introduction
Darren Yap is a Singapore—based art director & independent creative.
He runs Once Upon a Noise, an independent creative practice exploring branding, visual culture and emerging technologies, while collaborating with agencies, brands and other creatives on selected projects.
His practice moves across strategy, identity, art direction and visual storytelling, with a particular interest in ideas that sit somewhere between design, culture and technology.
Alongside client work, Darren explores generative AI and vibe coding as creative materials, experimenting with new ways to make images, build experiences and tell stories.
He is interested in the space where design, technology and curiosity meet.
process
01—idea
Find the idea worth pursuing.
02—explore
Question, experiment and see where the idea can go.
03—create
Turn the idea into clear, meaningful creative work.
04—make noise
Bring the work to life and put it out into the world.
05—the moment
Create something that connects, resonates and makes an impact.
06—move on
The work lives on. We move on to what’s next.
Experiences
Independent art director
Once Upon a Noise
Mar 2026—Present
Running an independent creative practice across branding, art direction, generative ai and visual storytelling.
Senior Art Director (Freelance)
Jun 2014—Present
Freelanced with agencies including Fabrik Asia, Mirum, Ogilvy, Geometry Global, DigitasLBi (BBH), Iris, Up&Up and xodbox.
Developed creative across branding, campaigns, digital and experiential
Turned business objectives into clear, scalable visual systems
Executed work end-to-end from concept to final output
Worked closely with designers, developers and teams to refine outcomes
Contributed to pitches and upheld brand consistency across touchpoints
Creative Group Head
Timmermann & Tan Advertising
Jul 2013—Mar 2014
Led creative output across campaigns and brand initiatives
Managed small teams and ensured high-quality delivery
Senior Art Director
SaatchiLAB Singapore
Oct 2005—Mar 2012
Developed campaigns and brand systems for regional clients
Worked across print, digital and integrated media
creative (Freelance)
AKQA @ ADK
Jan 2005—Apr 2005
Art Director
LabPhilosophy Design Studio
Jan 2001—Jan 2002
Web Designer
Styleaxis.com & Lavish.com.my
Nov 1999—Nov 2000
clients
BMW, Kirin, UOB, Heineken, Johnnie Walker, Philips, Epson, StarHub, FairPrice, Prudential, Maybank, HTC, Citroën, Singapore Zoo, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, BRAND’S, POND’S, Milo, Comfort, Aberdeen, GLOVIDA, Lippo Group, Mandarin Gallery, City Developments Limited, Paragon, Robinsons, Olympus, Fuji, Martell, Mandiri Bank, GlaxoSmithKline and others.
learnings & Education
HFI Certified Usability Analyst (CUA)
IBM I.am-vitalize Data Science & AI (Certificate)
IBM Enterprise Design Thinking (Co-Creator)
IDEO Design Thinking for Innovation (certificate)
university of tasmania Master of Fine-Arts and Design (mfad)
explore
contact
let's make something worth remembering.
whether you're building a new brand, launching a campaign, exploring ai, or simply looking for a fresh creative perspective, i'd love to hear about it.
© 2026 once upon a noise