I’m Russell Castley-Adams, a graphic designer and creative lead with 20+ years of experience building brand identities, design guidelines, and multi-channel campaign work across print and digital. I’ve spent a large part of my career in London agencies, and for the last 12 years I’ve led creative independently within a small team. I was recently made redundant due to the overarching company entering administration. My core strengths are brand identity, typography, layout and photography post-production, used across every touchpoint, from packaging and POS through to exhibition graphics and large-format signage. Supported by strong technical skills across Adobe Creative Cloud, along with a working knowledge of AI image generation tools. I bring a considered, visually compelling approach to every project and I'm happy to take on anything from simple artworking and amends through to full design projects from concept stage, while building strong working relationships along the way.

Russell Castley-Adams

I’m Russell Castley-Adams, a graphic designer and creative lead with 20+ years of experience building brand identities, design guidelines, and multi-channel campaign work across print and digital. I’ve spent a large part of my career in London agencies, and for the last 12 years I’ve led creative independently within a small team. I was recently made redundant due to the overarching company entering administration. My core strengths are brand identity, typography, layout and photography post-production, used across every touchpoint, from packaging and POS through to exhibition graphics and large-format signage. Supported by strong technical skills across Adobe Creative Cloud, along with a working knowledge of AI image generation tools. I bring a considered, visually compelling approach to every project and I'm happy to take on anything from simple artworking and amends through to full design projects from concept stage, while building strong working relationships along the way.

Available to hire

I’m Russell Castley-Adams, a graphic designer and creative lead with 20+ years of experience building brand identities, design guidelines, and multi-channel campaign work across print and digital. I’ve spent a large part of my career in London agencies, and for the last 12 years I’ve led creative independently within a small team. I was recently made redundant due to the overarching company entering administration.

My core strengths are brand identity, typography, layout and photography post-production, used across every touchpoint, from packaging and POS through to exhibition graphics and large-format signage. Supported by strong technical skills across Adobe Creative Cloud, along with a working knowledge of AI image generation tools. I bring a considered, visually compelling approach to every project and I’m happy to take on anything from simple artworking and amends through to full design projects from concept stage, while building strong working relationships along the way.

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Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Senior designer and creative lead at Arena Design
March 1, 2014 - May 1, 2026
Independently owned end-to-end creative output across brand identity, guidelines and photography post-production. Directed and delivered cohesive multi-channel work spanning digital and print campaigns, advertising, brochures, websites, exhibition graphics and large-format signage, maintaining consistent visual standards across all touchpoints. Worked directly with clients from brief to final delivery to build long-term relationships with major retailers and consumers, ensuring the output is clear, considered and impactful.
Worked within a specialist strategic design consultancy (designer) at Ignition Strategic Design
June 1, 2010 - February 1, 2014
Contributed to the creation and development of brand guidelines and packaging artwork for national and retail clients. Delivered design across brochures, advertising, exhibition graphics and signage, and also supported coding and design for HTML email campaigns. Helped bring strategic direction through to practical artwork and production deliverables across multiple client formats.
Part of a London agency (presentation & design production responsibility) at JHP Design
February 1, 2005 - June 1, 2010
Took primary responsibility for designing and producing client presentations, developing and refining creative concepts from initial pitch through key development stages. Also contributed to brand identities, guidelines, typography, interior communications and signage for a portfolio of high-profile national and international clients.
Freelance Creative (advert and retail materials)
July 1, 2004 - June 1, 2005
Designed and artworked adverts, mail-shots, point-of-sale and ticketing materials, with hands-on retouching and image manipulation. Collaborated closely alongside senior designers and art directors while liaising with marketing and mail-order departments to support delivery of customer-facing materials.
Designer & artwork (print materials across sectors) at Renaissance
September 1, 1999 - July 1, 2004
Designed and artworked a broad range of print materials including brochures, magazines, posters, packaging and POS, while also coordinating and producing presentations across clothing, homeware and textiles ranges. Supported a wide range of retailer and brand deliverables with consistent production-quality design.

Education

BTEC NVQ Level 2 Graphic Design at Central Graphics Academy
February 11, 1999 - September 1, 1999
A Level Art & Design, English Language, Media Studies at Havering Sixth Form College
September 1, 1996 - July 1, 1998

Qualifications

BTEC NVQ Level 2 Graphic Design
January 1, 1999 - September 1, 1999
A Level Art & Design, English Language, Media Studies
September 1, 1996 - July 1, 1998
GCSEs Art, Graphic Design, English, Maths, Science
September 1, 1991 - July 1, 1996

Industry Experience

Retail, Education, Media & Entertainment, Professional Services, Consumer Goods, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Non-Profit Organization, Real Estate & Construction, Travel & Hospitality
    Gainsborough Rebrand

    Gainsborough is a heritage British bed and mattress brand and this was their first major rebrand for a number years. As lead designer, I was tasked with updating their tired and dated look with a fresher, more modern approach. Creating a full visual identity - logo, monogram, typography, colour palette, and a custom icon set - aiming for something timeless, luxurious, and rooted in genuine craftsmanship. The result is a brand that feels established and trustworthy, with a real sense of quality running through every detail.

    Simply Natural Mattress Collection

    Simply Natural was a mattress collection for Hushabye, built around natural materials and an honest approach to comfort. As lead designer, I created the full visual identity - logo, colour palette, typography, and photography direction — spanning both online stores and in-store POS, aiming for something warm, calm, and genuine. The result was a brand that feels considered without trying too hard, letting the quality of the materials speak for itself.

    Photography Post Production & AI Image Generation

    Photography post-production and image generation across a range of clients and product categories, spanning both online stores and in-store POS. Working closely with photographers from shoot planning through to final retouch, I combine product photography with stock environments and, increasingly, AI-generated scenes to produce finished lifestyle imagery that feels natural, considered, and commercially ready.

    Hush Rolled Mattress


    Hush was a new rolled mattress brand created for Airsprung, launched at a time when bed-in-a-box brands were reshaping the market. I built the complete identity from scratch - logo, colour palette, typography, photography direction, POS, and website - creating something energetic and modern that could compete with a new generation of direct-to-consumer brands, while still carrying the quality of a 150-year-old British manufacturer behind it.

    Packaging for B&Q

    This project involved artwork and packaging design across several B&Q own-brand ranges, including Diall, Colours, Mac Allister, Fortress, and Verve. Working primarily in an artwork capacity with some design input, the role required accuracy and consistency across a high volume of SKUs - keeping each range visually coherent and shelf-ready across a busy retail environment.

    Grant Engineering Brochures and Collateral


    Grant Engineering was a UK heating solutions company varying projects covering a broad artworking role across product brochures, email newsletters, adverts and exhibition display stands. The work required careful handling of technical content across a large family of documents, keeping everything consistent, clear, and well-organised for a trade audience of heating engineers and installers.

    Interior Stairwell Design for Pizza Express Birmingham


    For Pizza Express’s Birmingham Bullring site, I designed a striking stairwell that doubles as an artistic focal point, visible through the glass frontage to draw diners in. Bold horizontal stripes in varying widths wrap the walls across two floors, creating rhythm and movement that echoes the energy of a bustling pizzeria. The palette draws on Pizza Express’s Neapolitan roots and the eclectic, tailored spirit of Paul Smith, turning a transitional space into a memorable, unmistakably Pizza Express experience.