, and diversity in the creative industries. Season Three of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Capture One.

Alex Gamsu Jenkins is an illustrator and cartoonist from south London who graduated from Camberwell College of Arts in 2015 having studied Illustration. Since then, he's worked for everyone from Adobe and Vice to The New York Times and Netflix, building quite the reputation and following for his satirical, often grotesque work. He says he tries to avoid any pretence and instead wallows in humour, whilst touching on the absurd and surreal. With nearly 600,000 followers on Instagram, Alex enjoys sharing little comic strips and illustrations that are joyfully dark, creepy and unexpected. With this in mind, it was with some anticipation that I met Alex in London earlier this year. There was nothing to fear though. We talk about Alex's journey so far and how he had a bit of a delayed start in the creative industries. How he's carved a career out of dark and humorous illustrations, comics, and more recently, animations. Interestingly, Alex admits he hopes to move away from the genre one day. We can't help but discuss the pandemic and how it's impacted him and how he realised he'd been running for a long time since graduating six years ago. It's an episode full of the highs and lows of freelancing, finding our creative voices, learning when we can pick and choose clients and projects. We also spend some time talking about TV shows, movies and culture from our childhoods – discovering we're both equally as forgetful as each other. One thing that I really found with Alex is his curiosity, kindness, and interest in other people. Most refreshingly, we discover Alex's curiosity, kindness, and interest in other people. A must-listen for those keen to build a successful career in illustration. Season Three of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Capture One.

Gail Anderson is an American graphic designer, writer and educator based in New York. Famous for her typographic works, hand-lettering and poster designs, she graduated from the School of Visual Arts in 1984, where one of her teachers was Paula Scher. She began her career as a designer at Vintage Books (part of Random House) and later The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. She then became senior art director for Rolling Stone, where she worked for 15 years, working her way up the ladder. In 2002, she was creative director at Spot Co, a studio that specialises in advertising for the arts and entertainment sectors. Today, Gail is a co-founder of Anderson Newton Designs, which she runs with Joe Newton. Gail has won numerous awards for her work over the years – some of which is in the permanent collections of the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum and the Library of Congress. She's also co-author with Steven Hellar of various design books, including the recent Type Speaks. And she's come full circle, working at the School of Visual Arts in New York where she enjoys teaching the next generation of graphic designers. Earlier this month, we chatted with Gail between lectures about what she's been up to lately. We hear more about her family, her childhood, and how the pandemic made her realise a few harsh truths. We learn of pumpkins and bears, and the real joy of having a place to call home. This is a warm and inspiring conversation with one of the biggest yet most humble names in graphic design today. Season Three of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Capture One.

Kicking off our third season with Kieron Lewis, a south London-born freelance graphic designer, public speaker and Adobe Live Host, with a degree in Graphic Arts. His clients so far include Penguin Books, Levi's, and Harper Collins. Aside from his freelance work, he's also one of the co-founders of London creative studio Olga and Kay, which he runs with photographer Olga Kott. Along with their collaborative projects, they're on a mission to give talks at local universities and colleges to inspire younger people to pursue a creative career. Kieron admits he didn't see many people who looked like him when he was in education, so wanted to do something about it. In the coming months, a book he designed, called Still Breathing: 100 Black Voices on Racism, will be exhibited at venues across London and the South East. And this week, Kieron will be one of the key speakers at Adobe Max. He's achieved a lot since we first wrote about him back in 2017. I met him in London in September, during London Design Festival, to chat about his decision to go freelance during a pandemic, why he loves to give back to the next generation, and how he's feeling after quite a few eventful years. We discuss the power of side projects, pushing creative skills and how to build confidence. We also talk of life getting back to normal, of dinner parties and how the world is changing for the better. Season Three of The Creative Boom Podcast is kindly sponsored by Capture One.

Graphic designer and illustrator George Simkin creates work that is bold, playful and loads of fun – pretty much a reflection of his lively personality. Originally from Ireland, he's a much-loved character on social media and became famous for his hilarious Christmas cards. In this episode, we talk about George leaving Ireland for London during that whirlwind excitement of youth when taking risks was something we didn't really second-guess. We chat about why it's nice getting older as we gain more confidence, we stop caring about what others think and we perhaps figure out who we are, tapping more into the things we love. We also realise we have to live in the moment – stop worrying about what happened in the past, or heaven forbid, what might go wrong in future.

