Independent
Design Studio

Based in Melbourne

Over 20 years’ experience creating identities, campaigns and communications for businesses, councils and organisations.

  • A certificate of a Certified Brand Specialist placed on a keyboard. The certificate features a red ribbon at the bottom left, and has signatures and text in black and blue ink.

    Brand Specialist

    Level C is the only professional certification masterclass in branding taught by the world's leading brand expert, Marty Neuimeier.

  • Green LED grid display with a pattern of white and dark green squares on a light green geometric background.

    Logo Lounge Winner

    Selected by a panel of experts from 40,000 logo submissions to appear in Logo Lounge 14 and 15 books!

  • A metallic keychain shaped like a triangular ruler with a cutout handle, placed on a dark surface. Behind it, there's a red ribbon with white text reading "A'DESIGN AWARD & COMPETITION."

    A'Design Awarded

    My logo for Gaelic Games Victoria won the A' Design Award, a competition which recognises original work from across the globe.

  • Logo for PAC Insider Australian Enterprise Awards with a red and white stylized letter A on a dark blue background.

    Studio Recognition

    Proud to win Best Graphic Design Studio in the Australian Enterprise Awards 2023, which recognise innovation and results-focus.

Black and white photo of a man with a beard and mustache, wearing a black t-shirt and sitting against a plain background.

I’m Sean, an Irish-born designer who has called Melbourne home since 2009.

My career has taken me through senior agency and in-house roles, freelance collaborations and my own independent practice – Citizen By Design.

I enjoy working directly with people to understand what makes their organisation distinctive, then turning that into design that is clear, memorable and built to last.

Two white smartphones displaying social media content, with one showing a photo of two men talking and the other showing an event poster for Sean McCaul.

Proud to serve on the AGDA Victorian Committee since 2024 – helping support Melbourne’s design
community through events, advocacy and industry initiatives.

A Citizen…
By Design

The backstory

featured by

  • Laptop displaying an article from The Australian Business Journal titled '20 Australian Graphic Designers to Watch', featuring a photo of two people posing against a blue and teal background.

    “Citizen By Design helps clients conceptualise big ideas, craft authentic branding, and create inspirational graphics. They are experts at bringing brands to life, something businesses of all sizes can benefit from…”
    Read Article →

  • Tablet displaying a webpage of auspreneur with an interview article featuring Sean McCaul, founder of Citizen By Design, on a gray background.

    “Since 2016 Citizen By Design has helped clients to engage and grow their audience, by applying the creative skills Sean has developed working for some of Melbournes biggest branding & advertising agencies…”
    Read Article →

  • Laptop displaying a news article from The Australian Business Journal about a design studio, with a black and white photograph of two people in a creative workspace.

    “What clients value most about Citizen By Design is their design knowledge, as well as the quality of work they deliver. A key component of their success is being easy to work with, and working hard to solve all kinds of design problems…”
    Read Article →

  • Tablet displaying a San Francisco Examiner webpage titled '10 Branding Agencies to Watch in 2024'.

    “Under Sean McCaul's leadership, this studio is a testament to the transformative power of design, making them the go-to choice for businesses seeking not just aesthetics, but, more importantly, a meaningful and enduring brand…”
    Read Article →

Close-up of a mobile phone displaying a music playlist titled 'Designers on Film,' placed on a colorful, illustrated surface with grid-patterned flooring in the background.

Designers on Film
Podcast

Still can’t quite believe I got to talk about my favourite movie on Designers on Film, a podcast that has featured some of the designers who’ve inspired me throughout my career – including Stefan Sagmeister, Michael Bierut, Paula Scher, Kevin Finn and Debbie Millman.

Die Hard (1988) with Sean McCaul

Have a project
in mind?

If you’re planning a new identity, refreshing an existing one, or have a design project you’d like to discuss, it’d be great to discuss.

sean@citizenbydesign.com