about
common sense creative design
When I work on a creative project, I bring to the table a level of experience that is part Graphic Designer, part Art Director, and part Project Manager. I have spent my career in both corporate environments and medium sized agencies. Technology and marketing strategies have changed a bit over the years, but what still holds true is the value of good solid design that is both appropriate for your target market and consistent with your brand. Print design is my primary focus, but I also designed and develop websites on the WIX platform and have helped companies plan and execute campaigns involving multi-media, multiple touch strategies, including emails, surveys and personalized direct mail.
my process
Here is the basic framework that I follow.
Gathering information.
I learn as much about you, your company, product or service as possible. A timeline and budget are discussed and agreed to.
Your target market.
Examine who they are and what affects their decision making.
Your goals.
What are you trying to achieve, short-term and long-term from this project?
Now that all of the left-brained work is out of the way, it is time for some fun.
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I research similar companies or products
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Establish the message and the hierarchy of information to be presented
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Brainstorm physical layout options
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Study your brand standards and past creative
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Conceptualize visual elements
Time to get my hands dirty.
I gather the elements (logos, text, photos, icons, call to action tags, creative ingredients, etc.) into my software workspace and begin designing. It may be in InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, PowerPoint, or Microsoft Word.
The moment of truth.
I present, tweak, and revise until everyone is happy with the results. Then I produce the final press-ready product.
design
print collateral
ads
direct mail
corporate reports/newsletters
billboards
packaging
wix websites
marketing
corporate ID
copy editing
constant contact
multi-touch campaigns
trade show displays
photography and photoshop
photoshop retouching
table-top product photography
photoshoot art direction
services
my work
Each sample below represents my design, photoshop work and prepress preparation.
If I also contributed copy writing or copy editing, it will be indicated in the description.
collateral/print work
A pet sitting company with 20+ independent petsitters needed generic marketing materials that could also be personalized for each sitter. I designed a leave behind brochure card with business card slots to feature the individual sitter info. I also designed new business cards and a refrigerator magnet to completed the leave behind package. Services Provided: Graphic Design and Production Marketing Planning Content Writing and Development Photoshop Creative Prepress Vendor Coordination
I designed numerous ads placed in national magazines and local publications to promote the over 200 individual ABRA locations across the country. Services Provided: Graphic Design and Production Marketing Planning Content Writing and Development Photoshop Creative Prepress Vendor Coordination
The Theology Department of St. John's University produces an annual report to update patrons on the year's activities and thank the previous year's donors. Services Provided: Graphic Design and Production Photoshop Creative Photoshop Corrective Prepress Vendor Coordination
A trade publication designed for VIP Horse Care Products. Upon finding the stock photo, I wrote a headline and used table top photography and Photoshop to produce images of their product line even though labels had not yet been produced. This ad design helped close the distribution deal with several retailers. Services Provided: Graphic Design and Production Marketing Planning Content Writing and Development Logo Design and Branding Photography Photoshop Creative Prepress Vendor Coordination
In a trade publication where manufacturing companies are trying to catch the eye of both developers and architects, we thought a fresh visual approach might help Hanson Spancrete stand out. I commissioned the building of the sandcastle to demonstrate the “Synergy” theme of the copy. Services Provided: Graphic Design and Production Marketing Planning Photoshop Creative Prepress Vendor Coordination
ABRA Auto Body & Glass needed a fresh format to regularly update insurance partners and consumers. The quarterly "ABRA Dentinal Newsletter" is formatted like a newsprint one-sheet with vehicle related stories and ABRA corporate updates. They are hand delivered to insurance reps and ABRA repair centers display them on location. Services Provided: Graphic Design and Production Marketing Planning Content Writing and Development Photoshop Creative Prepress Vendor Coordination
This card represents one of many I designed promoting the synergistic relationship between the ABRA Auto Body corporate offices and their growing number of franchise partners. This piece was hand delivered to insurance agents with the goal of attaining referral business. Services Provided: Graphic Design and Production Marketing Planning Content Writing and Development Photoshop Creative Prepress Vendor Coordination
digital website/email marketing
A WIX website designed to display the original artwork of the artist. Click to visit the site. Services Provided: Website Design and Production Content Editing Logo Design and Branding Photoshop Corrective
A WIX website designed with an educational sales message promoting membership to a lifesaving lost pet service. Click to visit site. Services Provided: Website Design and Production Content Writing and Development Logo Design and Branding Photoshop Creative Photoshop Corrective
A WIX website designed for a young entrepreneur looking to market a new product idea. I assisted in the full branding, packaging and website design. Services Provided: Website Design/Production Content Writing and Development Logo Design and Branding Photography Photoshop Creative Photoshop Corrective
C2 Solutions sales staff needed an email graphic that they could customize for each of their six different business units and promote their specialty services, while still showing the recipient the full breadth of what the company offers. Services Provided: Graphic Design and Production Content Editing and Development Photoshop Creative
An emailable graphic designed to promote an award won by the IT Solutions company. Services Provided: Graphic Design and Production Content Editing Photoshop Creative
An email sent to clients to inform them of office hour and schedule changes and to promote client based referrals. Services Provided: Graphic Design and Production Logo Design and Branding Content Writing and Development Photoshop Creative
branding/packaging/photoshop
A few of the logo/brand designs I have created for local, national and international companies. My goal is to get in touch with both the emotional and the functional side of the company or product/services and find ways to relate to the end user. Services Provided: Logo Design and Branding Marketing Planning
Where else but the midwest could you find a windshield ice scraper made from a hockey stick? A package design for an entrepreneurial company. Services Provided: Graphic Design and Production Content Writing and Development Photoshop Creative Prepress Vendor Coordination
Deep Smoothie is a new product entering the nutritional drink market. Working with the young entrepreneur who developed it, I designed the packaging, a brochure, and a website. Services Provided: Graphic Design and Production Content Writing and Development Photography Photoshop Creative
Solano International engineered professional haircare products and I designed all packaging, marketing and trade show materials. Services Provided: Graphic Design and Production Marketing Planning Content Writing and Development Logo Design and Branding Photography Photoshop Creative Prepress Vendor Coordination
I designed and produced the packaging for the entire Glymed Plus Cell Science skin care line. Including the Cell Science brand logo and a lucite in-store display. This line became one of the companies most prominent product lines in their beauty and aesthetics department. Services Provided: Graphic Design and Production Marketing Planning Logo Design and Branding Photography Photoshop Creative Prepress Vendor Coordination
After designing the in-store lucite display for this product line we did a studio photo shoot (photo on the left). After six months another product was added to the line so I used my Photoshop skills to update the existing photograph (on the right). Services Provided: Photoshop Creative Photoshop Corrective
outdoor/display advertising
Whether for a trade show event or a corporate lobby display, a pull-up-banner grabs the attention of the passer-by and draws them in to learn more.
Whether for a trade show event or a corporate lobby display, a pull-up-banner grabs the attention of the passer-by and draws them in to learn more.
Cell Science was the leading retail product line for Glymed Plus. Professional beauty salons and aestheticians offices were provided counter displays, shelf talkers, table tents, brochures and posters to help promote this line. Photoshoot direction, packaging design, logo design and graphic design were all poured into this national product launch.
A couple of the billboard designs that helped to drive traffic to the St. Cloud MN ABRA Auto Body location.
Large back-lit signage for trade show events designed to showcase the product line and draw the eye with the dynamic colors.