Adriana Bellet is the Stockholm-based illustrator, otherwise known as Jeez Vanilla with clients including NBC News and The Guardian. Originally from Spain, Adriana graduated from University of the Arts London in 2010 with a postgrad in Surface Design and has been freelancing ever since. Here, we chat about her surviving the last decade as a freelancer and her recent move to being represented by an agent. We also talk about Black Lives Matter and the danger of tokenism, as well as the demands of motherhood, and how her views on work have changed since having two children.

Nicky Goulder is the founding chief executive of Create, the UK's leading charity empowering lives through the creative arts. It all began at Nicky's dining room table in 2003 following her vision a year earlier when she was motivated by a passion for helping to create a fair, caring and inclusive society where anyone, no matter their situation, could fulfil their potential. Here, we discuss how the creative arts have the power to change lives. We also find out how Create coped when the pandemic hit last year, how it adapted and the difference it continues to make, despite the many challenges today.

Trent Payne is a London-born award-winning creative who is currently the creative lead at TouchNote. During his varied career, he has run a thriving creative studio, and worked in-house and at leading agencies, working on campaigns for the likes of MTV, Nike and Warner Brothers. Here, we talk about what it was like back in the early '90s as a black student hoping to make it into that creative world – and we look at how things may or might not have changed in nearly three decades. We also talk about the differences between freelancing, working in-house and agency side. This is a frank and open discussion about the changing creative industries, unconventional paths, diversity, and the power of speaking up.

Katie Chappell is a freelance illustrator specialising in 'live event' illustration for brands such as Google, Facebook and Apple. She's also one of the founders of The Good Ship Illustration, helping other artists to navigate a creative career. Here, we talk about how Katie found her niche. And she explains why there's no shame in a part-time job when you're trying to make illustration a full-time career. We also discuss productivity tips, business planning and why having your own creative community is everything.

Brand consultant William Seabrook began his career in 2002 when he graduated with a degree in Visual Communication from Birmingham City University. He then spent three years working as a fashion illustrator but later ventured into design, launching his own branding consultancy. Here, we chat about growing businesses, the lessons we learn, the mistakes we make – all leading to something bigger and better. It's a very honest chat about surviving and thriving in the creative industries.

Glasgow-based illustrator and design writer, Greg McIndoe, otherwise known as Headless Greg, graduated in 2020, during the height of the global pandemic, and has immediately gone freelance. Here, we chat about the pandemic and how it's affected us. We also talk of slowing down, distancing ourselves from social media and why it's ok to share the things we all suffer from. That we're all the same. We also talk of overcoming rejection, finding our creative paths and why we don't have to worry about being stuck creatively.

Filmmaker, blogger and podcaster, Monique Henry-Hudson, is currently working at Netflix Animation, runs her own podcast, and is behind Diverse Toons, a travelling animation panel series that highlights the importance of diversity in the animation industry. Here, we chat about growing up in Queens, finding opportunities to get into animation and discovering unexpected paths. We talk about the power of networking and making valuable connections. And we delve into recent movie releases (Disney/Pixar's Soul and Onward) and how the industry is evolving after the events of last summer – not to mention how we, as an audience, are demanding more from creators and why there are lots of things to be excited about, particularly from Netflix.

London-based graphic designer and illustrator, Harkiran Kalsi has worked for the likes of Comic Relief and BBC Children in Need. She also creates gorgeous murals, in her signature hand-lettering style and uses her art to spread positive and important messages. Here, we find out from Harky how she got to where she is now – despite a few setbacks. We discuss that famous artwork she created last summer for Black Lives Matter and how the movement affected her. And we share some laughs (and much respect) for Lewis Hamilton, Will Smith and Richard, the street cat.

