Bryan Leonard, Creative Director at EL & EL Wood Products in Ontario, CA

About

With a background as a full-time freelancer Bryan's been a busy creative indeed! He's spent more hours crafting the perfect approach to any client and project that comes his way than should ever be discussed. And being a seasoned Creative Director, he's well versed in speaking both B2B and B2C never forgetting the team. A team player for sure, Bryan works with you and your existing team to build your project to the best it can be. With time always against you and your projects, he knows how to get the best result with everything provided.

"A miracle worker, nothing short of Astounding!"

Maybe too high of praise, but sometimes it feels that way when your budget can't take any more and demands are crushing your spirits into oblivion.

Spending most of his time in the print world, you'd think that the digital age of iPads, iPhones, Androids and all other electronically fueled devices have been lost on the creative from Bryan. However this can't be further from the truth. With his classically trained background at Cal State University Long Beach's prestigious BFA in Visual Communications Program, he's worked with such a vast array of clients (Pepsi, REMO, Nissan just to name a couple), that once he gets your concept going, there's no limit to the amount of applications Bryan will craft for you.

Now, with a background as diverse as his, Bryan is never shy of work. Drop him a line and he'll book a consultation for you and your specific project needs.

Education

Not a degree school, just continuing education. Advanced Advertising Concept Course

The Bookshop : Los Angeles

2006 - 2006

Concepted many an Ad, and got 3 campaigns recognized and awarded 2 of them in the 3rd Annual Best of Book Shop.
BFA Graphic Design

California State University-Long Beach

2001 - 2006
AA General Education, Web Design

Cerro Coso Community College

1998 - 2001

Experience

Creative Director

EL & EL Wood Products

Aug 2012 - Present (13 years 11 months)

As Creative Director at EL & EL Wood Products, Bryan is in charge of managing the EL & EL Brand image, as well as creating all the advertising and marketing material used by the company in both NorCal & SoCal branches as well as the Web.

A tall order, but pulling on his background in various industries he's managed to learn much of the ins and outs of the moulding and door business, and is taking the company to the next level, with Strict HTML5 based interactive catalogs on EL & EL Wood Products website, bringing the look and feel of a much larger company to a very successful company that still operates like a family business.

Big things are on the horizon for EL & EL.
designer | owner

ADHD –avocado dreams have donuts–

Aug 2005 - Present (20 years 11 months)

Creating work for many clients in the advertising & design world Avocado Dreams Have Donuts, or ADHD for short, continues to astound our clients that need results. As a freelance agency with our history of award winning advertising and solid design we remain an agency that does more than just what's required, we push to bring design to that next level.

Methods: Advertising, Branding, Corporate Collateral, Direct Mail, Direct Media, Identity, Packaging, and Web Design.

Clients: Remo, Bug Music, LG, Hoffy, SMS, HEB foods, The Book Shop, Comcast, LA Jewish Home, Cal State Long Beach

Awards: BookShop 2006 – Silver & 2 Honorable Mention
Student One Show 2005 – Honor
Domtar Paper promo – Finalist
Freelance Sr. Designer

Stanley Black & Decker , Inc.

Sep 2011 - Aug 2012 (11 months)

Initially called to create a solution for the Baldwin Estate price book, Bryan has been instrumental in developing solutions for the creative and marketing teams at Stanley Black & Decker. Having an extensive background with brand development and practical approach to effective creative/design, he's helped bring a little more sanity to the massive Baldwin universe.

Also while at Stanley Black & Decker, Bryan was utilized to help bring a renewed sense of purpose and light-hearted fun to the creative department.

Keeping a level head and positive attitude when the storms come rolling in, is one of his greatest strengths, and reasons that the marketing and branding department keep coming back to him for creative work.

Brands Developed:
Kwikset, BALDWIN, Stanley Security Solutions, National Hardware, K2, and Pfister.
Freelance Creative

HEILBrice

Apr 2012 - Apr 2012

Upon special recommendation, HEILBrice called Bryan in to the fray to relieve their weary warriors, who, fighting the good fight, were in need of a cool cup of relief.

Bryan came and gave all that he could for the time that was allotted, soon there will come a day when the battle will rage again, and once again Bryan will come to bring relief.
Freelance Art Director

Johnson Gray Advertising

Jan 2012 - Feb 2012 (1 month)

With deadlines quickly approaching, I get a call if I can come in in and make concepts ready to present in a couple days. Working with a demanding client can be challenging, but working with Will's Crew at Johnson is a whirlwind adventure on those high Norse seas.
Freelance Art Direction

Gerry Gomez Design

Mar 2011 - Oct 2011 (7 months)

While working with Gerry at previous agencies, Bryan was called back based on his superior past performance, knowledge of marketing and design and the technology used to apply it. Bryan was invaluable in creating eye catching and freakin' awsome HTML email graphics, and applying things to the service used to distribute the newsletters to the supplied list of patrons.

