“Nice scenery,” he says to me.

“It is,” I reply, nodding.

As the scenes from our train window rapidly change like an oversized act of live-action phone swiping, we talk about the frenetic, changing scenes in life today. We start to wonder what it all means. We start to wonder how real human experience can have real meaning in this world that is pretty much based on information overload and quick robotic solutions. My fellow traveller, an older gentleman originally from India on vacation with his family, begins to recount a time during his days as a physician…

In a time of pre-millennium bugs and traumas he was dealing with all kinds of human bugs and traumas. He tells me the story of a woman who had struggled with a spinal injury which led to an abscess leaving her unable to walk. After numerous failed attempts to clear the infection, he knew he had to target specific medication for this specific case and he would only find out what it all meant from specific medical research papers. He went to his medical library to study and sure enough, four hours later, discovered the bound volume he was after. He had his answer, prescribed the targeted medication and the woman was on the path to recovery, eventually being able to walk again. The woman and her family were of course eternally grateful… yet he was disheartened to learn his fellow doctors and colleagues couldn’t care less what he had achieved through his human effort to find the solution. No song to his praises. He dug deep to make life truly meaningful for his patient and he meant it for every step of her way. He gave her his all.

My stop’s next.

I’m about to leave the train and after feeling a little lost lately, I can’t help feel that my now fellow comrade-in-life’s travels has brought me back to me again…

“This is me…” I say.

I’m Mark.

Mark Neil.

I’m an experienced editorial art and design director with work full of soul who will make your story sing. This is not all of me… but here, you can dig through an honest volume of my work and, sometimes, you will find out what it all means.

September 2026

  • 2022 D&AD Awards
    Wooden Pencil, Magazine & Newspaper Design, The Big Issue

    2017 SPD 52, Society of Publication Designers Awards
    2 x Merit Winner, Cover Design, Time Out London

    2016 Digital Magazine Awards
    Cover of the Year, Time Out London

    2014 PPA Awards
    Designer of the Year (Consumer), NME

    2011 International Network of Street Papers Awards
    Best Design, The Big Issue

    2008 & 2009 PPA Scottish Magazine Awards
    Best Design (Consumer), The Big Issue

  • Cover Versions
    The survival of ideas in magazine design.
    Magfest 6: Heroes & Visions, Central Hall, Edinburgh, 15 September 2017.
    Original filming and production by RPL Media.

    Time Out London Covers Art Directed by Mark Neil
    Newmanology, January 2017.

    ‘“How can I make the [Time Out] content look like posters without it looking like a complete mess?” I thought. Hopefully you can see how the design stems from that idea. Or maybe you can’t. Maybe I’m just bonkers...’
    At Work With, Mark Neil, Time Out
    magCulture, March 2016.

    The Modern Fanzine Covers of NME
    Newmanology, May 2014.

    ‘It was very important for me to give it this voice, a visual language, something that the NME lost’
    At Work With, Mark Neil, NME
    magCulture, October 2013.

  • ‘Mark Neil is one of the best cover designers of his generation. In particular, his work for the Big Issue remains some of the most moving and powerful covers they’ve ever published. That’s why I introduced him to NME...’

    — Andy Cowles, Cowles Industries

    ‘The Irn Bru of design. Strong, fizzy, lots of orange… A brilliant art director. Awesome graphic style. Generous mentor. Also does words! Amazing’
    
— Caroline McGinn, Global Editor in Chief, Time Out Group

    ‘Working with Mark when he was Art Director on the Telegraph Magazine was always a joy because he  immediately understood how to make verbal concepts work visually. His genius really shone through over Covid when content turned to dust and we had to rely on imagination and creativity. Mark just got it, delivering award-winning issues with minimal fuss and maximum humour’
    
— Marianne Jones, Editor

    ‘Without Mark, Big Issue wouldn’t have had the hips it has’

    — Paul McNamee, Editor, Broadcaster. Former Editorial Director of The Big Issue