About Clairefontaine
Clairefontaine is a stationery brand celebrated for its exceptional quality, craftsmanship, and ability to inspire creativity. While it’s best known for its silky-smooth, fountain-pen-friendly paper, Clairefontaine offers so much more. From premium notebooks and sketchpads to specialised products for painting, origami, and handicrafts, the brand caters to writers, artists, and crafters alike. With a legacy rooted in tradition and a commitment to innovation, Clairefontaine creates tools that bring ideas to life—whether you’re jotting down notes, creating art, or exploring new crafts.
Origami
Take a look at the origami adverts I designed for Clairefontaine. They’re all about highlighting the fun and creativity their origami kits bring.
The Cozy Christmas Crafts advert beautifully ties into Clairefontaine’s brand story by showcasing the charm and creativity their products bring to the holiday season. With a focus on handcrafted elements like advent houses and intricate origami stars, it reflects the brand’s dedication to inspiring personal, meaningful projects. The soft colours and festive details align with Clairefontaine’s ethos of combining elegance and versatility, making it a perfect representation of their commitment to fostering creativity.
The Beyond the Bow advert captures the playful, vibrant side of Clairefontaine. The bold red background and flying origami pieces create a sense of fun and movement, drawing attention to the joy of gifting creativity. It reinforces the brand’s story of providing high-quality materials that encourage hands-on crafting and thoughtful expression, while the tagline ties everything together with a clever, engaging twist. Both adverts celebrate Clairefontaine’s ability to inspire creativity across different moments and audiences.
Notebooks
Here’s a collection of notebook advertisements I’ve designed, each crafted to tell a unique story. From sustainability to historical inspiration, these designs showcase Clairefontaine’s dedication to creativity, quality, and innovation.
Honouring the pioneering work of Anna Atkins, the Cyanotype advert immerses the viewer in the rich history of botanical photography. The striking blue background reflects the iconic cyanotype technique, while the delicate floral prints and inclusion of Atkins’ portrait celebrate her legacy. The tagline, “Blueprints of Creativity,” ties the historical roots of this art form to its modern interpretation, making the design both visually captivating and deeply connected to Clairefontaine’s commitment to artistry and craftsmanship.
Inspired by the golden age of aviation, the Flying Spirit advert evokes a sense of exploration and innovation. A map background, paired with vintage tools like a compass and camera, creates a nostalgic yet adventurous tone. The gold-embossed Wright Flyer illustration adds elegance while grounding the design in history. Clean typography and a minimalist layout keep the focus on the notebook, showcasing Clairefontaine’s dedication to blending timeless stories with functional, high-quality design.
This advert captures the vibrant and glamorous essence of the Moulin Rouge, celebrating Clairefontaine’s exclusive collaboration with the iconic Parisian cabaret. The luxurious red fabric background creates an immediate connection to the bold elegance of the Moulin Rouge, while the illuminated marquee-style typography channels the theatrical charm and excitement of its famous stage. These visual elements work together to immerse the viewer in the magic of Parisian culture, perfectly aligning with the collection’s theme.
The featured notebooks and planners add a contemporary twist, showcasing the intricate designs inspired by the Moulin Rouge’s rich history and artistry. The layout balances glamour with accessibility, highlighting the collection’s focus on creativity and premium craftsmanship. This advert effectively tells the story of how Clairefontaine combines French flair with practical elegance, offering products that inspire creativity and bring a touch of Parisian magic to everyday life.
This advert for La Vie en Vosges beautifully bridges Clairefontaine’s rich heritage and modern sophistication. The textured kraft background and torn paper edge evoke a tactile, organic feel that connects to the brand’s roots in the French Vosges. Combined with the serene landscape imagery, the design celebrates the natural beauty and timeless tradition behind Clairefontaine’s paper-making legacy.
