James Harmon

I currently work from home as a self employed freelance Graphic Designer. I continue to utilize all of my skills as an illustrator, toy and packaging designer as well as generate storyboards for independent commercial and motion picture companies. My clients include: Hasbro, PlayMonster and Stars North.

Senior Designer- As Lead Designer for licensed party favors and goods, my primary responsibilities included: designing new and innovative formats for party favors and accessories, genrating spec sheets for product quotes, provide control drawings and production ready art as well as create packaging for said products and goods. Retail clients included: Wal Mart, CVS and Target. Licensors included: Disney, Marvel Comics, Nickelodeon, Sanrio, Hasbro and Mattel.

Senior Product Developer-In this role, I was challenged to design product (toys, activities, flotation devices) primarily utilized in swimming pools and outdoor recreation. I generated new product ideas and concept drawings as well as provided finished artwork for both product and packaging. Counter seasonal (Fall/Halloween) pumpkin carving/decorating items as well as indoor/outdoor decor for their "Holiday Arts" line of goods were also a part of my work experience at SwimWays. Creating licensed-based product continued in this position. Some of our current top licensors are Disney/Pixar, Marvel Comics and Warner Bros. Studios.

"Scaring-up" new and innovative tools to carve pumpkins for Halloween, as well as create “toyetic” items surrounding this traditional activity was tricky, but my treat in this position. This involved ideation of an original concept from thumbnail sketches to preparing control drawings and final artwork for our overseas and domestic vendors. My illustration abilities were also utilized to produce
artwork for packaging as well as other media where it was applicable.

While at Hallmark, I created and developed both licensed and non licensed party goods and
favors from concept sketches to final art for production. Half way through my time at Hallamrk, I accepted the opportunity to become a part of their Licesned Greeting Card team. Mattel, Disney, Warner Bros. and Marvel were just a few of their Licensors. Also, I was frequently recruited to participate in many of their product innovation brainstorms on an interdepartmental basis.

My duties entailed analyzing current trends in the social expressions field (as well as others), and directing in-house and freelance artists after supplying them with a layout consisting of a rough sketch, art samples and color/style direction.

As a “one-man-show” at this small children’s craft kit company, I designed an entirely new look for all packaging and logo artwork for their line of products. I had the opportunity to attended “Toy Fair 2001” with the company in order to offer potential buyers “on-the-spot” customized packaging artwork per their requirements.

Senior Designer- Advancing my skills creating finished art for static and animated "e-Greetings" as well as for various other features found throughout their web site. This also included planning and story boarding for these items. Extensive Mac Applications including Photoshop, Illustrator and Freehand were utilized.

As a Graphic Designer for their Product Concepts department, I produced finished artwork utilizing both traditional and digital applications. I was also instrumental in creating the overall style and look for a line of greeting cards under the banner: “Intuitions”, that proved quite successful for the company. My first year at AG, I worked for their then toy innovation division: “Those Character’s From Cleveland” as a toy designer developing product for such intellectual properties such as: Care Bears, Madballs and Ziggy. Duties also included creating and presenting original toy programs to be developed and marketed for further licensing revenue.