To Affinity and Beyond?

Last week, there was a mighty disruption in the design space when design app company Canva released the latest version of its newly acquired professional design software Affinity, for FREE. The day after the announcement Adobe, the big dog of design tools (and makers of Photoshop), saw their shares almost halve.

Hands up, I'm a card-carrying Affinity user; I left the Adobe ecosystem and its cloud-based subscription service in 2019 and haven't looked back. Back then, it felt like something to stay quiet about to be considered a professional designer, a bit like the term 'working from home' before the pandemic.

What's the catch?

I used to be a big Adobe fan, most designers my age are (40+...ish). I'm old enough to remember how game-changing Photoshop was when a boxed copy cost £2,000. I sympathised with their move to the locked-in subscription model thirteen years ago, knowing before that just how rife piracy was among young design students to get hold of it on CD-ROM.

Also, when Adobe released InDesign, a desktop publishing package that was so good that rival company Quark Express disappeared without a trace in two years. Quark was so big it didn't see Adobe as a threat, and when they did, it was too late.

The new Affinity has paid options. It comes with Canva's AI tools (urgh, no surprise) as a subscription extra, but you don't need that to use the tools. The App, the tools, are free.

So what's the play? Canva's have openly said they want to take on the 'locked in, cloud-based, big brother' subscription model, and have even taken a jab at Adobe AI training practices in a recent promo video. Well, the most obvious hook of 'free' is access.

Student loans

Consider design students. Most are taught with Adobe, leave university (hopefully) with a lovely degree, but then lose access to their student account. If they want to keep designing with the software they've been trained on, even before they get a job, they need a new paid Creative Cloud Adobe subscription. A great deal for Adobe to get 'em early, not so great for students. Now, young designers have a valid alternative at a time when the cost of living is high and rents are high. I'd be surprised if many don't turn to Affinity.

UK-based Affinity has been around since 2014 as a paid app (£150 for the lot), slowly making a name as a legit software alternative. When Canva bought them up in 2023, designers were worried about Canva's plan, expecting a locked-in subscription. To understand why Canva has gone the other way, we can look at what their goals have been so far.

Adobe's have the excellent drawing tool Fresco app for free, everything else is subscription-based, which is understandable as a biz model. This applies to anyone, regardless of their role, from pro designers to marketers and social media managers.

Canva has made headway in the 'non-designer' Giving teams of marketers and social media managers tools to help get work out the door faster.

For years, professional designers have baulked at Canva's simplistic tools. I've been a very reluctant adopter of Canva. As a designer, I don't like it. From a client's point of view, however, I totally get how accessible it is. It's not intended for professional designers. Affinity then, is Canvas' gateway drug of sorts - professional tools that segues into the marketer's ecosystem. As Canva said in last week's launch, 'Affinity is for designers, Canva is for teams'.

This has happened before.

Video editing app DaVinci Resolve put up posters in music venues in the US and UK. Quite a move. It had a download QR conde on it and was also given away free. The owning company (Black Magic) makes video editing hardware, cameras and desks. They decided to release the accompanying software for free to coax users into their hardware ecosystem. DaVinci Resolve started as a simple video editing tool, and due to its success, it's now an industry standard option and a very good mascot for the brand.

Canva have been upfront in their recent launch and seems to understand it's not how good Affinity is but how much they can be trusted not to backtrack or bait and switch.

I don't think we'll see an sudden change (apart from the sudden drop in Adobe shares last week), but in the next couple of years, I suspect more young designers going freelance due to the lack of jobs, will design in Affinity to get themselves started.

Brand design for Salford Child-Friendly City

Updated Sept 2025

Wonderful to see a project I've invested a lot in come to life. Hot off the press, the brand guide for Child Friendly Salford. Massive thanks to Salford City Council for all their support. The guidebooks are being sent out to communities around Salford later in the year.

This weekend saw the opening of Salford Youth Zone, a venue dedicated to kids' activities. It was also the launch of the Salford child-friendly City initiative that I've been collaborating on for the last 2 months, to come up with the brand, design and illustrations that capture the voice of children of Salford.

We've run workshops and art sessions, and with the help of Salford Council and the Youth Council Steering Group, developed the style and identity for the brand. I'm really proud of what we've achieved.