The warm, earthy tones and elegant typography create a harmonious balance, highlighting the brand’s ability to merge authenticity with contemporary appeal. By emphasising the fusion of heritage and modernity, the advert tells a story of quality craftsmanship that transcends trends, reinforcing Clairefontaine’s position as a brand steeped in tradition yet forward-thinking in design.
In the Jeans & Cocoa design, the split layout uses bold textures of denim and cocoa beans to create visual interest and immediately highlight the recycled materials at the heart of the range. The handwritten-style typography adds a crafted, artisanal feel, complementing the rugged yet warm tones of the design. The text placement is straightforward and grounded, ensuring the message is clear and approachable. This design speaks directly to Clairefontaine’s focus on sustainability and creativity, presenting the brand as innovative, practical, and deeply connected to its materials.
The Tulip Paper design uses soft beige tones and a fabric-like backdrop to create an elegant, natural aesthetic that reflects Clairefontaine’s commitment to sustainability. The tulip flowers are subtly integrated, connecting to the paper’s eco-friendly origin, while the clean, spacious text layout keeps the focus on the story behind the product. The balanced typography—pairing soft script with modern serif—reinforces the brand’s blend of tradition and innovation. It’s minimal yet thoughtful, aligning perfectly with Clairefontaine’s ethos of understated beauty and environmental responsibility.
Notebook Designs
This notebook, designed by me for WHSmith, blends sophistication with practicality, making it ideal for university students. The minimal and clean aesthetic aligns with modern design trends, offering a stylish yet functional option for those who value understated elegance. The warm cream and deep navy colour palette exudes a contemporary yet timeless vibe, adding a professional and versatile edge to the design.
The ‘UNIQUE’ logo, with its planned glossy finish, introduces a subtle tactile detail that reinforces the premium quality of the notebook. This feature ensures the design stands out both on shelves and in use, adding a refined touch. WHSmith’s preference for this sleek and minimalistic design ensures broad appeal, while the premium 90gsm paper provides a smooth writing experience that complements its polished exterior. This notebook strikes the perfect balance between style and functionality, making it an everyday essential for students.
Fine Art
Here’s a look at my work on Clairefontaine’s fine art range, where I’ve designed materials that celebrate creativity and showcase the brand’s premium art products. From vibrant mixed media pads to elegant pastel papers, each design highlights the quality and versatility that artists rely on.
With bold paint textures splashed across the background, the Paint’ON design is all about capturing the energy of mixed media art. The vibrant colours and textured backdrop instantly draw the eye, while the clean focus on the product keeps it grounded. Scattered art tools—like brushes, pencils, and palette knives—are carefully arranged to hint at the endless techniques this paper can handle. The design feels dynamic and creative, perfectly matching Clairefontaine’s commitment to inspiring artists to push their boundaries.
The PastelGrain design takes a softer, more refined approach, with a warm peach background that complements the delicate pastel artwork. The layering of the drawings, paired with the subtle placement of pastel sticks, gives it a tactile and inviting feel. It’s all about showing off the paper’s ability to handle fine details and rich colours, and the design does this effortlessly. Every element, from the elegant typography to the gentle tones, ties back to Clairefontaine’s focus on creating high-quality materials that support artists in expressing their vision with precision and style.
The Paint’ON Showcase I designed is all about highlighting the versatility and creativity of Clairefontaine’s multi-media paper range. The vibrant, textured backgrounds mimic the product covers, creating a seamless visual link that reinforces the range’s identity. This bold design choice sets an energetic and engaging tone, reflecting the endless artistic possibilities Paint’ON offers while staying true to the brand’s creative ethos.
I focused on balancing bold visuals with clear, concise information to ensure the showcase is as practical as it is inspiring. Each page emphasises the range’s adaptability for various techniques, from drawing and painting to mixed media, presenting it as the ultimate tool for artists of all levels. The design not only tells the story of Paint’ON as a product that supports creativity but also reinforces Clairefontaine’s commitment to quality and innovation in the arts.