Luke Tonge is a freelance graphic designer and art director based in Birmingham and also one of the co-founders of Birmingham Design Festival. Here, we talk about the last decade or so, as we share similar paths in publishing and how we survived the global economic crisis and found a whole creative community online. We also talk of how times have changed, why the design industry still has some way to go, but how Luke is hopeful for people entering the working world today.

Anthropological Future Designer Stacie Woolsey is the founder of Make Your Own Masters – an alternative post-graduate learning experiment that she began to address the lack of access and diversity within the creative industries. Here, we discuss the problems with higher education, unusual job titles and the power of shaping our own careers however we want. So if you like a rebel with a cause, and you're looking to progress in your own life and work, Stacie is just the inspiration you need.

Award-winning graphic designer and illustrator Shanti Sparrow is also Global Head of Teaching at Shillington, which teaches the next generation of graphic designers. Here, we talk about her background, we find out why she gives her illustrated animals names (and why they're so traditionally British), and we talk of how the world is changing fast and for the better.

Graphic designer Damian Graham has spent the last 25 years becoming a specialist in his field, creating entire collections for names such as Speedo, Mitre Football and Berghaus. Here, we talk about Damian’s career and uncover excellent tips for aspiring designers hoping to enjoy a similar path to his own. Our conversation with Damian reminded us that we all find our way in the end – even though it might often involve some twists and turns. And that no experience is ever wasted.

Visual artist and author, Oliver Jeffers chats about how the events of last year affected him, putting a family round-the-world trip on hold. We also talk about how his practice has developed over the years, where he gets his ideas from, and what he has in store next. We discover, too, the sense of optimism and hope Oliver has for the future and why we all could benefit from slowing down.

Dani Molyneux is a typographic artist and designer based in Manchester. She's also the founder of design studio, Dotto, which turns four this year. Here, we chat about the challenges we face as women and about finding our voice. We talk of change in the creative industries, about overcoming fears and building confidence in the face of adversity. We also hear of Dani's childhood and how she came to become a graphic designer and artist, even though she thought her destiny was in fashion.

Cat How is a creative director and co-founder of How&How, a creative agency based in Lisbon and London. Here, we talk about Cat's adventurous spirit and how she's always followed her gut. We discover how she found herself in the field of graphic design. We talk about how what’s going in the world can impact us and why there are always silver linings to look for during difficult times. There's a lot of insight into growing an agency, too.

Abiola Ogunbiyi is an actress, musician, writer and filmmaker based in London who also works as a career strategy and creative practice coach for professional artists and designers worldwide. Here, we talk about staying grounded in the face of rejection and success. We share tips on coping with the demands of a creative career. And discover more about the world of acting and how it's shaped her mind and her own development.

Erik Brandt is an acclaimed graphic designer and educator who's been active since the mid-90s. He began his career as a cartoonist in Japan where he discovered a love of food, teaching and graphic design. Here, we chat about those days and how he ended up as a professor in Minnesota as well as launching his own studio, Typografika, with work exhibited internationally. A warm and comforting chat that also delves into music, art, and the joy of travel.

This week's guest is Murugiah, the award-winning artist and designer who creates surreal and colourful artworks for Apple, Disney and Marvel. Born and raised in the UK with Sri Lankan heritage, Murugiah trained as an architect in London before choosing his current path. In this episode, we chat about the power of discovering who you truly are, and why it’s so important to ignore other people's expectations and stop comparing ourselves to others to follow our dreams.

Izzy Burton is an award-winning director, illustrator, author and lead artist at Netflix Animation. Based in Brighton, she directs short films, draws for television and film, and illustrates and writes for books. In this episode, we talk about how Izzy went from graduation to working at lead studios to freelancing, publishing books and then joining one of the largest broadcasters in the world and directing her own films – all in the space of six years. An inspiring story told by one of the most exciting storytellers of today.

Ashwin Chacko is an illustrator, designer and hand-letterer based in Dublin who loves to bring the world together through his positive art. Born in India, Ashwin's joyful and colourful work features strong characters mixed with typography and pattern – each piece telling a story of love, kindness, and acceptance. Recent clients include Facebook, Adobe and Puma. This is a warm and relaxed chat with a gentle, kind soul who puts purpose at the heart of everything he does.