Getting to know us: Una
Great design is central to We Are Thought Fox and our process respects the time required to achieve it. Each of us started off working in ‘traditional’ media and in many ways that helped teach us the fundamentals in a way that perhaps learning digitally wouldn’t have.
My design life started about 8 years ago when I graduated from Toronto’s weirdest landmark—Ontario College of Art & Design. Since then I’ve had the chance to design, art direct and illustrate for some of Canada’s most exciting publications and collaborate with some inspiring people.
Here are a few of the wild and wonderful projects I’ve been lucky enough to participate in:
Maclean’s: Canada’s weekly news magazine
I spent many late nights designing and making digital collages in a fast-paced news environment. After paying my dues, I was rewarded with digging through the magazine’s 100+ year history in order to inspire a magazine re-design and launch their revitalized online presence.
Canadian Business: the country’s oldest business publication
I contributed to a complete rebrand of the magazine with the intent to make it vibrant, contemporary and not-just-for-old-white-guys anymore! One particularly funny photo shoot had us corralling dogs in glasses & ties around a boardroom table.
Rogers iPad initiative: breaking new ground
As a design lead on a small team I worked on the strategy for Rogers communications iPad initiative. At the time we were pioneers in the land of tablet magazines so the challenges and rewards were equally great.
Toronto Life, Special Issues
I worked on the launch of this vibrant city magazine’s extended family of publications: Stylebook, Cookbook, Real Estate, City Home, Weddings… This a was a labour of love that almost turned me into a snob, since I was constantly after the best new it-model/taco/cafe. Hectic yet rewarding, photo shoots had me running after an actress through a greenhouse, constructing a wedding cake out of cheese and riding a rickety bike up and down a busy street while a photographer snapped photos for a cover.
Select Illustrations
A range of digital and hand-made collages for Maclean’s, Coach House books, Report on Business and Sex, etc., on topics from literary wars to sex ed.
What’s next?
I’m currently inventing a brand new travel publication for an airport, but I can’t disclose the details. It’s a total dream project for me, since I’ve been enamoured with travel ever since I was a child. My parents even used to take me to the airport just to watch the planes take off.