Ellis Tree
Author · Other
Studios:It’s Nice That
Articles & interviews
- Nikotin branding turns tobacco factory past into a bold cigarette logo
Bruges-based designer Davy Denduyver created the branding for Amsterdam restaurant Nikotin, transforming the site’s tobacco factory history into a bold, cigarette-shaped logo. The identity combines custom typography and hand-drawn ink lettering to balance a space-age aesthetic with a rough, analogue feel. The project was completed under tight deadlines in collaboration with interior designer Yoeri.
- Zander Raymond turns everyday debris into improvised collage art
The article profiles artist and designer Zander Raymond, whose collage practice transforms everyday debris into layered, improvised compositions. Using found materials like paper scraps, stickers, and envelopes, Raymond explores the agency of materials through lamination and relief printmaking, creating works that balance chance and intention.
- Hyejin Song’s book archives Jiro Ono’s sushi-making tools
The article profiles designer Hyejin Song’s self-initiated book project 'Jiro', inspired by the documentary 'Jiro Dreams of Sushi'. The publication archives the tools used by sushi master Jiro Ono and his staff, translating the film’s themes of repetition and discipline into a tactile, rhythmic print format. Through structured layouts and recurring imagery, Song captures the precision and craft of Tokyo’s most renowned kitchen.
- Steph Hardy Illustrates Sweet Treats and Comfort Snacks in Soft Style
The article profiles illustrator Steph Hardy’s latest body of work, which shifts from nature-inspired compositions to whimsical depictions of snacks and comfort foods in her signature soft, painterly style. It explores her evolving use of color, her process of layering and blending digital textures, and her recent collaborations with editorial and branding clients such as Queer Atmosphere and Coldcuts. Hardy also discusses her growing interest in animation and motion as a natural extension of her fluid mark-making.
- Harry Grundy Draws Abstract Sandpaper Works at 3,000RPM
The article profiles artist Harry Grundy’s new series of abstract sandpaper drawings created at 3,000RPM using woodworking tools. Developed over two years, the project explores the tension between speed and sensitivity, transforming industrial materials into delicate compositions. The works were exhibited in his solo show 'Full Pelt' at The Incubator Gallery and will appear in a forthcoming exhibition at New Art Projects in Islington.
- 4Creative splices visuals from the UK’s most iconic TV shows to make it’s new identity
4Creative, Channel 4’s in-house creative agency, has unveiled a new brand identity that celebrates its collaborative and playful culture. The rebrand features over 130 unique logos created by team members, integrating the Channel 4 mark with a rotating set of bespoke ‘C’ designs. The identity extends across a redesigned website and social channels, showcasing the agency’s creative legacy and evolving spirit.
- Hotel Retro revives graphic luggage labels from the golden age of travel
Letterform Archive has released 'Hotel Retro', a peel-and-stick book featuring 330 vintage luggage label designs from its extensive collection. Designed by San Francisco studio MacFadden & Thorpe, the publication celebrates the golden age of travel and the artistry of early commercial print design. The project revives historic ephemera through careful digitisation and reproduction, inviting readers to use the stickers as they were originally intended.
- Anaïs Kugel’s portraits are unmistakably from the female gaze
The article profiles Paris-based photographer and filmmaker Anaïs Kugel, whose work explores identity, intimacy, and femininity through a distinctly female gaze. Drawing inspiration from surrealist cinema, her portraits blend documentary realism with staged, dreamlike elements to question visibility, belonging, and representation. The feature highlights her self-portrait and collaborative series that challenge stereotypes and explore personal narratives.
- Discover the unconventional design details hidden between the pages of Neat Rodanant’s publications
The article profiles designer and sculptor Neat Rodanant, whose experimental publications treat books as sculptural, tactile objects. Through projects like 'Gum Girl', 'Psycho', and 'El Lissitzky On Type + Books', she explores the sensory and material possibilities of print, using unconventional materials and layouts to evoke emotion and narrative. Her work reflects influences from Irma Boom, Ben Denzer, and cinematic partnerships like Yorgos Lanthimos and Vasilis Marmatakis.
- “I love love”: Charlotte Winkler’s comics are all about care, connection and belonging
The article profiles illustrator and author Charlotte Winkler, whose comics and artist books explore themes of care, connection, and belonging. Her latest publication, 'Like a Mad Gardener', created with Colorama, blends essays and comics about gardening, land, and love, printed in a warm Risograph style. Winkler’s practice merges writing and illustration, drawing inspiration from everyday life and philosophical ideas.
