• HIGHLIGHTS
  • MOTION
  • DIGITAL
  • BRANDING
  • ILLUSTRATION
  • MUSIC
  • ABOUT
John Matta
  • HIGHLIGHTS
  • MOTION
  • DIGITAL
  • BRANDING
  • ILLUSTRATION
  • MUSIC
  • ABOUT

LEAD WITH AI. STAY HUMAN.

I was commissioned by author Peter Whealy to develop the cover for Lead with AI. Stay Human., following several unsuccessful cover concepts produced by the publisher's in-house illustrator.

Working from Peter's original concept, I developed the visual direction, illustrated the central artwork and designed the final cover, creating a bold visual representation of the book's central theme.

The book has since been published and shortlisted for Leadership Book of the Year 2026 by the Institute of Leadership.

MY CONTRIBUTION
- Concept development
- Illustration
- Design

KOJIMA x NIKE x ACRONYM

During my time as Creative Lead at Way to Blue, I was commissioned by Kojima Productions to design bespoke heels for Hideo Kojima's Nike × ACRONYM Blazer trainers, commemorating the fourth anniversary of Death Stranding.

Inspired by the game's vehicles, weapons and visual language, I developed two concepts that translated its futuristic aesthetic into wearable accessories. One concept incorporated a miniature laser projector designed to cast the Kojima logo onto nearby surfaces.

The designs evolved from initial concepts and cardboard prototypes into refined technical drawings and final 3D-printed components. The completed heels were then shipped to Mr Kojima in Japan, where they received an enthusiastic response and were shared on his social media channels.

In 2023, Hideo Kojima wore the custom-designed heels (without the laser projectors) when he spoke at Apple WWDC in 2023 — bringing the project full circle, from an initial creative concept to a finished piece worn on an international stage.

MY CONTRIBUTION
- Concept development
- Prototyping and final design
- Production oversight

COLDPLAY

I worked with 7 other illustrator/animators to create this lyric video for the Coldplay/Chainsmokers song ‘Something Just Like This’.

We were given a reference image and colour palette to work to, and then given a set of lines from the song to illustrate how we saw fit. We then animated them frame by frame using Photoshop. My work begins at 1:27s and end at 1:37s.

MY CONTRIBUTION
- Illustration
- Animation

SKY PAOTY 12

I was selected as one of 72 finalists for Series 12 of Sky Arts’ Portrait Artist of the Year, chosen from thousands of applicants after submitting a self-portrait.

In Heat 2, I joined two other artists to paint singer Shayne Lynch of Boyzone, with just four hours to complete the portrait.

The episode aired on Sky Arts on 5 November 2025. It was a memorable opportunity to put my portrait-painting skills to the test in a live television environment.

To see more of my work please visit my instagram account.

WE ARE FUTURES

During my time at We Are Futures, I led the agency’s brand refresh, exploring new creative directions that evolved the original identity while retaining its distinctive triangle/prism device.

I developed and refined the new logo, establishing a cohesive visual language encompassing typography, colour palette and graphic style.

Following the identity redesign, I applied the new brand across multiple touchpoints, including a redesigned agency website, pitch deck templates and a print advertisement for the Financial Times.

The project brought the agency’s visual identity up to date while creating a consistent, versatile brand system across digital, presentation and print communications.

MY CONTRIBUTION
- Logo research, design, development and refinement
- Visual language design and refinement
- Design of agency website and other collateral

NESPRESSO

I was commissioned to create an animation for the trailer promoting the Nespresso Talents Vertical Film Festival. The brief was to create an imaginative, otherworldly cityscape viewed from a rising perspective, evoking the sensation of ascending through a futuristic city in a glass elevator.

I illustrated the environment in Adobe Illustrator, then brought the artwork into After Effects as layered elements. By animating the layers at different speeds, I created a parallax effect that gave the cityscape depth, movement and the illusion of travelling upwards through the scene.

The result was a vibrant, immersive visual that combined illustration and motion design to bring the concept to life.

MY CONTRIBUTION
- Creative development
- Illustration and visual design
- Animation and compositing

TETLEY

I was commissioned to create a stop-motion film for Tetley that communicated the quality of its tea blend and celebrated its geographical origins.

I developed the creative concept and visual approach, then created an animatic to plan the movement and timing of the sequence before bringing it to life through stop-motion photography. I oversaw the production from the initial setup and shoot through to post-production and final delivery.

The project involved two days of preparation, a full day of shooting and a further day in post-production, combining careful planning, precise animation and hands-on production to deliver a distinctive piece of branded content.

The finished film was warmly received by both the client and its audience, successfully bringing Tetley’s product story to life through an engaging, tactile visual approach.

MY CONTRIBUTION
- Art direction and design
- Photography and animation
- All post production

HALO TOP

I worked on the UK launch of Halo Top, helping bring the brand to life through design and animation. I also created social media content for the brand over the following year. The campaign went on to win a Drum Award in the social media category.

MY CONTRIBUTION
- Creative development at concept stage
- Art direction during shoots
- Stop-motion animation
- Post-production and final delivery

LEAD WITH AI. STAY HUMAN.

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KOJIMA x NIKE x ACRONYM

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COLDPLAY

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SKY PAOTY 12

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WE ARE FUTURES

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NESPRESSO

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TETLEY

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HALO TOP

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