We pitched back in March, and I was pretty sure the combination of illustration skills and performing family-friendly comedy made me the right guy for the gig. I showed my stuff to the children, and they seemed to agree. Caroline Boyd took charge of logo, colour and typography while Pauline Johnson was on child engagement for the workshops. I project managed and did the illustration work.

Going forward, community groups wanting two run events as part of the child-friendly will get the brand guide book which includes artwork by the children, design instructions (brand guide) written from a children's viewpoint making them easy to read and understand, as well as a whole library of illustrations (seen here) to use however they want.

Some of the images here are very loosely based on children I met during the project, and my eight years living in Salford. Others are made completely up :)

Salford has a unique personality and feels very much like the North East, where I'm originally from. It's been an amazing experience and I've thoroughly enjoyed finding the voice of a Child Friendly Salford.

June 2025

Over the last couple of months, I've been working in a team, listening to children, finding out what they want to make their city safer, to create the brand design, assets, and illustrations for Child Friendly Salford.

The 'Child Friendly City' is a UNICEF global initiative to make cities….well…. child-friendly. Many cities in the UK have begun this process and this was Salford's opportunity as part of a wider 'Greener Healthier Salford' incentive.

These photos are taken from last week's children's workshop. The venue is Salford GRIT, the new art studio in Salford shopping centre that's only been open a few weeks and is already bursting with creative folks. Handier still is that it's a 5-minute walk from the equally new and impressive Salford Youth Zone.

Who's we? Well, that's the freelancer's day connection. Myself, Caroline Boyd (from Boy oh Boy Design) and Pauline Johnson (Civic and Social) pitched ourselves to Salford as a collaboration. Three folks, experienced independent creatives, coming together with the just the right set of skills to make this project pop. A few agencies pitched, and we got the commission.

It's been a long time since I project managed or art directed, as I'm very hands-on, and the division of work has been split between design, illustration and workshops.

In the interview, we were grilled by the Salford Youth Council, and one child asked, "What makes you different from the other people we're talking to?". I think my answer was the right one.

Here's also a sneak peek of the illustration sketches, and all will be revealed next month. I'm really proud of what we've achieved so far; it's been an amazing project to take on.

Links

Salford Council
Unicef Child Friendly Cities
Salford Youth Zone
Onside Youth Zones
Illustration
Brand Design

Creative Social Engagement

Over the last few years, more of my work has included social engagement. Not only creating final design and illustration pieces, but also going into communities to deliver workshops, empowering others to be more creative and have a voice on what's being designed.

Whether it's the branding for Salford's Child Friendly City incentive, Q and A's with attendees at a live scribe event or running a session at the opening of Stockport's Stockroom, social engagement has now become a part of Rocket Steps overall offering.
Since joining GRIT studios in late 2023 I've been able to combine these skills much more often, and I thank them for spotting new opportunities for me to do so too.

You see - full disclosure - when I'm not designing and illustrating, I'm performing and teaching. I've performed and taught comedy and improv on and off for almost twenty years. I'm also involved in TEDx Warrington. I consider myself a 'creative generalist' and have for a long time. It's a slow burn to skill up in a few different areas, but the career rewards, I think, are much greater.

Having an eclectic skill set offers a few different ways into a project. My involvement can involve helping to spark curiosity, build trust, and create a space where people feel safe to express themselves. It's not just the 'what' of a projects outcome, but finding the best 'how' to get there, where everyone feels invested.

Art can be a catalyst for change, and I see my role as helping others tap into that potential. Whether it’s sparking joy, raising awareness, or building community, I’m there to make creativity a shared experience—one that lingers long after the workshop ends.

Previous clients for this work include:

Salford City Council
Trafford Council
Stockport Council
Grit Studios
Sickfest
Stockroom
Greater Manchester Youth Network

2025 Showreel, motion graphics, illustration and more.

New showreel time! 15 Project squeezed into 36 seconds. I didn't update it last year, so there are plenty of highlights to stuff in.

Motion graphics, live scribing, illustration, branding and WordPress development. Often, but not always, served with a side order of light-hearted humour.

That's a few different things for one person to do, isn't it? Well, not really. I started my business back in 2010 after ten years in agencies, and the backbone of my approach was to go where the work is, explore niches and always be learning new things.

