I’ve partnered with global brands, grown start-ups, self-published, lectured, and been lucky to collaborate with brilliant people along the way.

Photo by 장윤화. 2019.
Born and bred in Iceland, I graduated BA in Design from Iceland University of the Arts in 1993. After illustrating children’s books and comics, I expanded my range to graphic design, art direction — and as soon as I got my hands on a 14.4 kbit modem — digital design. I moved to the USA, joined the newly launched CNN.com as their first creative director.
In 2000, I co-founded the brand design firm Armchair (recently acquired by digital agency IfThen) and have partnered with a wide range of clients from Dolby to Markforged to Coca-Cola.
I'm currently enjoying working as SVP Creative for IfThen and continue teaching, public speaking, and designing typefaces — the most recent releases include Black Slabbath, Cumulus & Foam, and Cinderblock.
In 2000, I co-founded the brand design firm Armchair (recently acquired by digital agency IfThen) and have partnered with a wide range of clients from Dolby to Markforged to Coca-Cola.
I'm currently enjoying working as SVP Creative for IfThen and continue teaching, public speaking, and designing typefaces — the most recent releases include Black Slabbath, Cumulus & Foam, and Cinderblock.

CNN.com logo, 1998.

Armchair Tshirt, 2015.
My design guidelines:
- Think by doing, not by thinking.
- Stealing is good, but steal from legends.
- Don’t fear ugly. Beauty is dogma.
- You have three seconds to wow!
- What would Lubalin do?
- Minutiae ruins a great story.
- Extreme contrast is power.
- 70% tradition and 30% innovation.
- Humans experience brands as humans.
- Design is multisensory.
- Good is lazy.
- Think like a chess player. The brilliant move is behind the obvious.
- Silence and sound have equal importance.
- Concept foolishly, execute thoughtfully.
- Keep an open mind.
- Don’t design for your client, design with them.
- Originality comes from the inside.
- Creativity is two-phased: closed and open.
- Friends help you shape, critics sharpen.
- Simplify, then doll it up.
- Make everything from scratch. For unused work, safe for later.
- Everyone’s opinion matters. You’re designing for everyone.
- Trust your gut, always.
- Sell the hell out of your great ideas (or the lesser win).
- Don’t die on a small hill.
- Every little thing was designed.
- Everything you make is your footprint.
- Make grids. Dance inside.
- Your creations will live in an ecosystem.
- There are no answers, only questions.
- Make things you can own.




© 2019 Stefán Kjartansson. All rights reserved.