Nicholas Barclay is an art director and graphic designer working in Sydney. He has made a name for himself in the world of art and illustration with his clever and catchy designs. His Cocktails series caught our attention for its smart minimalism – everyone thinks they know exactly how their favourite cocktail is made, but they always miss something out – so we decided to get to know him a bit better. 

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How did you start working in graphic design?

I’ve been a graphic designer for 15 years. I was born in England and worked in London, but I moved to Sydney 7 years ago.

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How would you define your approach to your work?

I like my work to be simple, bold and informative.

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What's the concept behind your minimalist posters?

When it comes to my posters, I like them to look like art so people want to hang them on their walls, but I also try to have a twist, an idea or an element of fun in there, so people get that "AH" moment when they work it out and then they engage with it a lot more.

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How did you end up doing the Cocktails series?

I got the idea for the Cocktails when on a flight back to Sydney from the UK. It struck me that everyone enjoys drinking them but they don’t always know what goes into making them, so I gave myself the challenge of describing what goes into the drinks, presenting them in a way where they would look interesting as art, but also helping people understand what their cocktail is made from.

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What's your favourite drink?

My favourite drink is the Negroni. It’s warm in winter and fresh in summer... pretty much screams Italian style and class.

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You are based in Sydney. What's your favourite drink spot in the city?

My favourite bar at the moment is a tiny one called Bulletin Place. It’s very small and has world class barmen that are happy to talk you through your drinks and serve up some of the best cocktails you will ever try.

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