McDowall: Art and Design

16/07/2026

It's hard to believe that just a week ago, we were preparing for opening night of Palace Youth Theatre's .

What a truly smashing, high-quality experience to be a part of! From designing the main artwork to creating the Programmes (which completely sold out!), it was an absolute pleasure to contribute to such a talented and dedicated production.

A huge thank you to everyone involved for bringing this incredible story to life, and to all those who came along to support it.

16/07/2026

When designing the artwork for , I was heavily inspired by two different sources. I wanted to combine the iconic red and yellow outlined logo style from the official licensed production with the abstract visual style of the recent Watermill Theatre production.

What appealed to me about the Watermill design was its use of key elements such as the wings, the propellers, the steering wheel, and car headlights to capture the spirit of Chitty without showing her. The different parts of the car, intertwined within the logo itself. I wanted to bring that same sense of imagination to the design while keeping the familiar branding audiences recognize.

The result is a piece that I believe pays homage to both classic and contemporary, celebrating the show's heritage while taking a more symbolic and theatrical approach.

My personal favourite addition is the burst of cogs and gears exploding from the logo, a subtle nod to Chitty's origins as a 'fantasmagorical' machine rebuilt by a rather eccentric inventor.

10/07/2026

10/07/2026

The Big Pembs Panto invites you aboard for a swashbuckling adventure with !

Join Peter, Wendy, Tinker Bell, the Lost Boys, and the dastardly Captain Hook (Wynne Evans) in a high-flying spectacular pantomime that the whole family will love.

So sprinkle on the fairy dust, think happy thoughts, and set sail for Neverland... because this is one adventure you'll never want to grow up from!

09/07/2026

Ludwig Theatre Arts invites you to step into a world of magic, laughter, and unforgettable family fun with !

Join Princess Aurora and her friends as they take on the wicked Carabosse in a spectacular pantomime packed with hilarious comedy, dazzling costumes, toe-tapping songs, and all the audience participation you could wish for!

Don't sleep on it—book your tickets and let the adventure begin!

08/07/2026

A year ago, I had the pleasure of designing the Programme for Palace Youth Theatre's production of .

It's hard to believe that 12 months have flown by, and now we're at show week for ! I'm so excited to have designed this year's Programme too, and I can't wait for audiences to see it.

If you're coming along to watch the show this week, be sure to pick up a Programme! It's been a real joy to create, and I'm incredibly grateful to Palace Youth Theatre for asking me back to work with them again.

08/07/2026

Adult Panto is back... and stealing all the laughs!

Pumpkin Pantos return with their naughtiest adventure yet! Join Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Little Johnnie, W***y Scarlet, and The Sheriff for a wildly rude, gloriously raunchy night of laughter.

Expect a quiver full of innuendo, a generous helping of s**t, and enough outrageous laughs to leave your longbow trembling.

It's cheeky! It's naughty! It's raunchy! It's everything a panto shouldn't be... and absolutely everything you'll love!

11/04/2026

Lately, I’ve seen less and less work coming my way as a graphic designer. Not because I’ve stopped trying, but simply because a majority of clients are choosing to use Ai instead.

I get it. It’s faster but more importantly cheaper! But it’s still tough to see something I’ve spent a number of years doing to be suddenly be replaced so easily.

Just to let you know I’m still here, still creating, and still believing that human design has real value.

*Word of advice those clients who HAVE chosen to replace my services with Ai generated imagery…it’s simple, don’t bother contacting me again. Regardless of our previous history, your request for future work or to collaborate will be denied!

04/02/2026

Whilst I can’t reveal which group this commission is for just yet 👀

I can say that the brief called for a party theme featuring a blue background, with a single party object like a cake, or candles or a party hat as the primary image.

This is what I came up with 🎉💙

- Company (2026)