artworking

creative artworking, repro and training since 1988

I'm a Freelance Graphic Designer, Senior Artworker and Reprographic Artworker based in Northamptonshire (UK). I have over twenty years' experience in the profession having served an apprenticeship in Film Planning and Compositing. Four years' experience in Screen Print and Six Years in Packaging, followed by just over ten years as a Freelancer.

I am available to work on site (and do so regularly for some of the most successful local agencies). Alternatively I can collect a project and work on it in my own office.

I have extensive experience in artworking Brochures, Catalogues, Advertisements, Flyers, Corporate Identities, Comp Slips, Business Cards, Letterheads, Logos and Website Templates, Technical Illustrations, Presentations and interactive Flash Movies.

I have also run corporate training courses for digital Repro and Retouch for some of the largest Reprographic Trade houses in the UK including SCA Packaging, Winnetts Graphics and Victory Graphics.
I have advanced and indepth knowledge of the following packages: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Quark, Dreamweaver, GoLive, Flash.

I will always try to help if I can, my rates are reasonable and I am quite happy to spend time on the kinds of tasks designers hate (cut outs for example!). I'm comfortable with tight deadlines and I make great tea and coffee!.

what is artworking by the way?

Think 'architect verses builder!' Successful design agencies are not simply filled with designers. They comprise teams of people with a variety of skill-sets ranging from design to account handling (tea making also features heavily). Artworking is basically the stage between design and pre-press. A professional artworker will take anything from a rough sketch to a computer generated piece of artwork, right through to print - usually very much faster than a designer could. This allows designers to get on with design and ensures that printers get artwork that won't give them any headaches.

creative artworking

Very often a visual will be used as a template. For example a catalogue design might consist of a cover, an index page and then a handful of product pages for different styles. A creative artworker will then be expected to generate the rest of the catalogue from those initial visuals - keeping the design's look and feel intact.

skills

  • Extensive knowledge of InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Quark, Dreamweaver... I won't go on!
  • Creative artworking, project management
  • Typography - There is no excuse for type to be anything other than beautiful!
  • Cut outs - photographic cut outs done very quickly and accurately - good prices given for bulk orders
  • Photo retouching - Hi end retouching at very good rates. Clients include Mercedes, Avon Cosmetics
  • Technical illustrations
  • Repro - extensive knowledge of all print processes and pre-press workflow