ABOUT BEN

20 years of design across product, brand, and editorial.

I'm a Toronto-based designer working across UX, illustration, motion, and art direction. I started as an editorial illustrator — spending 15 years creating work for The New York Times, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, The Atlantic, and Esquire, and earning recognition from D&AD, Communication Arts, and the RGD.

Over time I widened my practice. I've since helped VC-backed startups build products from scratch, guided enterprise brands through visual systems, and brought a strong craft sensibility to every kind of design problem.

I've collaborated with leading agencies, global brands, and publishers including The New York Times, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, The Atlantic, Esquire, Condé Nast Portfolio, Xbox, Honda, Wealthsimple, Canada Goose, Shopify, Mozilla, Canada Post, Pentagram, the Canadian Olympic Committee, and numerous non-profits.

Fintech and financial services clients: Wealthsimple, BMO, RBC, and TD Bank.

My visual storytelling has been featured in publications by TASCHEN, Die Gestalten Verlag, and Princeton Architectural Press. Early in my career, I gained foundational experience at CBC News Online, in prepress production, and photo studios.

🎥 Watch a 5-minute short film on my early illustration work →

Publications & Features

My illustrations and design work have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, TIME, Esquire Black Book, The Atlantic, Taschen’s Illustration Now!, Die Gestalten Verlag’s Visual Families, and Princeton Architectural Press’s Over and Over. My limited-edition prints have sold out at both the AGO Store and Indigo. My work has been profiled in Creativity Magazine, Applied Arts, IDN, Design Edge Canada, and MacUser. -> Press Resources

Awards & Recognition

• D&AD Pencil Awards – Ben Weeks Has Many Loves poster & PEN Canada.

• American Illustration

• Apple — Invited to lead a design team at Cupertino (2019).

• Communication Arts Annual

• Wealthsimple's TLDR I worked on won a Webby Award

• Advertising and Design Club of Canada

• Endorsement from the Creative Director of Exhibitions, MoMA 
  (letter of recommendation on MoMA letterhead available on request)
  
  
  

Academic & Teaching Background

I have an M.A. in Creative Imaging from the University of Huddersfield (EU full scholarship) and a diploma in Illustration from Sheridan College, I’ve taught at Sheridan, written design curriculum for Redeemer U and taught for 7 years at Miami Ad School to 2024. I led courses in visual impact, typography, motion graphics, and brand creation—mentoring students to grow their craft and confidence. Several are ACDs at Rethink and some were recognized in Cannes. I've also built a life drawing guide ->Drawing Upgrade

Certifications

IBM Enterprise Design Thinking Practitioner, AODA Accessibility (2024), Product Discovery — UXcel (2025), Figma Design Systems — FigMaster (2023), IxDF User Journey Mapping (2023).

A Personal Note

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is often part of my week—the gentle art has taught me resilience, perseverance, and creative problem-solving under pressure. Since rest matters as much as work, you might find me making dinner for my family, painting, or tinkering on the piano during off hours. -> Stay updated on new work and launches