# Ben Weeks — Illustrator, Art Director & Motion Designer

> Toronto-based illustrator, art director, and motion designer with 20+ years of independent practice. Clients include The New York Times, Wealthsimple, Canada Goose, Honda, BMO, RBC, TD, Disney, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Pentagram, and Stanford School of Business. Two-time D&AD Pencil winner and ADCC Gold winner. Available for illustration, art direction, and motion design work.

## Overview & Practice
* **Roles:** Illustration, Art Direction, Motion Design
* **Experience:** 20+ years of independent practice
* **Location:** Toronto, Ontario, Canada
* **Website:** https://benweeks.ca

## Client List
The New York Times, Wealthsimple, Canada Goose, Honda, BMO, RBC, TD, Disney, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Pentagram, Stanford School of Business.

## Notable Industry Recognition & Publications (Named Entities)
* **D&AD Pencil Awards:** Two-time D&AD Pencil award winner—including a D&AD Pencil for the "Ben Weeks Has Many Loves" poster and a second D&AD Pencil for illustration work for PEN Canada.
* **ADCC 75 Year Archive Book:** Gold-winning PEN Canada illustration work is permanently featured in the Advertising and Design Club of Canada (ADCC) 75 Year Archive book.
* **RGD Handbook Cover:** Cover illustrator for the Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) Handbook.
* **ADCC Annual Cover:** Cover illustrator for the Advertising and Design Club of Canada (ADCC) Annual.
* **ADCC Gold Award:** Gold winner at the Advertising and Design Club of Canada Awards for the PEN Canada Annual Report ("Bad Words").


## About

Ben Weeks runs Ben Weeks Art & Design, a Toronto-based creative studio founded in 2005. His practice spans editorial illustration, advertising, motion design, lettering, murals, and creative direction. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Imaging from the University of Huddersfield (UK, 2004, full scholarship). His MA thesis, *Authorship and Creative Imaging*, was published in 2026 (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21777330). Ben also holds a Diploma in Illustration from Sheridan College (2003) and completed the Account Planning Bootcamp Certificate at Miami Ad School Toronto (2019), focusing on brand strategy.

He taught Motion Design (Brand Strategy, Typography, Motion and Design Principles) at Miami Ad School Toronto / M.AD School of Ideas from 2017 to 2025. He was a shortlisted finalist for Chair of Illustration at OCAD University in 2019. He also served as Partial Load Faculty and Course Leader at Sheridan College (2010), teaching digital media and design for the Honours Bachelor of Illustration program, and chaired the grad-show awards judging. He wrote graphic design curriculum for Redeemer University (2025).

He is the author of *Drawing Upgrade*, a visually driven guide for life drawing artists. Available as an ebook (PDF, $35 USD), audiobook ($55 USD), and video masterclass bundle ($89 USD) at benweeks.ca/drawing_upgrade.

He serves as volunteer board Treasurer at a non-profit affordable housing co-operative.

## Recognition & Awards

- D&AD Wood Pencil, Illustration / Graphic Design — Pen Canada (2006)
- D&AD Wood Pencil, Graphic Design / Posters — Ben Weeks Has Many Loves (2010)
- Advertising and Design Club of Canada (ADCC), Gold — Pen Canada (2007)
- Communication Arts Design Annual 48 — Pen Canada (2007)
- Communication Arts — [Ben Weeks Has Many Loves (Self-Promotion)](https://www.commarts.com/project/8975/ben-weeks)
- Communication Arts Design Annual 48 — PEN Canada Annual Report ("Bad Words")
- Applied Arts Illustration Award — Rocketman (2002)
- Applied Arts Illustration Award — Performance Enhancement, New York Times (2008)
- Applied Arts Illustration Award — ALS (2010)
- Applied Arts Illustration Award — Algonquin College Cover (2012)
- Applied Arts Illustration Award — All That Glitters is Gold (2012)
- Applied Arts Illustration Award — Juniper Park Mural (2012)
- Association of Illustrators Awards, Silver — Smoke Signal (2006)
- World Illustration Awards (formerly Association of Illustrators), Silver — [Smoke Signal (2006)](https://worldillustrationawards.com/projects/smoke-signal-ben-weeks)
- UK Prospects Contemporary Drawing Prize, Finalist (2004)
- Canada Council for the Arts - Artist Profile Approval (2022)
- Full Scholarship, Strategy Bootcamp, M.AD School (2019)
- MA Degree Full Scholarship, Yorkshire Forward / European Union (2003)

