Profile
Dawson Cain
Designer
When I learned how to build my first website, I realized I found something that gave me the freedom & versatility I was looking for in my work. Now I’ve made a full switch to front-end development, where I can use my organization skills and eye for detail to write clean, elegant code.
I am a true SoCal native - born and raised. In my spare time, I enjoy escape rooms, immersive theater, and haunted attractions. For me, Halloween is not a holiday. It is a lifestyle!
Resume
Employment
Graphic Design Supervisor
Coordinate activities by scheduling work assignments, setting priorities, and directing the work of subordinate employees. Delegate job responsibilities among junior team members and oversee that quality work is being completed within the deadline. Monitors activities of subordinates to ensure policies and procedures are being followed and makes recommendations in employee performance matters. Work in collaboration with colleagues across different departments. Answer questions from factory and make adjustments to artwork based on factory specifications.
Graphic Artist
Create templates from dwg (CAD) files supplied by engineers. Create files for production from templates based on prototypical source materials. Add proprietary colors to master color palette. Create packaging graphics for custom, branded and co-branded products. Make adjustments to artwork per factory samples prior to production runs to ensure that the delivered products adhere to the standards of the company.
Marketing Coordinator
Supervised development of all marketing materials (data sheets, promotional packets, etc.), ad placement, and marketing plans for three separate product lines. Traveled to trade shows in support of product lines.
Professional Training
SKILLCRUSH.COM Online
Front End Developer Blueprint (2017)
EL CAMINO COLLEGE Torrance, CA
Advertising Design (2006-2007)
Education
California State University, Long Beach
Skills
Hard Skills
- Illustrator
- Photoshop
- InDesign
- HTML | CSS
- Javascript
- jQuery
- Sublime
- Wordpress
- PHP
- Mobile First Thinking
- Version Control
- [ GIT ]
- Responsive Layout and Design
Soft Skills
- Communication
- Creativity
- Problem Solving
- Time Management
- Collaboration
- Criticism-Tolerant
Portfolio
Rogue Pickings
This "Roque Pickings" project is a single page website. In this project, I designed a page website from a .PSD file. Photoshop was used to determine the dimensions of the various parts of the page: Header, Navagation, Main Section, and Footer. A combination of html and css was used to layout the webpage.
Click the image below to view "Rogue Pickings" live in a new tab.
Unplugged
This "Unplugged" project is a multi-page responsive website. "Unplugged" was designed from a layered .PSD file. Photoshop was used to determine the dimensions of the various parts of the page: Header, Navagation, Main Section, and Footer. A combination of html and css was used to layout the webpage. @media queries were used to "redesign" the site based on device screen size.
Click the image below to interact with "Unplugged" live in a new tab.
lolcat Clock
The "lolcat Clock" project uses simple Javascript to obtain the current time. The "lolcat" image and greeting will change based on the current time displayed. The viewer is able to select upto three variables: Wake-up time, Lunch time, and Nap time. Clicking the "Party Time" button will also initiate an image change.
Click the image below to interact with "lolcat Clock" live in a new tab.
Magic 8 Ball
This "Magic 8 Ball" project uses Javascript and jQuery to make the page emulate a real Magic 8 Ball. As with a real Magic 8 Ball, the viewer is prompted by the Magic 8 Ball to "Ask Me Anything". When the viewer clicks the button, a window appears, and prompts the viewer to type a question into the box. Once a question is asked, the Magic 8 Ball shakes and reveals the answer!
Click the image below to ingteract with "Magic 8 Ball" live in a new tab.
Election Map
This "Election Map" project "tabulates" the results of a nationwide election. The top of the page displays the overall results of the election and declares the winner. Through Javascript, the viewer hovers over each state, the results of the election are shown in the lower right of the page. This project referenced the third-party code in map.js.
Click the image below to ingteract with "Election Map" live in a new tab.
theklownhouse.com
The site was designed using a premade template. I modified the css and added drop down menus for the navigation. This client inspired me to take web design courses to improve my html, css, and Javascript skills.
Click the image below to launch with "theklownhouse" live in a new tab
South Bay Fantasy Football League
This a logo I designed for the South Bay Fantasy Football League - a fantasy football league established in 2000.
Athearn 70th Anniversary Logo
By incorporating the train and globe in the Globe Models logo from Athearn's past as the zero of the 70, the Athearn 70th Anniversary Logo combines the past with the present. The Globe also represents Athearn's 70 years as a worldwide leader in model railroad products.
Genesis Technology Product Logos
Although Genesis Technology/AHT (Advanced High Tech) was making laser printer accessories, there were no indentifing marks on any AHT product. As Marketing Coordinator, I was tasked with developing a sticker to be placed on all product lines of printer accessories.
The Klownhouse Logo
The Klownhouse was created out of the love for Halloween. By inverting the 'k' and combining the asenders of both 'k' and 'h', I was able to create a stylized clown by adding a rainbow wig and an icon red clown nose. The logo itself represents the whismy and fun nature of all clowns, while the Ghoulish Font surrounding the logo warns the viewer that this particular 'Klown' shouldn't be trusted.
'Claasic' Athearn Product Package
In an effort to improve sales, management desided to revive and repackage some of Athearn's older products into a "Classic" line and make them "Ready To Run". Tying in elements of older packaging, such as the silhouette on the side panels and the locomotive image from an old catalog, I updated the packaging to a more modern look. While management approved of the new design, the "Classic Line" was ultimately not persued.
Amtrak 40th Anniversary Packaging
Amtrak had contacted Athearn Trains to develop a series of model trains to cormemorate 40 years of Amtrak service. While Amtrak had developed their 40th Anniversary Logo, there were no guidelines presented for packaging. The Amtrak 40th Logo was placed in the locations that the Athearn Product logo typically resides, branding the product as an Amtrak Product per their request. With Amtrak's approval, I incorportated "American's Railroad", the old and new service marks, and the then current years of Amtrak's operation onto the packaging.
Athearn N-Scale Repackaging
When new owners acquired Athearn, new packaging was design to reflect the change in ownership. Whereas the old packaging was deep yellow in color, represented by the yellow striping, the new packaging was made blue to tie in with the other product lines and make a more cohesive product family look. While the product line logo is the predominate feature, the "Athearn Trains in Miniture" slogan is subtlety placed behind the logo. The blank edge is used for product identification labels.
United Pacel Service Packaging
This package is a collaboration of Athearn, United Parcel Service, and Ford Motor Inc. Manufactured and sold under license by Athearn, this UPS vehicle was modelded after a Ford vehicle and therefore needed UPS and Ford branding on the package. Since the primary focus of this model is the UPS brand, the package was designed to reflect the colors used by United Parcel Service.
Coca-Cola Holiday Packaging
This Holiday Train Set was manufactured and sold under licensed from Coca-Cola by Athearn Trains. The graphics were supplied by Coca-Cola, but I developed the overall design. I needed to not only incorporate the Coca-Cola elements, but also the manditory governmental warnings, licensee and legal taglines, and the Universal Product Code into the design.
Contact
Whether you’re looking to redesign your website; need printed materials like business cards, brochures, or posters; are undertaking a logo or identity design or rework — I’m here to help.