James Ward

Freelance Design Director,
Creative Director and Founder of Bodkin.

Passionate about extreme sports like dog walking, gardening, and surviving my toddler's tantrums.

I'm a designer dedicated to creating long-term solutions for brands and people. Over the past decade, I've had the privilege of working with both large and small companies worldwide, bringing purpose and quality to their brand experiences. My expertise lies in design strategy, brand identities, and digital design systems. I'm based near Bath, England, and work remotely with clients around the globe.

I believe design isn't just about aesthetics; it should be purpose-driven, practical, and useful. Great design not only looks good but also propels a company forward and fosters stronger connections with its customers. My focus on design systems helps companies deliver intuitive, cross-platform apps and websites that are not only beautiful but also simple and accessible for users.

To ensure my designs are truly effective, I've always prioritized learning frontend development. This allows me to "practice what I preach" and rigorously test my own designs and systems. I've been building products and websites as long as I've been designing them, maintaining a systematic approach and precision throughout both processes. My development skills range from creating custom PHP-powered WordPress templates to developing cross-platform React/React Native apps and websites.

One of the biggest advantages of knowing how to code is understanding the practicalities of development while designing a product. I help my clients bridge the often significant gap between design and development. My experience in both areas enables me to effectively communicate my designs to developers and collaborate with them to ensure the highest quality end product.

Starting Bodkin was a natural evolution from my freelance design practice. After working directly with clients for over 13 years, I realized how difficult and inaccessible it was for companies to build and launch their brands while relying on multiple agencies. This broad experience highlighted the need for a seamless, integrated approach to design and development. As technology and design have advanced, so have user expectations. Recognizing this, I founded Bodkin to offer the full design and development services of a large agency, combined with the craft, love, and attention of a small studio. Bodkin was born to help clients from A to Z, providing the dedication and care required to launch them into the marketplace looking their best.