AL PARR – AP SHEFFIELD
Hi, I’m Al — a creative designer with a technical mind. I founded AP Sheffield to showcase my work across product design, graphic design, sound design, and art. These disciplines overlap in surprising ways, and I love exploring the shared problem-solving and creative processes that connect them. Whether I’m designing visuals, shaping sound, or building objects, I thrive on finding inventive solutions and pushing ideas further.
I studied at Camberwell College of Arts in London and began my career as a graphic designer in publishing and advertising at Publicis, creating print adverts and style features for well-known brands. Later, I freelanced across a wide range of magazine titles with Future Publishing in both London and Bristol, and collaborated with major publishing houses at a senior level. This work gave me a strong foundation in editorial design, layout, and visual storytelling.
I’ve always been drawn to the technical challenges of product design and the unique problem-solving it requires. I believe the simplest solutions are often the most effective, and I aim to balance functionality with a sense of minimal beauty. My process combines digital design with physical mockups, allowing me to refine both the form and function of each piece. I especially love working with wood, exploring its versatility to create bespoke projects ranging from display cases to furniture. Over the years, I’ve developed a practice that unites craft, technology, and sculptural design to create solutions that are both practical and visually striking.
Sound Design – COMING SOON
Sound is deeply visual to me; I treat it as a way of painting immersive landscapes. As a multi-instrumentalist, I have created compositions and soundscapes that have been featured in film soundtracks, and I have also performed live on Resonance FM. This is an area of my practice that I continue to expand, exploring how sound can shape emotion, space, and experience.
Artwork – COMING SOON
Alongside design, I create visual art that explores form, colour, and composition. This practice complements my other disciplines, giving me space to experiment freely and discover new perspectives that feed back into my wider creative work.