Art Director | Packaging Designer

Rafael Armstrong

hawthorne, NJ

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About

Senior-level graphic designer with extensive experience in print design and production, packaging, standards-compliant (front-end) web development, as well as several years' background in TV airtime sales negotiation. Able to translate abstract client-side information into creative, cost-effective solutions.

Interested in how social media and web technologies integrate into marketing strategies.

Specialties: Graphic design, branding & identity, print design, packaging design, logo design, advertising & marketing, web design & development, print production and media negotiation, photo retouching, X/HTML, CSS.
Education
- BA
  
  Upsala College
  
  1991 - 1995
Experience
- graphic designer
  
  Thermwell Products
  
  Aug 2010 - Present (15 years 10 months)
  
  Currently working as “one man” art department developing and executing packaging, designing print materials, collateral and logos related to the Frost King line of home insulation products.
- packaging & graphic designer
  
  armstrong graphics & design
  
  Jul 2008 - Present (17 years 11 months)
  
  With a focus on small businesses and church-based organizations, I lend my expertise on a freelance and consulting basis developing logos, corporate identity and branding, packaging and advertising materials for print and web use.
- senior designer
  
  Footstar/Meldisco
  
  Mar 2006 - Jun 2008 (2 years 3 months)
  
  Reporting to the Marketing and Creative Services Director, I formed part of a team tasked with creating and executing all print, packaging and web initiatives for use throughout footwear departments in Kmart stores nationwide.
- freelance designer & production artist
  
  various companies
  
  Aug 2005 - Mar 2006 (7 months)
  
  I assisted the Macy's Merchandising Group art directors and other production artists in the production of packaging, display and collateral materials for all Macy’s private-label brands.
  Also created diagrams and illustrations for vendor use, as well as comps and press-ready mechanicals.
  
  Scanned, color-corrected and retouched product photography for use on point-of sale materials, and designed sell sheets for Horizon Group USA, a crafts and consumer good company.
- production manager/designer
  
  millennium graphics & design
  
  Mar 2002 - Jul 2005 (3 years 4 months)
  
  Working with the company principals, I coordinated print runs of one million+ circulars, newspaper inserts and point-of-sale materials for local and national bedding and furniture retailers; designed custom ads and ad templates and supervised small team of in-house and freelance graphic designers. Proofread and pre-flighted jobs prior to releasing files for print.
- station sales negotiator (media buyer)
  
  ITN Networks
  
  Mar 1997 - Mar 2002 (5 years)
  
  Bought local TV ad time in Mid-sized markets.
Affiliations

member, NAPP
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On Coroflot

@rcarmstrong, member since 2008
- Following 1
- Followers 2

Rafael Armstrong

Branded Environments Project Manager

Industrial Designer, Packaging – Lead