There’s a moment in every launch sequence when you pause — not out of hesitation, but to check your bearings. To reflect. To breathe. Then: ignition.
Orbit Studios officially went live this week, but its trajectory was set in motion 30 years ago. That’s how long I’ve been working as a professional illustrator, designer, art director, and creative team leader — across agencies, in-house studios, and now, independently.
Orbit30 is how I’m marking this milestone. Not with confetti and cake (though, never say never), but with a year-long series of stories, spotlights, and reflections. Over the months ahead, I’ll be sharing some of my favourite projects from the archives — many now featured on the new Orbit Studios site — and unpacking the thinking behind them. What worked. What didn’t. What still matters today.
Some of these stories will be familiar if you’ve worked with me. Others might surprise you. But they’ll all offer a window into the kind of strategic creative thinking that still fuels the work I do today — branding, design systems, illustration, marketing campaigns, and storytelling that sticks.
This isn’t just about nostalgia. It’s about momentum.
Because experience only matters if it helps you move forward with clarity and confidence.
So, let’s go.
Thanks for being here,
— Dave