- The grid system in Praktika’s new architecture identity takes inspiration from Lithuanian floor tiles
Praktika, a Lithuanian architecture and branding studio, has developed a new identity for the National Institute of Architecture in Kaunas. Drawing inspiration from the building’s black-and-white folk floor tiles, the studio created a flexible grid-based system and mosaic-like logo that can adapt across print, digital, and spatial applications. The design merges cultural heritage with modernist structure, reflecting the institute’s mission of openness and adaptability.
- The magic of self-publishing and lo-fi production comes alive in Eloise Aitken’s printed matter
The article profiles London-based designer Eloise Aitken and her self-published print projects that celebrate the tactile, imperfect qualities of lo-fi production. Drawing inspiration from 1970s radical print design and Xerox culture, Aitken’s zines and books like 'Loud Paper!' and 'Urgent Craft!' explore themes of cyberfeminism and independent publishing. Her work emphasizes the social and creative freedom of analogue processes in a digital age.
- Templo’s brand identity for climate non-profit Casi draws on the pragmatic mark-making of hieroglyphics
Templo has created a new brand identity for climate non-profit Casi that draws inspiration from hobo hieroglyphics and handcrafted mark-making. The project embraces imperfection and human warmth through hand-animated cut-outs and a minimal typographic system. The result is a living, expressive identity that reframes sustainability with optimism and creativity.
- Nao Lee’s posters are digital terrains that hide small and unruly treasures for you to find
The article profiles Seoul-based designer Nao Lee, known for her intricate, layered poster designs that blend digital noise, vernacular influences, and archaeological motifs. Lee’s work explores the tension between chaos and order, inviting viewers to discover hidden details and interpret meaning freely. The feature highlights her fascination with everyday design and her experimental approach to composition and texture.
- Step inside Linda Merad’s whimsical and poetic illustrated universe for Hermès
The article profiles Paris-based illustrator Linda Merad and her recent collaborations with Hermès, including the 2026 'Venture Beyond' campaign. Known for her whimsical, anthropomorphic characters, Merad brought her lithographic style to life through illustrations and animations created with animator Quentin Klein. The project extended across Hermès’ Instagram and website, showcasing her poetic visual universe.
- The joy and power of Risograph: Risotto showcases 400 printed postcards from artists across the globe
The article spotlights Glasgow-based print and design studio Risotto and its decade-long Riso Club project, which celebrates 100 months of artist postcards printed by hand. Founder Gabriella Marcella reflects on the studio’s origins, the appeal of Risograph printing, and the upcoming exhibition ‘Riso Club 100’ showcasing all 400 prints at The Glue Factory Galleries in Glasgow. The feature highlights the tactile joy and community spirit behind the project’s global reach.
- Sports mania meets small island life on Puerto Rican artist Joshua Nazario’s canvas
The article profiles Puerto Rican artist Joshua Nazario, whose self-taught practice blends painting and sculpture inspired by sports culture and island life. Using found materials like wood and cement, Nazario creates nostalgic, collage-like works that reflect Puerto Rico’s identity and his own upbringing. The piece coincides with his first US solo show, 'Allá Afera', at Luis De Jesús Los Angeles.
- “What if everyone started making out?” Andrea Marti’s horny photo series tackles Gen Z’s lack of intimacy head on
The article profiles photographer Andrea Marti and her project 'Everyone is Beautiful and No one is Horny', a staged photo series exploring Gen Z’s diminishing physical intimacy. Shot on film at Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club, the project reimagines closeness among young people through nostalgic, pseudo-documentary imagery. The work has earned recognition from the British Journal of Photography and will be exhibited in London and Dublin.
- Liang-Hsin Huang’s comics sketch soft paths through nature
The article profiles illustrator Liang-Hsin Huang and her recent comic zines, including 'The Clouds' and 'The North Downs Way'. Drawing inspiration from her travels and natural landscapes, Huang explores new illustrative techniques using coloured paper, pastels, and chalk to capture soft, imaginative scenes. The piece highlights her shift from animation to comics as a more relaxed and exploratory creative process.
