multidisciplinary graphic designer
Designer first, Project Manager second. Eighteen years experience in the industry. I work and play well with others (I don't run with scissors). I'm a fairly down-to-earth guy. I don't take myself too seriously and I don't design just for the sake of design: my goal is to provide simple, intuitive, and effective solutions.
Project Manager second
About me
I tend to wear a lot of hats. It’s part of being in the graphic design industry, but I enjoy every aspect of it because I always learn something new.
So what have I learned? I can tell you the difference between a font and a typeface (okay not really: the definition has changed alongside technology and there is no right answer), why InDesign is awesome (because it’s not Quark), why Canon is better than Nikon (and vice versa: lenses vs. sensor), why overcast skies are best for outdoor photoshoots (it's natures soft box), why I prefer the boostrap platform over skeleton (more widely adopted), when to use a database driven CMS or when to use a flat-file CMS (big sites vs. small sites), why a Cintiq might never catch up with pencil and paper yet I still recommend it for workflow reasons (it's like drawing on a mirror), and why being OCD isn't always enough to be a good project manager (sometimes you have to be pesky).
And yes I prefer using a Mac for pretty much anything, although Outlook on an Exchange server might be the best email solution out there for email clients (#sorrynotsorry).
I'm also a ham radio operator (callsign: KF5VGJ), and if you've seen my Suburban you'll know I like to get outdoors (about as much as I enjoy being indoors in front of a computer).
(a master of none)
Portfolio & Profile
Check out my portfolio and my online profile.
Visit behance.net to see a variety of items I've designed and created, such as brochures, catalogs, magazines, identity guides, websites, and t-shirts, to name a few.
Get the big picture on LinkedIn: view my resume, skills, endorsements, recommendations, etc., or you can download my resume as a PDF here.
What I do
I'm never "done." I'm always learning. During breaks between projects, I’m usually asking "what's next?"
Since starting out working on annual reports for Fortune 500 companies, print design has been my passion.
Web design is maturing enough to where we can responsibly do some very cool things.
What a great opportunity this is to train up other graphic designers.
Even with SEO, sales funnels, and grass-roots efforts, there really is no exact science to marketing.
It's not what you say it is, it's what they say it is.
I've learned to respect this craft. Attention to details and a certain level of OCD is only part of the gig.
Frequently goes hand-in-hand with marketing (as a concept, and in execution), yet sometimes there is no template to follow.
Don’t underestimate the shopping cart experience.
This can usually be a relaxing experience for me. I've learned a lot from the professionals I've worked alongside with.
This is what got me into the design industry in the first place. I grew up drawing before I knew anything else (and still do, as time permits).
Not to be confused with "branding," as this is another craft entirely.
I know a little about a lot of things, and a lot about a few things.
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Mike is a fantastic designer, hard-working, dependable, and all-around swell guy. He's constantly exploring, learning and sharing which is reflected in his work.
. . .Vincent TranDirector of Innovation Labs at MMI Agency, CISSP
Accomplishments
I'm not a fan of blowing my own horn, but I recognize that I need to present this kind of information.
Word It Book
A book of collected entries illustrating the interpretive power of design. I’m on page 154.
AIGA Austin
I served on the Austin board as Outreach Director from 2005-2007.
ADDY Award
A bronze awarded in 2003 for the Motorola brochure “We Own Wireless”.