"Jack of all trades and a master of none?" eh?

I did hear this when I first started, however, the full qoute is "Jack of all trades, master of none, though oftentimes better than a master of one."

It can take years to build up a diverse skill set; it doesn't happen overnight, but I think it's important to cultivate right now in the creative space. I believe it's important to experiment and take risks to discover new skills adjacent to those you already have.

And it's not just me. While working on the new showreel, this article dropped on Creative Boom from Tom May about the 'creative generalist'. I couldn't agree more.

Start your new project

Rocket Steps is a 'one stop shop' for design, motion graphics and illustration.
Established in 2010 by John Cooper.

Links:

Creative Boom

Making Art at Stockport Stockroom

This weekend I had the pleasure of hosting an art session at the opening of Stockport Stockroom, a new cultural centre and art hub in the city centre. It's a revitalisation of the library too.

Many of the locals I chatted too said it was much needed and very welcome. The revitalization of Stockport has been ongoing for the last few years, and they really know what they are doing by bringing a creative community space to the centre of the town, top work there.

The council kitted the space out with easels and paint pens, and within a few minutes of getting started folks were appearing, keen to get stuck and make marks.

The space was designed by Dave Sedgwick from StudioDBD, and reminded my very much of SeeSaw and HOME in Manchester.

When I'm in creative spaces like this I ask myself a question: would I get my sketch pad out here? If that's something I can do comfortably, without feeling odd of like I'm being watched, that that space passes the test. Moreso with something like my Surface, that I draw on all the time (my windows iPad - I'm not an apple person).

In other news I've also been invited to join the advisory board at GRIT (who recommended me for this gig - thanks guys). It's a bit of a humble brag, but I'm incredibly honoured to be asked as they go from strength to strength.

Links

Graphic Design for the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival

Just a couple of month until the next Greater Manchester Fringe Festival and it looks set to be a great one.

I've been helping the team with graphic design since the festival came back in 2020, listening and tweaking, iterating the design every year to improve on what went before, and they now have a really strong recognisable identity.

Here's a sample from the design guide;

I try to be as helpful as I can. As a graphic designer I'm told I'm quite 'sympathetic', I'm not going to say 'You need these colours' or 'it has to look like that'. I've been around enough to know that a good designer is just a guide, leading folks up the mountain, helping them visualise their own idea, not the designer's own whims.

One of the main advantages I have is that I'm multi-disciplined. I can do graphic, web and illustration, to cover all the bases that a project might need. Also motion graphics when needed. Certainly with this one, the character of 'Liza Beenelli' had be revised and re-designed a few times over the years.

Manchester Graphic Design

There are some amazing apps out there that really help speed things along in terms of getting works done. I'm now offering canva for slide decks and some other design services.

If you've heard of it, Canva is a way to let a designer do wth design work, while giving a client access to make changes without breaking the overall design of a piece - similar to how websites work, but for offline media like slide decks and print.

Links:
Greater Manchester Fringe
More branding samples

The Art of Scamps

Updated March 2025

Need scamps? You're in the right place.

Good quality scamps help win pitches.

Rough and ready quick drawings getting ideas down on paper. A lot of my output involves making scamp artwork. For production companies and collaborations with other creative agencies who need to generate visuals quickly.

Scamps are very similar to storyboards or mock-ups. They help frame an idea, giving an art director or advertiser something to see that can help 'proof' a good idea, pushing it to the next stage, or decide if they aren't quite working, to help find the right direction.

They're an important early part of the creative process where speed and clarity are more important than the quality of the image.

Note: I often work under NDA's (non-disclosure agreements). That means the work is not for public display, on websites or social media. Scamps are often only for private use and owned by the company they are created for. The examples on this page are from real projects, and I've been permitted to share them. Just in case you're production company looking for a scamps artist and are worried about privacy.

Start your new project

Scamp artwork examples

These examples are from various projects I've worked on with leading production houses around the UK. From TV adverts to product design, it's often about facilitation, taking other people's ideas and converting them into images without being precious.

As you'll see in these examples, even at the early stage colour can be introduced a little, which often helps align with branding when presenting to clients. I've worked under direction with an art director to help achieve their vision, and I can offer ideas too.