- Spillll is a queer culinary zine series that’s crafted with a decentralised design model
The article profiles Spillll, a queer East and Southeast Asian collective producing a series of culinary zines that merge food, politics, and identity. Using a decentralised design model, the four co-founders collaboratively write, illustrate, and design each issue through digital tools and tactile experimentation. Their Risograph-printed publications explore feminist and queer perspectives through the lens of shared meals and cultural dialogue.
- Lan Truong’s pen plotter paintings are making us way less wary of art made by machines
Illustrator Lan Truong explores the creative potential of pen plotters, transforming her digital illustrations into tactile, physical artworks. The article highlights her experiments with paint, markers, and inks, as well as her broader exploration of tools like embroidery and laser cutting. Truong’s work challenges perceptions of machine-made art, blending mechanical precision with a handmade feel.
- Pack your bags! A new picture book from Aysha Tengiz takes you on a tour around the world
Illustrator Aysha Tengiz has created 'Big Brilliant World', a richly detailed picture book published by Big Picture Press that takes readers on a visual journey through 12 global cities. Inspired by her mural near London’s Kings Cross and Ottoman miniature art, Tengiz uses a flat perspective to pack each spread with playful, colorful details. The project celebrates the enduring power of children’s books as imaginative, educational art forms.
- How Ffern is making branding feel less like advertising and more like cinema
The article explores how artisan perfume brand Ffern has built a cinematic approach to branding, using film as a central storytelling tool. Co-founder Emily Cameron discusses how the brand’s filmmaking mirrors its fragrance craft, focusing on natural beauty, authenticity, and sensory immersion. Each seasonal release is accompanied by a short film that deepens Ffern’s world-building and redefines what brand advertising can feel like.
- “A dyke is not a singular thing”: Emily Lipson’s new monograph resists queer stereotypes
Photographer Emily Lipson has released her first photobook, 'Dykes', a 220-page monograph featuring 50 portraits exploring the diversity of dyke identity. Designed with art director SJ Todd, the project resists stereotypes and celebrates fluid, self-defined expressions of queerness. The book combines analogue, AI, and collage techniques to create a layered, inclusive portrayal of community and identity.
- Anton Repponen found an award-winning photo project during a camera roll deep dive
The article profiles designer and photographer Anton Repponen’s project 'People Look at Art or Art Looks at People', a photographic series turned interactive website. Developed from years of candid museum photography, the project explores observation and curation, earning a Jury’s Choice award in ReadyMag’s 2025 Websites of the Year. Repponen discusses how the web experience extends the contemplative nature of viewing art in person.
- How Lily Kong’s series Sweet Escape reignited her intuitive approach to illustration
The article profiles illustrator Lily Kong and her self-initiated series 'Sweet Escape', a collection of colour-rich landscapes exploring the balance between flatness and texture. Created through analogue techniques like block printing and watercolour, the project culminated in an artist book produced during her residency at the London Centre for Book Arts. The work marks a return to intuitive, process-driven illustration for Kong, reconnecting her with nature and personal expression.
- These portraits capture the unsung heroes of editorial fashion
The article profiles 'Assistants', a new photobook by stylist Virginie Benarroch and photographer Lola Raban, published by Exhibition Studio. The project documents the often-overlooked work of stylist’s assistants through a series of intimate portraits that celebrate their creativity and craft. The book’s minimalist design and quiet sequencing reflect the understated beauty of its subject matter.
- A 50-year goldmine of design: AIGA New York unveils its poster archive to the public
AIGA New York has opened its 50-year poster archive to the public, offering a rare look into the city’s evolving design culture. The collection spans decades of events, exhibitions, and activism, reflecting shifts in typography, technology, and creative expression. Interviews with AIGA NY leaders highlight the archive’s role in connecting the community to a more tactile and human side of design history.
- PhotoVogue returns to its first theme
The article covers the 10th edition of PhotoVogue Festival in Milan, titled 'Women on Women', which revisits the theme of the female gaze. Directed by Alessia Glaviano, the exhibition features 45 artists from around the world exploring how women represent themselves and others through photography and film. The festival highlights the evolution of women’s authorship, emphasizing introspection, diversity, and self-determined vision in contemporary image-making.
- The imperfect animations of Orysia Zabeida are drawn frame-by-frame from memory
The article profiles animator Orysia Zabeida, whose frame-by-frame looping animations are drawn from memory and inspired by nature. Using Procreate, she creates small square-format animations that explore repetition, observation, and imperfection as a meditative process. The piece highlights her rejection of automated motion in favor of tactile, human-made craft.
