Mark Spencer is a Forensic Botanist; he consults with police departments and forensic services on cases where plant based evidence can unlock crimes. The main tools at Mark’s disposal are his observational skills and his vast botanical knowledge. So Fieldwork Facility appropriately created a logo comprising of a skeletonised leaf that resembles an observing eye.

Studio Sutherl&’s design for the 2017 D&AD Annual cleverly reinstates the Annual as the Design Bible needed in everybody’s lives. Simple covers and multiple ribbons, which the reader can use to bookmark projects they admire, keeps the design both elegant and functional. Copy, written by Nick Asbury, repeatedly uses ampersands (in reference to the & in D&AD) to give the Annual an additional element of personality and ownability.

Following up from their superb Agatha Christie stamps for the Royal Mail, Studio Sutherland has done it again. Problem solving and clever hidden ideas lend themselves perfectly to a new visual identity for media agency and production company Agatha Christie Limited (ACL). The identity aims to reflect how “intelligently crafted” Christie’s novels and characters are, says Studio Sutherland founder Jim Sutherland.

Orchestras, symphonies, ballets are all dream jobs for graphic design agencies around the world. So many have been done so well it’s hard to come up with something original and memorable. However lg2 boutique managed to achieve it. This is such a simple, clever, elegant solution, combining the shapes of the instruments with a bold ‘O’. Vibrant, lively, timeless and flexible. Everything you’d want for a symphony orchestra identity.

Mytton Williams have produced a beautiful and clever set of posters for Ink Copywriters. Using Indian ink and a variety of tools they submerged, brushed, splattered, absorbed and dragged ink across the canvas, illustrating a selection of words through mark making that express a few of the client’s many different tones of voice.

Moniker’s Bridge Poster Series links business diagram language with abstract graphic purism in an effortless and natural manner. It is easier said than done: whilst both languages can visually connect, it is still testing to do so in a way that looks fresh and elegant. It demands not getting too obvious, too abstract or too pretentious. This graceful approach allows for form and color to respond to content, and even generate new meaning through the image. Inspiring work.

The School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York releases a subway advertisement every year. Over the 70 year history of the school it’s internal studio The Visual Arts Press has collaborated with many celebrated designers (Paula Scher, Louise Fili, Milton Glaser, George Tscherny; to name a few) to create these posters. Each poster uniquely sells the idea of fostering creativity in a way that can withstand the visual clutter of New York’s subway. More posters can be seen here.

A wonderful find from Danny Dutch. 7 books make up the series on the decline and fall of the Roman Empire.