I have a traditional design background, having started my career in print and publishing. In 2005, I set up my own studio and have spent the past 15 years working on traditional and digital projects for clients across the world.
I work directly with clients on a remote basis from my attic studio/office (depending who's asking) in Nottingham, England, who hire me for branding and eCommerce design and development projects (usually in CraftCMS).
“Christopher is great to work with. He comes up with solutions quickly, presents us with a variety of options depending on our needs. He also explains things in a very clear way which I feel is important when you do not have the technical knowledge. ”
Rebecca Caldicott, Jon Baines Tours Ltd.
I started my design career in magazine publishing in the early 2000s, working in-house for a local newspaper and then moving on to a weekly national publication. This gave me a wealth of experience dealing with unmoveable deadlines and short turnarounds.
Being freelance allows me a large amount of time to invest in my skills, and I'm constantly working to enhance the way I deliver projects for my clients; if there's a better way to do something, then I will always find it… It also helps that I'm a massive nerd, so I enjoy the challenge.
I have worked for clients and agencies based all over the UK (and a few based a little further afield) and my very technical and adaptable working methods are often called upon by those agencies and consultancies when a higher standard is required.
You will find me direct and straightforward by nature, and this is none more evident than in my approach to projects. I don't get hung up on processes for the sake of processes - design is an organic process and every project is different, so I let the needs of the project dictate the flow.
Design isn't a one-sided process, and I work using a system of continual feedback so I expect to ask you as many questions as you will ask me. I can't know everything about what you, and nothing in a project is taken for granted so clear communication is vital.
I have completed hundreds of graphic design projects over the years but I specialise in brand development; building on a client's initial thoughts and ideas to produce a comprehensive visual language that grows and adapts with them.
When it comes to website design projects I'm just as comfortable in Sketch, Photoshop and Illustrator. I specialise in ecommerce solutions - handling the back-end build as well as the front end design and code. Conception to completion.
Beginning my career as an artworker, I honed my typography skills working with large amounts of supplied copy and not much space to fit it into. I count my type and layout skills amongst my greatest assets - both in print and for digital.
Although these are recently fashionable terms, they do describe a large portion of my design process for website and digital work; ensuring that every aspects of a user's interaction and journey through a site is considered and accounted for.
Years spent working in publishing have given me an expert knowledge of design for print and experience in finding exactly the right paper and finishing choices to make sure you make the most impact for your budget.
Craft (and ExpressionEngine) are my Content Management Systems (CMS) of choice and I have yet to find a website that they cannot power - from simple brochure sites to complex conference booking systems to ecommerce solutions.
