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Woody Swain is an independent Art Director, Designer, and Illustrator who lives in Manhattan.

Woody was a Creative Director and Art Director at Young & Rubicam (Y&R), on Madison Avenue. Before then, he worked at Lowe-Marschalk, and prior to that he was at Scali, McCabe & Sloves. He worked on print and television for clients that include Cutty Sark, Van Heusen, Smirnoff, Coca-Cola Foods, Dr. Pepper, Accenture, Citi, Advil, United States Post Office, and AT&T. For the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) he and his partner created one of the most memorable and successful commercials the Ad Council ever produced. He created an illustration for Colgate-Palmolive that is currently their logo for oral care worldwide.

Woody has lectured on advertising and graphic design at The Parsons School of Design and The University of St. Johns. He was a mentor at NYC’s High School of Art & Design sponsored by New York City Public Schools and the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA). Woody and his mentee were awarded Runner-up for Best Mentor and Mentee of the Year. He has won numerous awards for his creative work.

Woody Swain is an independent Art Director, Designer, and Illustrator who lives in Manhattan.

Woody was a Creative Director and Art Director at Young & Rubicam (Y&R), on Madison Avenue. Before then, he worked at Lowe-Marschalk, and prior to that he was at Scali, McCabe & Sloves. He worked on print and television for clients that include Cutty Sark, Van Heusen, Smirnoff, Coca-Cola Foods, Dr. Pepper, Accenture, Citi, Advil, United States Post Office, and AT&T. For the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) he and his partner created one of the most memorable and successful commercials the Ad Council ever produced. He created an illustration for Colgate-Palmolive that is currently their logo for oral care worldwide.

Woody has lectured on advertising and graphic design at The Parsons School of Design and The University of St. Johns. He was a mentor at NYC’s High School of Art & Design sponsored by New York City Public Schools and the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA). Woody and his mentee were awarded Runner-up for Best Mentor and Mentee of the Year. He has won numerous awards for his creative work.

Woody Portrait

Woody Swain is an independent Art Director, Designer, and Illustrator who lives in Manhattan.

Woody was a Creative Director and Art Director at Young & Rubicam (Y&R), on Madison Avenue. Before then, he worked at Lowe-Marschalk, and prior to that he was at Scali, McCabe & Sloves. He worked on print and television for clients that include Cutty Sark, Van Heusen, Smirnoff, Coca-Cola Foods, Dr. Pepper, Accenture, Citi, Advil, United States Post Office, and AT&T. For the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) he and his partner created one of the most memorable and successful commercials the Ad Council ever produced. He created an illustration for Colgate-Palmolive that is currently their logo for oral care worldwide.

Woody has lectured on advertising and graphic design at The Parsons School of Design and The University of St. Johns. He was a mentor at NYC’s High School of Art & Design sponsored by New York City Public Schools and the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA). Woody and his mentee were awarded Runner-up for Best Mentor and Mentee of the Year. He has won numerous awards for his creative work.

A maritime enthusiast, Woody served on the Executive Board of The Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI), the largest maritime non-profit in North America, where he chaired their art collection and helped advise its liquidation when SCI moved to new headquarters. He helped brand their offices in Houston, Newark, Oakland, and Paducah KY. He served on the Board of The Ocean Liner Museum and was Director of their exhibit “Dazzle & Drab: The Ocean Liner at War” in downtown Manhattan. He also designed the logo and graphics for the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater at the Westside Y opposite Lincoln Center.

Woody illustrated “American Mah Jongg for Everyone” (Tuttle, 2020). He was art director for “Mah-Jongg the Art of the Game” (Tuttle, 2014) with photographer Michel Arnaud shot in London, Canada, and the US. It is now in its second printing.

He earned a degree in Fine Arts at Colgate University and a BFA in Advertising Design at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA.

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Art Direction

My job is to make sure the final visual result, or "look,” of a print ad, video, or other assets I've created are in agreement with what the client and I have mutually worked through and decided on.
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Graphic Design

I create visual assets (such as logos) that have a definite, confident attitude about what they represent, while also looking somehow familiar. While the design should stand alone, I also consider the platforms on which the client wants it to appear, such as a web banner, a podcast cover, a poster, or any other medium.
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Illustration

I like to make images that can change (or even improve!) preconceived ideas and notions about something my clients think they already know or understand.

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See More

My job is to make sure the final visual result, or “look,” of a print ad, video, or other assets I’ve created are in agreement with what the client and I have mutually worked through and decided on.
Graphicdesignlinkfinal

See More

I create visual assets (such as logos) that have a definite, confident attitude about what they represent, while also looking somehow familiar. While the design should stand alone, I also consider the platforms on which the client wants it to appear, such as a web banner, a podcast cover, a poster, or any other medium.
Illustration Linkfinal

See More

I like to make images that can change (or even improve!) preconceived ideas and notions about something my clients think they already know or understand.