- Visual communication that challenges convention: Phantasia on how graphic design can forge true collaboration
The article profiles Barcelona-based design studio Phantasia, founded by Malva Sawada, Edu Piracés, and Laura Santarelli. It explores how the studio’s collaborative and socially conscious approach informs projects like Barcelona Pride and Museu Habitat, emphasizing inclusivity, empathy, and experimentation in design. The piece highlights their commitment to community-oriented and research-driven visual communication.
- What if your finger turned into a slug? In Lily Shaul’s surreal animated world, nothing needs to make sense
The article profiles London-based illustrator and animator Lily Shaul, exploring her surreal and humorous animated shorts such as 'The Slug Finger' and 'Teeth Time'. Shaul’s work transforms mundane moments into magical, otherworldly scenes through hand-drawn animation and tactile materials like gouache and embroidery. Her vibrant use of colour and playful imagination define her distinctive visual world.
- Vlad Boyko on bringing back early 2000s clubbing visuals
The article profiles graphic designer Vlad Boyko, who has recently established a shared studio in Antwerp and developed a distinctive visual style inspired by early 2000s club culture. His 2025 Colour Factory NYE campaign exemplifies his vibrant, collage-based approach and interest in nostalgic aesthetics. Boyko reflects on balancing freelance work, creative burnout, and the value of self-initiated, community-driven projects.
- Absurd, unsettling or erotic? Carl Ander’s archive of instructional imagery forms an obscure new photobook
Photographer Carl Ander’s new photobook ‘Static Motion’, published by LL’Editions and designed by Lundgren+Lindqvist, recontextualises a decade-long archive of instructional imagery from sports and self-help manuals. The publication explores how static images meant to teach movement can take on new, often absurd or erotic meanings when stripped of their original context. The designers approached the layout intuitively, pairing images to create unexpected visual dialogues.
- The World Bog Snorkelling Championships through the lens of Callum O’Keefe
The article profiles photographer Callum O’Keefe and his humorous, nostalgic photo series documenting the World Bog Snorkelling Championships in Llanwrtyd Wells, South Wales. O’Keefe captures the eccentricity and community spirit of the event through candid, character-driven portraits. The piece highlights his connection to small-town life and his documentary approach to storytelling.
- The experimental graphic design work of Ward Goes sits at the intersection of type and materiality
The article profiles Amsterdam-based designer Ward Goes, whose recent exhibition 'Literally Anything' at Alley Space in Rotterdam explores the intersection of typography and materiality. Moving beyond digital branding, Goes experiments with aluminium and other tactile media to question how design communicates meaning and authorship. His work bridges commercial projects for brands like Issey Miyake with personal, research-driven explorations of media aesthetics.
- How sign painting underpins Sean Thomas’ approach to bespoke branding projects
The article profiles Milan-based designer Sean Thomas, whose background in sign painting shapes his approach to bespoke branding projects. Known for his hand-painted work for London food spots and publishers, Thomas champions analogue craft in an increasingly digital and AI-driven design world. The piece highlights his belief in the enduring value of handmade typography and traditional techniques.
- Weronika Marianna’s flowing animations depict the natural world in constant motion
The article profiles Amsterdam-based animator Weronika Marianna, whose analogue animation practice draws from painting, folklore, and surrealism. Her work explores nature, the body, and the human psyche through fluid, tactile materials and a fascination with unpredictability. The piece highlights her process, influences, and the emotional depth of her handmade animations.
- Work-Form’s practice has its roots in participatory design and place-making
The article profiles London-based studio Work-form, founded by Charlie Abbott, Jake Hopwood, and Alex Hough, whose design practice is rooted in participatory design and place-making. It explores how their teaching and community engagement inform projects like the exhibition identity for 'The In Crowd' at Brighton Museum and branding for Townsend Farm. The piece highlights their typographic experimentation and research-driven approach to creating meaningful, contextually grounded design work.
- Elizabeth Goodspeed on the limits of imperfection as a design strategy
Elizabeth Goodspeed critiques the design industry's current fascination with 'analogue' aesthetics, arguing that much of what is labeled handmade is actually digitally fabricated. She explores how imperfection has become a strategy to signal authenticity in an AI-driven creative landscape, questioning whether this trend represents a genuine material shift or merely a symbolic one.
