Tatsu Ishikawa

Born in Saitama, Japan, now based in London, where I spent nearly a decade at a creative communications agency, I’m a graphic designer and art director currently working freelance. My focus is on identity-led design across visual systems, editorial, typography, and brand expression, including social media.

I enjoy reinterpretations of the ordinary that carry an unexpected twist — not to make them unfamiliar, but to make their familiarity more vivid. That kind of shift, where something seen a hundred times suddenly lingers, is what I look for in design. It’s not just about how something looks, but how it’s understood, used, and remembered.

A principle I often return to is ‘deforume’, the Japanese idea of reshaping the literal through reduction and exaggeration. It’s not about simplifying for clarity alone, but about reimagining what’s been removed, finding new visual forms that echo the same intent in a distilled way. This approach enables me to create work that is symbolic, precise, and universally resonant.

Services

Brand identity design
Logos, wordmarks, and custom lettering
Identities for campaigns, events, and exhibitions
Social media design and visual strategy
Marketing and communication materials (print and digital)
Editorial and layout design
Website design
Animation and motion graphics
Illustration
Art direction for photoshoots
Visual direction across brand and campaign

To explore an idea or start a project, get in touch — let’s talk.