Tim Cooper – Thinking Creative – Technically Correct

A details man that sees the big picture. An ideas man who’s pragmatic. A graphic designer who programs. A results manager who nurtures his team. A digital evangelist who loves the feel of paper. An experienced technician with creative flair.

I love to develop original ideas into engaging and effective advertising concepts and communications — from client briefings through development to production.

– Art direction
– Editorial design
– Brand development
– Advertising concepts – Individually and within multi-disciplinary teams
– Managing teams, projects and external agencies (workflow, traffic and leadership)
– Adobe Creative Cloud: InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, Dreamweaver, Acrobat, After Effects.
– Extensive technical expertise: HTML, Web Analytics, pre-press, PitStop, EasyCatalog, AtTask, SharePoint.
– Client-facing presentations and creative pitches
– Effective image library use and management
– I also love to combine digital with sketching, drawing and collage

Technical skills – Graphic, digital and print design

• Adobe Creative Cloud – InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash and Dreamweaver.
  I use the advanced paragraph, character and object styling features of InDesign to ensure consistency in editorial design. I’ve instigated the use of InDesign books and InCopy to collaborate effectively with large teams. Utilising layers in Photoshop I create dynamic effects or for both subtle and extreme editing. I love gradient effects and pathfinding in illustrator for logo creation. I use Flash to animate banners and create HTML 5 compliant animations; and Dreamweaver to stitch the web experience together.
• Style Guides and Identity Development
  I have worked with countless style guides and designed for international brands such as Schneider Electric, Rio Tinto, HSBC, France Telecom. I have also designed logos and style guides – most recently a*space Children’s Furniture.
• UX, UI, Design and Usability Evaluation.
  I enjoy designing interfaces that work. I evaluate and advise from wireframe and workflow to final implementation with reference to usability guidelines (Neilsen) and user journeys. Test early and iterate. Skilled in prototyping, usability testing and evaluation. Find out more…
  
• HTML/CSS/JavaScript/VBscript
  I can code by hand but where possible use productivity boosting tools such as Dreamweaver.  I’ve also used a number of CMSs. For this site I have used a responsive theme for WordPress, so you can read this as easily on your iPhone as your iPad as your MacBook Pro (with only a few under-the-hood tweaks). I have also written programs for tasks such as re-organising archives (terabytes of data).
• Easy Catalog and Data Driven (plug-in for InDesign)
  I have developed libraries for Easy Catalog to create a price guide of more than 500 pages from a database. This  requires an in-depth knowledge of Easy Catalog, database design, InDesign libraries and styles. I have also designed and developed relational databases together with the SQL-driven forms required for data management.
• Print Production/Pre-press using Pitstop and Acrobat Pro
  I fix other people’s “overprint white” and rich black at 2pt. I can tell also tell you some key differences between X1-A and X-4.
• Colour Managed Workflow
  Following screen calibration, I set up FOGRA39 and 47 export profiles for an accurate colour proofing workflow for print.
• Workflow/Traffic Management
  
  • AtTask – After identifying the need for a heavyweight traffic management system, I was instrumental in developing and integrating AtTask to a team of over 20. As an evangelist I also trained and supported the users.
    
  • SharePoint – I have successfully designed, built and maintained workflow management solutions using advanced features of SharePoint. I’ve also set up collaborative technical reference Wikis to enable better knowledge sharing.
• Advanced Spreadsheets, Business Documents and Presentations
  (yes, that includes Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint when I need to).

Use the form or contact direct:

web@timcooper.net
+44 (0)7756 795883

t for Tim(es) and c in Cooper Black

Yes, I am talking fonts. Need you ask? I still do; because they fascinate me.

I like this combination because it illustrates the tension between the different sides of me as a designer.

Thinking

One part of me is traditional and sees the value and importance of history and learning craft. Times is a traditional font. Conservative. Functional. Very legible. Works equally well as headline or body copy. Austere (occasionally). Sees the value in order and has been embedded within mainstream society. Conservative (with a little c).

Creative

… and then there’s Cooper. Tearaway. Newcomer (OK, so I say new, but he’s almost 100!). Bawdy. Shouting.  Only does one thing – you wouldn’t want to read a novel in this font. Irreverent (look at that grin). Even here, he’s playing a joke; full marks for everyone who figured out that there was no way Cooper was ever made in wood.

… and it’s that tension between rules and mayhem in which new ideas are forged. Or so it is for me.

Think red

Red is a primary and primal colour; symbolic of so many things. I choose: Courage, Passion and Happiness.

Thought bubbles speak for themselves but this depiction shows them both emanating from, and surrounding tc.