Morgan Braaten
Hey there! My name is Morgan and I am a graphic designer and illustrator based in Portland, Oregon. I believe that good design is really just good communication with a fresh coat of paint. I love to challenge myself and am always striving to learn something new - so far my design career has focused on:
GRAPHIC DESIGN: My foundation for graphic design was built at a small studio in Colorado, where I had the opportunity to really dive in to the world of all things design. I was responsible for logos, printed pieces, email designs, magazine layouts, front end web design and branded material for social media accounts. Every day was a new learning opportunity. It also taught me the importance of file organization, time management, and approaching every task with a plan.
ILLUSTRATION + ANIMATION: I started to realize pretty early on in my graphic design career that being able to create my own illustrations was a huge asset. I am especially fond of illustrating with ink - it forces you to really understand your subject matter and to focus on the details. I have also really enjoyed diving into animation, both in Photoshop and After Effects, and exploring all of the different ways it allows you to express an idea or tell a story.
ART DIRECTION + PHOTO STYLING: I love getting to really plan out a creative story, and have found that art direction and photo styling both play a huge role in being able to tell one well. Working as a the senior graphic designer for Knit Picks gave me the opportunity to take more of a leadership role in design decisions, which was an incredibly rewarding challenge to rise to. I was responsible for planning out the look and feel of sales and campaigns, as well as delivering the final assets to make that plan a reality.
PRODUCT DESIGN: I first dove into product design at Nutcase Helmets, where I illustrated and designed the product graphics for all of their helmet and accessory lines. I worked on the designs from their very first sketch until they were a final, marketable product. I learned a lot about color, working with manufacturers, line planning, materials, finishes, and how to get illustrations from a computer into the real world. This experience helped me to begin creating products in other areas as well, including enamel pins, tote bags, patches and more.