Scamps happen at the very beginning of the process, and can on occasion stressful when they are created alongside conversations - that can go in different directions, but they don't have to be.

I have a background in comic art and improv comedy, and studied sequential art and communication design as a student. Learning the shorthand for storytelling and attention-grabbing that comics use so often really helps when it comes to composing images. Scamps can get messy quickly, and less is often more when it comes to choosing images for a presentation.

Get in touch for more info and rates.

Links:

Refresh, not rebrand.

In late 2024 my local running club, Manchester Road Runners, were looking for a new shirt design to celebrate 12 years of being a lovely active community. What they didn't ask for is a rebrand on the logo, but I'm always looking for opportunities and took the liberty of suggesting a very, very small refresh on their very established logo.

This is not a rebrand.

I think 'rebrand' gets overused in design and not always for the right reasons. There's no need to change something if it works, and with over 100 runners every week and growing, Manchester Road Runners don't really need an image change.

Sans serif?

I was reminded of the 'design trauma' stories of large brands going around the houses on wild varieties of different ideas to refresh a logo, then settling on something resembling what they already had.

With the 'MRR' logo, this is all I suggested. Remove the seriphs. Those are the little cross bars on the ends of letters that define a serif font, often used to define the difference between classical or contemporary style.
I rounded corners a little here, and added a bit more leading (space between rows) so the whole thing fits into a square easier for social media. Other than that this is still the original logo as designed by Chris ryder one of the founding members of my Manchester orderers and a good pal.

Just like the community at Manchester Road Runners who offer support new the runners who rock up every week, this logo refresh is just a gentle nudge of positive progress.

Links

New Graphic Design and Illustration for 2024

Updated Jan 2024

Here are some recent projects to start the year, hope you have a creative 2024

Looking for new graphic design or illustration? Here are a few things to consider to ensure you get the best results.

Discuss your project goals: Start with the end in mind and work backwards. By explaining the purpose of your project we can look at the best way to achieve it.

Are you looking for ideas, or do you know exactly what you need? Both are fine. More information is good if you’re on a tight budget, though if you have some flexibility, that makes room to explore more visual styles and value-adds to get the most out of the end result.

Request a portfolio review. You can always ask or look at my existing work to help you find a jumping-off point for what you need to achieve your vision.

Timelines and deadlines: In my experience timelines are often really short or really long. The sooner you ask for sketches, the sooner we can get a feel for how long the overall project will take. Deadlines, even if they are long ones, always help push a project forward to completion

Don't be afraid to give feedback or ask for suggestions. A good illustrator/designer can be proud without being precious. It’s often good to understand why design decisions are made so they can provide valuable insights and enhance your project.

These are just a few suggestions to get you started. Each project is unique, so feel free to ask any questions. Reach out via the contact form.

Manchester and Camden Fringe illustration and brand design

Live art / Graphic recording

Start your new project

Graphic Design for Your Event

Updated for 2024

Are you taking a show to a festival this year? Need a poster design for your posters, flyers and socials? I can help.

Festivals are crowded markets so it's important to get a design that communicates quickly and looks professional. It's often the first thing a potential audience member will see, and the reaction you need is "That looks good" not "What is it?". Get in touch.

Good posters are crucial part of persuading potential audience members to come and see your show.

Poster design for events, campaigns and promotions. We work a lot with the live events industry where design needs to be high impact. We provide posters alongside branding and social media packages.

Start your new project

Links:

Motion Graphics Showreel

Motion Graphics, Design & Illustration. I've connected with some amazing new clients this year and collaborated on some wonderful projects.

There have been a few long hours and late nights, but I can feel creative boundaries being pushed in the finished work going out the door (FYI, It makes an excited 'whooshing' sound).

Last 2 years I've been super focused. To step up, be seen, and keep it fresh. At the beginning of the year I rebranded, changing 'John Cooper Design' into Rocket Steps, Creative Studio ( reckon that's where the 'whooshing' sound came from).

It's helped me clarify my ethos. I don't outsource, I work directly with clients and the best ideas win.

I don't think I'd have had the confidence 10 years ago to be as bold with ideas as I am now. Also, I'm experienced enough to be humble when the client's idea is great, and I just need to execute it with style.

