DENISE GALLAGHER + CRICKET MEDIA
December 18, 2022
Illustration Series for "The Robin’s Red Breast," a play based upon a legend from the Iroquois culture. Featured in the April 2022 issue of Cricket Media's "Faces" Magazine.
The art director of Cricket Media's "Faces" magazine was so impressed by Denise Gallagher’s previous illustration work for an Inuit folktale that when a new folktale project came about, she immediately reached out to Denise again. “You were an obvious top pick for this assignment!” she wrote.
The new project was a series of illustrations to accompany “The Robin’s Red Breast,” a play based on a legend from the Iroquois culture. Denise’s fascination with myths and folklore again shone through on the resulting illustration series. Denise fell instantly in love with the story.
She illustrated the young Iroquois hunter in a palette of orange and gold. She gave the kind and helpful bird feathers of gray and a stunning red breast. In the tale the young hunter’s inexperience leads him to trouble but the bird’s care and beautiful song help him to survive and results in a life-long friendship.
🪄 Bringing Our Brand to Life with Freshly Cooked Creative 🪄 When we set out to celebrate our 36-year journey - and communicate who we are today - we partnered with Freshly Cooked Creative to help us tell that story visually and memorably. The result is a stunning animated piece that begins with our sapling logo and grows into a vibrant, flourishing tree. It’s more than a beautiful metaphor. The animation reflects our evolution: deep roots in the industry, decades-long relationships, and a future full of growth and possibility. Every frame is intentional, designed to reflect our expanding capabilities and continued relevance in the creative space. But Freshly Cooked didn’t stop at animation. They delivered a complete brand package built to meet today’s marketing demands. We now have: Four optimized formats of the animation for use across digital platforms Custom-designed web icons, Zoom backgrounds, and event signage Branded social media assets and sticker graphics for both digital and in-person impact Thanks to Freshly Cooked Creative , we now have a dynamic, versatile visual system that honors our past while positioning us for what’s next. Curious how Freshly Cooked can help bring your next campaign, pitch, or brand refresh to life? Check out their latest work and reach out to us if you want to see more!
✨ Why Custom Illustration Matter ✨ Why icons deserve a second look! Icons are often treated like a checkbox - something to grab from a stock library or pull from an existing UI kit. But when they’re built intentionally, they become one of the most quietly powerful tools in your creative arsenal. Custom icons do more than reinforce a brand. They clarify communication. They guide users. They bring visual consistency to even the most complex projects - across digital, print, packaging, environments, and campaigns. Illustrator James Nelson approaches icon work with that kind of purpose. His sets are clean, strategic, and built to flex—whether they’re solving for user experience, packaging hierarchies, internal comms, or large-scale marketing systems.
✨ Lincoln Durham - 3D Character Design + Animation - Rolling Loud Music Festival ✨ Lincoln Durham created this dynamic sizzle reel showcasing some of the 2D and 3D animations he developed for the Rolling Loud Music Festival across various cities, in collaboration with Zellus. These animations were primarily used for social media promotions and as NFTs to further engage festival fans. The original artwork, provided by an undisclosed artist, served as still illustrations that Lincoln brought to life by adding motion and sound. For the 3D scenes, he sculpted and rigged characters inspired by the 2D illustrations, using them as a foundation to build out a story line based on direction from Zellus. Lincoln’s ability to seamlessly blend 2D and 3D animation, along with his expertise in motion and sound design, brings energy and depth to every project. His work for Rolling Loud is just one example of how he transforms static illustrations into immersive, high-impact visuals. Looking to elevate your next project with dynamic animation? Consider Lincoln for your upcoming creative needs!