Russell Smith
CareerDesign
Branding
Direction
Illustration
Empathy
Listening
Adapting
Calm
Multi-disciplinary Director, Designer and maker of compelling, useful and beautiful identites, interfaces and illustrations.
Contact
Behance
500px
Work File [1/8]
Unified Brand Design for a digital language education provider.
Client: Efekta Education Group
Role: Creative Director
Date: 2023 - 2025
Unified visual brand system and tools for Efekta Education Group, an umbrella of digital business units ranging from Consumer to Corporate and K12 Schools. This system ensured that each business unit appeared interconnected while accommodating market and touchpoint-specific nuances. A design philosophy and practical guidelines fostered cross-unit collaboration and flexibility.
Throughout this project, I guided and inspired design teams in various aspects, including branding application, critical and creative design thinking, mentoring, and strategy. The outputs encompassed a diverse range of materials, such as websites, social media, apps, and print materials. With a harmonious blend of optimism, theoretical knowledge, and aesthetics, I aimed to elevate the design and creative standards of all the teams I supported.
Work File [2/8]
Designing an identity for a corporate language learning brand.
Client: Hult EF
Role: Art Directer
Date: 2021
Blending academia and mid-century modernism, the drive was to deftly communicate a sense of traditional academic integrity; through the use of conservative type, layout and colour. Complimented with a sense of bold innovation through unexpected shapes, shocking patterns, and dynamic compositions. The project also included an illustration solution that any Creative could deliver on and a responsive, component driven web site.
Work File [3/8]
Global Brand Guidelines and Design System for the world's largest language education provider.
Client: EF Education First
Role: Senior Digital Designer
Date: 2018 - 2020
An adaptable system of guidelines and tools that help EF Education First products appear related at a glance. Each business unit operates independently but still belongs to the EF brand family. In other words EF is a branded house, not a house of brands.
A global effort to solve common brand and design challenges, ultimately freeing up teams to focus on bespoke solutions for their audiences.
Work File [4/8]
Illustrations conveying those busy moments while trying to study.
Client: EF Hello
Roles: Art Director & Illustrator
Date: 2019
EF Hello reached out to elevate their application's transaction pages through the use of illustration. We explored dozens of art styles and settings, circumstances that were light hearted and relatable. The final artwork is a balance between inspiring and warm, yet designed to allow animation and user interface elements above and below.
One fun takeaway was the importance of conveying the character's emotion through the use of colour and time of day. As the small devices they would be seen on was making the character's facial expressions to difficult to see.
Work File [5/8]
Web design for a Pro Cycling team's latest news and insights.
Client: EF Pro Cycling
Role: UI Designer
Date: 2022
The EF Pro Cycling website is a curated, ever changing selection of articles, events and insights. Therefore opting for an editorial approach that instantly conveys the intentions of the website was very important for the audience and future works. This is communicated through dividing lines synonymous with news outlets and tight margins. Various editorially inspired layouts for interesting reading; Celebrating the beautifully shot photography that carries an ever evolving team identity. Finally, minimal interface flair shows the intent to showcase the high quality content for what it is.
Work File [6/8]
An illustrative Art Direction for EF's 50+ schools around the world.
Client: EF Education First
Role: Art Director & Illustrator
Date: 2019
Our approach at first was to focus on the most interesting section of the schools. While developing the direction, moving from hand drawn lines and watercolours; to architectural lines and flat tones, we felt retaining the correct propotions was a necessary nod to the architectural achievements. But simplifying the visual information to the point just before we lose character, gave each school a painterly and crafted feeling.
We built rules around the established treatments of simplicity, colour and texture. We then applied these to four schools varying in size and complexity to ensure the approach worked for all.
Work File [7/8]
A collection of moments
Label: Personal
Tools: Sony A7C, Lightroom
Date: 2018 - Present
Before becoming an Art Director, I really took it upon myself to have a more holistic understanding and opinion on all the visual tools a brand can have. Photography was definitely an area I lacked practical know-how, and if I was to comprehend and "speak the language" when working with photographers; I felt it was important to get out there and learn the essentials.
So here is a collection of self-teaching moments. Moments where I'm fiddling, tweaking; annoying my wife but quietly enjoying myself in the hope to become a more holistic director.
Work File [8/8]
Scene design for an experimental online classroom.
Client: EF Education First
Roles: Modelling & Animation
Date: 2022
Tasked to create an environment online teachers could inhabit, the team worked through various photo manipulations, vectors and hand drawn illustrations. Because we wanted to overlay devices and user interface elements, we found committing to a 3D space was the best solution. In fact, I hadn't touched 3D software since college. But that was more than my team. So while not the most mature execution; it's one I'm proud of and was perfect for the project at hand.
A creative leader with over 17 years of experience spanning brand strategy, digital design, and user experience. I’ve developed multiple brand systems and tools across global education markets, championing strategic design thinking and cross-functional collaboration. With a background that blends hands-on design with leadership, I bring visual excellence together with a deep understanding of user-centric, scalable design systems across both corporate and consumer-facing platforms.
EF Education First - Creative Director
2023 - Present
EF Education First - Art Director
2020 - 2023
EF Education First - Senior Digital Designer
2018 - 2020
Deloitte Digital - Senior Creative Designer
2015 - 2018
Deloitte Digital - Creative Designer
2013 - 2015
POSSIBLE - Freelance Digital Designer
2013 - 2013
Territory Studio - Freelance Digital Designer
2012 - 2013
Foviance - User Experience Design Consultant
2010 - 2012
The Insight Exchange - Freelance User Interface Designer
2009 - 2010
Samsung Design Europe - Interaction Designer
2009 - 2009
Sabotage Design - Freelance Interaction Designer
2008 - 2008
Court Three - Graphic Designer
2006 - 2007
Education
First Class, Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Design for Interaction
2006 - 2009. Ravensbourne, Chislehurst, England
Distinction, BTEC National Diploma, Multimedia
2004 - 2006. North West Kent, Dartford, England