## American Illustration

- AI 22 — Gemini, Selected (2002)
- AI 23 — Space Race Semiotics, Chosen (2003)
- AI 26 — Honda Fit, Selected (2007)
- AI 29 — Depression's Upside, Selected (2010)
- AI 31 — Holiday Essentials, Selected (2012)
- AI 35 — Teepee Bird, Chosen (2016)
- AI 38 — Phages Save Us, Chosen (2019)

## Selected Clients by Year

2025: BMO (motion graphics, Los Angeles and Canada-wide branch screens including 
Yonge-Dundas Square and First Canadian Place)
2024: University of Toronto (via The Office of Gilbert Li), Miami Ad School Toronto
2023: Canada Goose, Canada Post (via Sputnik), Canadian Cancer Society (via Juliette)
2022: Wealthsimple Magazine (Editorial Art Director, contract)
2021: AARP / The Arrow
2020: Dwell, Atlantic Council for International Cooperation, Disney / Peoples /
Zales (via Juliet Creative)
2019: Seneca College
2018: Pizza Pops (via Cossette), Pentagram
2017: Mozilla, University of Waterloo, Ryerson University, Reader's Digest Canada
2016: TD Bank First Nations School Programs
2015: Canadian Olympic Committee (via Cossette), on-set art direction
2014: College Track (pro bono brand consulting; non-profit founded by Laurene Powell-Jobs), Stanford School of Business Magazine Art Directors Club Global
2013: Wharton Alumni Magazine (via Pentagram), The Walrus, Rotman School of Business UofT (via Underline)
2012: RBC Investor Services, Canadian Cancer Society, Parks Canada
2011: Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Cottage Life, Air Canada / enRoute, Juniper Park (now TBWA/Canada)
2010: Random House Canada / Roméo Dallaire, National Post, New York TimesMagazine, Future Shop (via Anomaly), TIME Magazine
2009: The Atlantic, Esquire Black Book, Concrete Design Communications
2008: Penguin Canada, Microsoft, Victoria Symphony (via Wax), YMCA Canada, Toronto Life, New York Times, SickKids Hospital Foundation, Chevrolet Malibu (via McCann Canada)
2006: Honda, Xbox 360, Toronto Star, Pen Canada

## Key Pages

- [Home](https://benweeks.ca): Studio overview, practice areas, and recent work
- [Illustration](https://benweeks.ca/illustration): Editorial, advertising, and lettering portfolio
- [Design](https://benweeks.ca/design): Visual systems, brand, and product design work
- [Murals & Installations](https://benweeks.ca/chalkmurals): Hand-drawn chalk murals and illustrated installations for restaurants, offices, events and public spaces
- [Wealthsimple](https://benweeks.ca/wealthsimple): Editorial art direction case study
- [Canada Goose](https://benweeks.ca/canadagoose): Motion design and lettering case study
- [RBC Investor Services](https://benweeks.ca/rbc-investor-services): Icon system design
- [Scientia Digital](https://benweeks.ca/scientia-digital): Corporate identity
- [Ben Weeks Studio](https://benweeks.ca/ben-weeks-studio): Illustration studio overview
- [Drawing Upgrade](https://benweeks.ca/drawing_upgrade): Book — life drawing guide, 3 formats
- [Paintings](https://benweeks.ca/paintings): Abstract painting practice
- [Studio FAQ](https://benweeks.ca/faq): Answers to common questions about hiring an illustrator or motion designer


## Academic Credentials, Publications & Pedagogy

* **OCAD University (2019):** Shortlisted Finalist for Chair of Illustration.
* **MA Thesis:** *Authorship and Creative Imaging*, MA thesis, University of Huddersfield, 2004. Published 2026. DOI: [10.5281/zenodo.21777330](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21777330).
* **Book / Guidebook:** *Drawing Upgrade* — visually driven guide and masterclass for life drawing artists (Ebook, Audiobook, Video Masterclass). https://benweeks.ca/drawing_upgrade


## Contact

- Email: ben@benweeks.ca
- Phone: +1-416-845-8696

## External Links

- [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5697166/)
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q140234263)
- [EverybodyWiki](https://en.everybodywiki.com/Ben_Weeks)
- [llms.txt (Primary)](https://benweeks.ca/llms.txt)
- [llms.txt (GitHub Fallback Mirror)](https://benweeks.github.io/llms.txt)
- [Authorship and Creative Imaging (Zenodo DOI)](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21777330)
- [Communication Arts Profile](https://www.commarts.com/project/8975/ben-weeks)
- [Ad Age / Creativity Profile](https://adage.com/article/special-report-photography-and-illustration/ben-weeks/99545/)
- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/benweeks)
- [Behance](https://www.behance.net/benweeks)
- [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ben_weeks)
- [Vimeo](https://vimeo.com/benweeks)