Production Art
Along with my talents and accomplishments as a designer, I also have a well rounded understanding of production art. This is a valuable element to any designer; it saves time and money by avoiding expensive revisions and time spent in production.
As the senior production artist at Now And Zen Productions LLC for 4 years, I have learned a lot about the process for making both screen and print images ready for publication. When hired at Now and Zen, there was no existing production department. In creating this department I implemented an electronic filing system, created a dedicated server for the art team to access and share their work, developed specification sheets, set company wide standards, and bridged the creative gap between technical restrictions and the artists ideas and visions.
Screen Print Production Artist:
As a screen print production artist, I was responsible for making art camera ready (including index separations and vector color knockouts), examining print samples, translating screen colors into PMS colors, communicating and scheduling jobs with the printers, meeting tight deadlines, designing sales materials and catalogs, and making sure the artists intentions are translated into the product. In later years, as our department grew and I was promoted to senior production artist, I was also responsible for managing projects and people, training new employes, and being in charge of the department when the production manager was away or busy.
Web Production Artist:
As the company grew larger, so did its demand for an internet presence and e-commerce. I was able to satisfy this demand by updating the sites products, editing animated buttons, and redesigning pages to meet new ideas and trends developing within the company. Because of my experience in web development and web design, I was responsible for managing the main e-commerce website, making the necessary changes site wide and saving the company money and time.
Throughout my career at Now and Zen, I was in charge of developing new websites and web pages for special promotions, promotional portfolios, and a non profit sector called NonProffitees. Once the corporate identity was established with the art director, I was responsible for the full implementation of the websites, such as: design, code, layout, interactive elements, and graphics.
Later, Now and Zen decided to do a complete redesign of the e-commerce website. Along with doing all the production art for my freelance web projects, and other Now and Zen web projects, I also did the production art for this new, larger e-commerce website. I worked closely with the web developers and designers to create the appropriate graphics for all the products to be sold on the site and site elements.