Quality focused: Check
A joy to work with: Check
Skilled enough to not push 2 mystery buttons on the computer & somehow crash the whole network: Check (That was a joke from a professor in college, who wanted to make sure that I knew how to use the software before letting me borrow one of his computers for a freelance job.
Skilled at self-learning: Check
I have 15+ years of experience in Adobe Creative Suite, with a focus on Photoshop and Lightroom, plus 20+ in self-learning. As it concerns relevant softwares, I've either done it or I can learn it. If you believe this makes me wildly over-qualified for your job opening, you're probably right; but, that doesn't mean I won't do it. I'll either want to work for you or I won't, depending on the details. We all have things to learn &, if I'm over-qualified, it's because I don't stop learning--which benefits you like a holiday bonus from a client. You never expect it; but, why would you refuse it?
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My personal style has varied over the years. Right now, it's dark--black, blues, silvers, metal music, fantasy, sci-fi, etc. However, I also like country music, some R&B, a lot of pop (especially 90s), 80s rock, & I grew up listening to contemporary Christian music.
My professional style is almost whatever it needs to be. I struggle with logos & minimalist artwork, & I'm not likely to be the one who comes up with characters like the ones at Cricket Wireless b/c that's quite a ways outside my style. Case in point: I had a hard time with Picasso in, I think, Art II in high school. The assignment was to create something abstract &, every time the teacher stopped by, she's say that my work was too realistic. After 2-3 rounds of this, I started placing elements semi-haphazardly, & she was happy.
I like cohesive teams where everyone knows their role, but can also provide occasional support without hindering you. I like working on teams that communicate openly & fully. The best people I've ever worked alongside were like this. We worked so well together that we were almost in sync. I also like working alone & I'm very good at it.
I'm developing a great appreciation for Photoshop's generative fill b/c it saves loads of time on complex edits. However, editing is usually where it ends for me. I've seen some amazing projects & am open to learning the various options; but, looking at my portfolio, you don't have to wonder which ones are created by Ai. None of them were. If/when that changes, I'll label it accordingly.
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My work is complicated. My process generally is not. On projects for clients:
1. We discuss the goals & design ideals at length.
2. One of us either has a design idea already in mind or I think of one. If it's something that I have no prior experience in, I spend time online, looking at work of that type. If it's the techniques themselves that are unfamiliar, I spend time watching tutorials. I have a YouTube playlist dedicated to graphic design related content b/c, no matter how good you are, you can never know everything.
3. I don't do storyboards & only do sketches, diagrams, etc. when I'm away from a computer & need to get the idea written down so I don't forget it. I learned storyboarding in college, so I can do them; but, I always found it more time-consuming & counterproductive than useful. Where my instructor found it to be a necessary step in developing his ideas, my ideas usually develop with a mouse & a monitor.
4. I come back the next day to look at it again & revise accordingly.
5. Designs are sent to the client & revised accordingly.
2. One of us either has a design idea already in mind or I think of one. If it's something that I have no prior experience in, I spend time online, looking at work of that type. If it's the techniques themselves that are unfamiliar, I spend time watching tutorials. I have a YouTube playlist dedicated to graphic design related content b/c, no matter how good you are, you can never know everything.
3. I don't do storyboards & only do sketches, diagrams, etc. when I'm away from a computer & need to get the idea written down so I don't forget it. I learned storyboarding in college, so I can do them; but, I always found it more time-consuming & counterproductive than useful. Where my instructor found it to be a necessary step in developing his ideas, my ideas usually develop with a mouse & a monitor.
4. I come back the next day to look at it again & revise accordingly.
5. Designs are sent to the client & revised accordingly.
On projects for me: The same is true, minus 1 & 5.
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I live in upstate South Carolina & am open to remote work in graphic design or photo retouching.
Click here to download my resume.
trouten.mandy@gmail.com