Design
branding
bringing corporate design to the front lines
Branding has proven time and time again to be one of my favorite design exercises since it really speaks to the core of the company and its design ethos. It also translates across all marketing mediums from print, video, web, and beyond so more than ever, every pixel counts. I've had the fortune of being part of many corporate initial branding and rebranding exercises and at the end of the day, it's design by committee that always ends with smiles.
print & digital
a splash of pixels
Print and digital design has been the bedrock of my career for the last twenty years and even before my first paycheck. From my early days in high school playing around with some software called Microsoft Powerpoint and clicking on the "WordArt" button. From magazine layout and corporate presentations, to store signage, tradeshow booths, and more I love that you truly start with a blank canvas and the only constraint is the dimensions of the art and the time you have to complete it. It's a fun challenge that I love to repeat again and again.
web/ui design
leaving my trace on the www.
My patience (or lack of) for coding in HTML, CSS, and Java and the need for fast, bold websites with very little resources or time led me quickly to the wide wonderful world of Content Management Systems. Starting out with Joomla in 2012, I learned the wisdom of designing for the template, not trying to force the template into your design. As CMSs improved and became more flexible I was able to import more of my original ideas into systems such as WordPress and Sitefinity. This leads us to this moment in time where we're moving quickly into systems that are a literal extension of CRMs (Hubspot, Salesforce, Shopify, etc) or completely customizable such as WIX. All have their strengths and weaknesses and picking the right one for each business case is just as important as the aesthetics. Luckily, I've been around the block a few times.
video production
wait. people used to do this on film?!?
What started out as an emergency project at Aquasana has turned into a very unexpected design skill. And while many video-focused artists tend to love the process of filming, my true passion seems to be in the editing process. I'll take a 32-inch 4k monitor and a MacBook Pro in the air conditioning any day to standing around with a camera :P. But alas, I've had the luck to build some pretty great films including corporate introduction videos, commercials, and more!
3D / Concepts
old dog. new tricks.
Much like video production, this was a skill set built from necessity. Our full-time 3D artist at GST Manufacturing left for another company and with her our ability to create 3D proofs for our retail display customers. I cracked open YouTube, downloaded Blender and Adobe Dimensions, and got to work. Now, I certainly wouldn't label myself in the expert category yet, but hey, so far, it's been a blast.