A twisting path to illustration

A reminder that career paths often (usually?) take unexpected twists.

Tomorrow there’s a reunion for Business a.m., a daily newspaper where I worked as a designer in the early 2000s.

I was mainly setting ads – I’d just been made redundant and grabbed the first job that came along. It was fast paced and at times horribly stressful – ill suited to a dyspraxic brain that likes to hyperfocus. And a huge culture shock in comparison to the more gentle heritage sector where I'd loved working as a designer for exhibitions and guidebooks.

But the newspaper was beautifully designed, winning numerous awards for its bold typography and attention-grabbing layouts in elegant shades of teal and rust on pink paper. We had a fantastic art director (Hello Mike!) and every now again I got to flex my creative muscles with a fabulous advertising feature or a brand extension like this directory.

I became expert in setting grids and templates. Which set me on the road to magazine design, which led to editorial illustrations. And then back to the role that always fit best – freelance illustrator.

But perhaps most importantly – Business a.m. was a hoot! As often as not we’d wind down (or up) in our glorious local bar, and I made friends for life. Can’t wait to see them.

Jenny Proudfoot

19 September 2025