Everything old is new again
It’s been almost a year since I left Nozomi Networks, and between now and then, I’ve had plenty of time to think about the types of projects I would like to work on. I learned a lot from working alongside developers building products, but my passion has always been for using design to communicate ideas and messages, not simply problem-solving.
Over the past year, I’ve worked on a larger product for Open University (launching soon), but predominantly with other creatives. In particular, I seem to have developed a niche for designing websites for film, TV, and video game composers, who’ve challenged me to think up new ways to represent their very personal brands.
I’m very pleased with the work I’ve been doing recently, but my portfolio website (this one) didn’t have space to show off more than simple screenshots of the finished work. I wanted to add ways to show off more of the details, some of the work in progress, and a little of the inspiration behind each design. As usual, a portfolio refresh turned into a full website overhaul.
First, there’s the machinery: an up-to-date version of Statamic and all-new HTML and CSS. I threw away the complex structure of the previous website and opted for something far simpler. Then, there are the banner graphics. A few years ago, I commissioned Josh Cleland to draw images of seven “nutty boys” for a Madness-inspired banner on the website for only a few months. I loved those images, so I decided they should make a return and redrew them to make smaller SVGs which perform better. I also restored the “scooter boys” for the blog, which was one of my first responsive easter egg designs.
Content-wise, there are refreshed case-study pages and a new section for coaching, which I’d like to do more of in the future.
It’s incredible how time flies. The previous version of my website lasted three years, but this time, I hope I’ll be able to spend time iterating and refining and resist the urge to redesign my site completely. Let’s see how that goes.