- Juliet Klottrup captures the beauty of Yorkshire’s peat bogs and the people restoring them
Photographer and filmmaker Juliet Klottrup documents the restoration of Yorkshire’s peat bogs through a two-year analogue photography series in collaboration with the Yorkshire Peat Partnership. The project highlights the human stories behind environmental conservation, focusing on the people and communities working to restore Denton Moor. The article explores her process, connection to the landscape, and the importance of time and observation in her work.
- Julia Fernandez hand paints 300 ceramic tiles to create a mesmerising stop-motion music video
Brooklyn-based artist and director Julia Fernandez created a stop-motion music video for Emory’s track 'Dirt' by hand-painting 300 ceramic tiles over three months. The project explores the tactile beauty of imperfection and the meditative rhythm of handmade animation. The piece marks Fernandez’s longest animation to date and reflects her ongoing interest in material-driven motion.
- “A scrapbook of raw, layered process, inspiration and practice”: Dixon Baxi on their 500-page manifesto for making
The article profiles DixonBaxi’s new 500-page book 'Remix', a self-published manifesto exploring the studio’s creative process. The publication acts as a visual scrapbook of sketches, notes, and unfinished work, emphasizing the messy and collaborative nature of creativity. Co-founder Simon Dixon describes it as both a retrospective and a statement on the agency’s evolving design philosophy.
- What do children have to say about climate change? This collaborative poster series investigates
The article profiles 'Day One', a collaborative poster project by Yorkshire-based studio My Pockets with the Sheffield Youth Voice and Influence Service. The initiative engaged over 70 young people in workshops exploring climate change through printmaking, resulting in a series of expressive screen-printed posters. The project emphasizes youth perspectives, community engagement, and hands-on creative activism.
- Savoury shoes and chess made of cheese: Saskia Martindale reimagines everyday snacks for otherworldly props and sets
The article profiles set designer and art director Saskia Martindale, whose whimsical, food-inspired props and sets bring a sense of childlike wonder to commercial and personal projects. Known for her handmade, analogue approach, she has created imaginative campaigns for brands like Burberry, Nike, Adidas, and Ffern. The feature highlights her playful process, creative inspirations, and collaborations with artists such as Max Siedentopf and photographer Brendan Freeman.
- The graphic trends you’ll want to bookmark for 2026
The article, written by Ellis Tree for It’s Nice That’s Forward Thinking series, explores five emerging graphic design trends for 2026. It highlights a growing return to analogue and imperfect aesthetics, such as photocopied textures, scanning, and collage, as designers push back against hyper-digital polish. Examples include Charlotte Rohde’s Oficía Mono campaign, How&How’s branding for Big Cartel, and Louis Garella’s logo for Sonata Electronica.
- Underwater worlds and soft marine shapes: Julie Legrand and Nina Izycka’s zine investigates seaweed
Illustrators Julie Legrand and Nina Izycka have released their fourth collaborative zine, *Alga*, a screen-printed and risograph publication exploring the forms and textures of seaweed. Created during their annual creative retreat in Sète, the project celebrates their shared love of printmaking and nature. The launch included an exhibition and live workshop in Warsaw, continuing their tradition of tactile, collaborative publishing.
- The magic behind Louis Garella’s design process is “a constant back-and-forth between digital and print”
The article profiles French designer Louis Garella and his independent practice, Studio Garella. Known for blending digital and print processes, Garella’s work spans brand identities, editorial design, and motion projects that emphasize tactile, expressive qualities. His approach merges analogue techniques like collage and scanning with digital manipulation to create visually rich, research-driven outcomes.
- In Masanobu Hiraoka’s music video for Max Cooper a single line become a thousand forms
The article profiles Masanobu Hiraoka’s animated music video for Max Cooper’s track 'On Being', a hand-drawn rotoscoped exploration of memory and shared humanity. Inspired by public responses to Cooper’s online question about unexpressed feelings, the video transforms these emotions into a continuous line of personal and biological imagery. The piece reflects both artists’ interest in the intersection of art, science, and emotional expression.
- Grilli Type’s GT Era brings an early Bauhaus chic back to the serif
The article introduces GT Era, a new variable typeface from Swiss foundry Grilli Type, designed by co-founder Thierry Blancpain. Inspired by 19th-century grotesks and early Bauhaus aesthetics, the typeface balances warmth and functionality for both display and text use. The launch includes a primary-coloured website showcasing the typeface’s expressive yet practical design approach.