Start your new project

What Rocket Steps does;

Illustration
Motion graphics & animation
Website design
Branding
Explainer videos
Graphic design
Graphic recording

Working directly with clients

I work directly with clients end-to-end. From ideas sessions to final delivery, to get the most from their budget and suggest ways to make the most of what they need.

Collaboration

I'm used by agencies and events companies for illustration and live art, when my style suits their needs. Being a solo studio means I can be super flexible on times, places and deadlines.

Looking to hire a motion graphics designer?

You can book me by the day or by the project. I can help you pin down a brief (a description of the work you need doing) and suggestions the best ways to tell your story and get your message across.

Need to hire an illustrator?

You can book me by the hour or the day. Never used an illustrator before, or have questions that's fine too. Whether you have a clear idea of what you want, or would you benefit from a handful of quick sketches to get the ball rolling.

Character design for GMFringe - 2023 Update

Here's a great way to get a lot of mileage from your illustration work, refreshing or updating what's already there.

For 'Liza Beenelli', the brand mascot of the Great Manchester fringe, it seems just right to update her image for 2023. She's had loads of updates, and she still looks great.

If you need illustration you want to get as much value as possible. Here it makes sense to keep the 'master' illustration and change little bits at a time, so we still recognise the brand mascot.

Brand mascots are cool.

And they work too. From Tony the tiger or the meerkats to Colonel Sanders. Having a character that captures your brand is a wonderful wordless attention-grabbing way to remind everyone who you are and what you do. All in a single relatable image. So why don't more companies do it?

I'm speculating, but from my experience, I'd say budget plays one part but also, consistency over time.

Many creative agencies have in-house graphic designers and outsource illustration, this is a practical and pretty sensible decision. Graphic design is more affordable to replicate in-house if there's a staff change later, using a style guide. With brand mascots in illustration, "drawing a new face" in the style of an existing image can be a much trickier ask* further down the line.

This project works because it's a direct relationship with the illustrator. It's John (hello, this is me). If a brand mascot it something you're thinking about to give your brand a bit of personality, I can happily answer any questions. How much? how long? More importantly, what is your brand's spirit animal?

Start your new project

Wrap party update - 2022

April 22022.
Here's a great example of a full design package, for the GM Fringe. The central illustration has been reused across the different designs to maintain a strong identity while getting maximum value from a piece of the original illustration.

This is Liza Bee-nelli, the mascot for the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival. The character design is a reimagining of the Fringe Mascot from 2017, when she was first introduced to promote shows. For this new version, I started with a pencil sketch in ClipStudio, then took it into Affinity Designer, my new favourite playground for designing vector artwork, as the mascot had to be flexible enough to be recreated at any size.

I've been using Affinity designer for around 16 months now and it's more than proven itself as a professional workflow tool, it just clicks with me a lot more than illustrator ever did. In particular features like layers and gradients are just a joy to use.

Here's the previous character design mascot logo from 2016, designed in illustrator. She's come a long way!

2016 Lisa mascot

June 2025

Over the last few years, more of my work has included social engagement. Not only creating final design and illustration pieces, but also going into communities to deliver workshops, empowering others to be more creative and have a voice on what's being designed.

"Jack of all trades and a master of none?" eh?

Manchester Graphic Design

Need scamps? You're in the right place.

Good quality scamps help win pitches.

This is not a rebrand.

Sans serif?

Here are some recent projects to start the year, hope you have a creative 2024

Looking for new graphic design or illustration? Here are a few things to consider to ensure you get the best results.

Are you taking a show to a festival this year? Need a poster design for your posters, flyers and socials? I can help.

Motion Graphics, Design & Illustration. I've connected with some amazing new clients this year and collaborated on some wonderful projects.

Working directly with clients

Collaboration

Looking to hire a motion graphics designer?

Need to hire an illustrator?

Here's a great way to get a lot of mileage from your illustration work, refreshing or updating what's already there.

Brand mascots are cool.

April 22022. Here's a great example of a full design package, for the GM Fringe. The central illustration has been reused across the different designs to maintain a strong identity while getting maximum value from a piece of the original illustration.

April 22022.
Here's a great example of a full design package, for the GM Fringe. The central illustration has been reused across the different designs to maintain a strong identity while getting maximum value from a piece of the original illustration.