Neil Robert Leonard

About

I am a web and print designer, design writer and design educator – you'll notice a theme. In agencies I've completed projects for a number of clients including BT, John Lewis, Sony, Creative Skillset and The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills. As a freelance designer I've worked for clients as varied as The Big Issue, Relays, David Atkins, Macks Faulkron, Shell, Sainsbury's, South West Artwork and many more.

I live in sunny Plymouth, Devon, but work with a range of clients nationwide, and sometimes internationally. I'm always looking to take on new and interesting projects with nice people; if you fit this bill and need some design assistance, please get in touch and we'll speak.

Publications

Becoming a Successful Graphic Designer

Bloomsbury/Fairchild, 2016

Basics Graphic Design 03: Idea Generation

Bloomsbury/Fairchild, 2012

Basics Graphic Design 02: Design Research: Investigation for successful creative solutions

Bloomsbury/Fairchild, 2012

Conferences & Lectures

New Designers

June, 25th, 2015, London
Lecture: The Freelance Route

LCC Career Workshop

May 13th, 2015
Lecture: The Freelance Route

Design Your Career

March 14th, 2015, Craft Central, London
Lecture: Marketing & Promotion

Design Your Career

March 27th 2015, By The Sea, Bournemouth
Lecture: Intellectual Property
Lecture: Entrepreneurship

LCF Artsmart workshop

March 10th, 2015, London
Lecture: The Freelance Route

LCF Artsmart workshop

June 23rd/24th, 2014, London
Workshop: CV Advice
Workshop: Career Advice

Insight & Inspiration Roadshow, hosted at the Accelerator London (London Metropolitan University)

June 12th, 2014, London
Lecture: Starting out - Buddy & Design Your Career

LCF Artsmart workshop

June 17th, 2013, London
Workshop: CV Advice

Who Needs Copywriters?

April 19th, 2013,Bournemouth
Lecture: Three Short Words

Event organisation and management

Design Your Career

March 27th, 2015, By The Sea, Bournemouth
Speakers included: Sarah Thelwall, Mark Masters, Stephanie Carswell & Marion Gillet.

Design Your Career

March 14th, 2015, Craft Central, London
Speakers included: Patricia van den Akker of The Design Trust, Cheryl Adamson, Sian Meades & Sarah Hamilton.

Design Your Career

October 19th, 2013, Ideastap, London
Speakers included: Patricia van den Akker of The Design Trust, South West Artworks, Perri Lewis of Mastered, The ID Group, Notonthehighstreet.com, Dan Goode of Seek&Adore, Sarah James of The Contemporary Craft Festival, Clare Yarwood-White of Create a Craft Business & Z Sinclair,

Design Your Career

February 2nd, 2013, Pavilion Dance, Bournemouth
Speakers included: Wayne Hemingway, Kresse Wesling of Elvis & KressePatricia van den Akker, The ID Group, Notonthehighstreet.com, Laura Thomas, Seek&Adore, South West Artworks & Joanne Dewberry.

Craft, Coffee & Cupcakes pop-up shops

October 12th, 2013, Bournemouth

October 11th & 18th, 2012, Bournemouth

Show & Tell pop-up shop

July 29th – 31st, 2011, Bournemouth

Design

I work on a variety of graphic design and web design projects on a freelance basis that encompass areas of branding, promotion and marketing. I work across web (CMS, HTML, CSS and more) and print (digital and traditional); I have a fluent knowledge of both areas of design and relish projects that allow me to work across the two areas.

In addition to design services I also offer training in all of the previously mentioned areas. When designing a CMS web site I feel it is of the utmost importance the client feels in control when the complete site is handed over and they are fully able to run updates and add new content.

Press

Interview with Meet the Makers

Craft a craft business: Design Your Career round up part 1

Craft a craft business: Design Your Career round up part 2

Design Your Career event article at Joannedewberry.co.uk

Neil & Sarah’s tips for selling online via Mollie Makes

An interview with Create a Craft Business

Portfolio presentation with Ideastap

Design Your Career event piece in Craft Mag

Key Skills

InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop. WordPress, HTML5, CSS3.

Traditional print skills: letterpress & screen printing.

Training: I offer training in all of the above skills and through Design Your Career I am able to provide broad creative business building workshops.

Events: Marketing, promotion & event management.

Writing: Copywriting, authoring of longer texts and blog posts.