• Creation of website graphics for clients
• Layout and upload of email newsletters, via MyEmma.com
Freelance Production Specialist

Strottman International

Apr 2011 - Sep 2011 (5 months)

While at Strottman, Bryan was able to speed up the website creation process in photoshop, and give absolute confidence in his ability to handle the client being serviced. Creating POP displays for various clients, and making corrections to things that clients commented on, always fast and efficient project managers praised how they were much more confident with I was there to handle things that came in.

Dave "Chicken" Reginer knows who to call to get his companies assets out of the kitchen and served up right proper to his clients.
Design Manager

The Maesa Group

Jun 2010 - Feb 2011 (8 months)

While at Maesa, Bryan was responsible for managing the artwork that came in from various sources, and making sure it was done correctly, colors were properly called out, printing specs were defined, and correcting errors if necessary. As well as creating new impactful artwork for retail.

Bryan directly corresponded with clients, and printers to fix problems that would inevitably arise on various projects. As well as managed a small design team.

• Designing Packaging
• Branding Clients
• Proofing artwork
• Organizing Client relations
• Pushing company forward in design.
Freelance Art Director

Genesis Integrated Marketing

Jun 2009 - Nov 2010 (1 year 5 months)

While at Genesis, Bryan was utilized to help redesign and refresh several websites, including the Long Beach Foodbank, LA Jewish Home, and more. Bryan was also valuable in helping determine the structure of different sites that were needing an new way of organizing their site structure. Logos, CD packaging, as well as various comps for different clients also passed through Bryan's creative hands.

Design of several organizations web sites which are in need of a refresh, along with packaging pieces for various clients.

Clients: Long Beach Foodbank, Market Street Mission, Open Door Mission, Boys and Girls Club of Venice, Los Angeles Jewish Home, Lasha Online, Brewers Direct, Reasonable Faith.
Freelance Art Director

The Filling Station

May 2005 - Aug 2010 (5 years 3 months)

While cutting his teeth at the filling station, Bryan was instrumental in the structure of the BugMusic.com site, and the rebranding of the entire company. Also on hand to do the production work for many other clients including the "largest" drumhead manufacture in the US, Remo. Being used for press checks (both web and sheet fed), Bryan became very familiar with checking prints, and making files ready for the printer.

As Time progressed, Bryan became much more valuable in creating concepts and new looks for the advertising done for all of Remo's magazine advertising and Trade Show booths.

Responsible for initial design concept and art direction on Bug Music website & Identity, new design approaches for Remo print advertising, cd packaging concepts to completion of Bug Music clients. Design of trade show graphics on established booth design. Also responsible for press checks and directing photo shoots.

Clients: Remo Inc & Bug Music
Freelance Art Director

Spasmodic

May 2005 - Aug 2010 (5 years 3 months)

Working in conjunction with The Filling Station, Bryan's time at Spasmodic was spent creating catalogs for Remo, as well as web banner graphics, both HTML based and Flash motion banners. Bryan was also used to take concept sketches of logos into reality, used in travel websites, such as Kijibi and La Vita Laguna.

Concept and design for various clients, including full product catalog, internet advertising, and logo design.

Clients: Remo, Kijubi, La Vida Laguna
Freelance Art Director

SMS

Feb 2010 - Mar 2010 (1 month)

Called to help out with their current Art Director on leave, Bryan was called in to help keep the projects flowing. Bryan was used to create coupons for Hoffy, product displays for LG and AT&T, and special promotional packaging for Horizon Food Group.

Created new looks for clients needing a re-fresh in collateral, clearing backed up projects that had not been addressed.

Clients: LG, AT&T, Horizon Food Group, Hoffy
Art Director

ninetyº

Jun 2007 - Apr 2008 (10 months)

Bryan was the muscle used in creating this small company born out of 4 creative minds. The identity, website, and photography of all products was done by Bryan. Bryan was also responsible for hiring the illustrator used for the packaging on Royal Hiney's packaging pieces.

Design of initial ID package, website, packaging projects. Layout of ads.

Clients: Royal Hiney, US CAD (Autodesk)
Faculty

California State University, Long Beach

Jan 2007 - 2008 (1 year 6 months)

While not having been out of his own BFA program for more than a year, Bryan was asked to come back and help teach advanced graphic design and concept development at his Alma Mater, CSULB. Creating all new project syllabus and developing the projects and content for each course. Bryan successfully, ran both classes, and had a few of his students progress directly in the the prestigious BFA program at CSULB.

Part-Time instructor of Advanced Graphic Design as well as Concept Development

Awards

2006 The 3rd Annual Best of Book Shop - Silver

2006 The 3rd Annual Best of Book Shop - Honor Mention

2006 The 3rd Annual Best of Book Shop - Honor Mention

2005 One Show Student Awards - Finalist

2004 Domtar Paper Promo Competition - Finalist

Affiliations

Cal State Long Beach — VCDA

(Visual Communication Design Association)

Skills

Elsewhere on the Web

n

On Coroflot

@bryanleonard, member since 2006

Following 4
Followers 2

Bryan Leonard

Senior Designer

Sr. Design Engineer