About
Who am I?
My name is Michael McDougall, and I have been designing since 2017. Prior to design, my first steps into work was like most people’s: fast food. Once I left the fast food industry, I vowed to never return because it is a thankless field. Even in my non-design jobs—both past and current—I have found ways to incorporate my passion for design. These jobs were not graphic design in nature, but I let my graphic design abilities be known while fulfilling my regular job obligations. Initially, I chose graphic design as my major on a whim despite never having heard of it before. Luckily, it has worked out, and I look forward to making it my profession. In my time of study, I have seen and learned how diverse and flexible the graphic design discipline is with just about anything and everything visual. I have had opportunities to design logos, work with video editing software, and create physical designs to name but a few experiences. I look forward to sharing these works with you.
Artist statement
Graphic design has taught me a substantial amount, not just about the design and marketing industries but also about myself, my workflow, my style, and the qualities I gravitate towards. I like geometric designs, how they facilitate organization and allow for underlining grids that are great for compositing, whether on paper, on a screen, or in a physical environment. I gravitate towards working with my hands and physically interacting with things, translating them to digital as needed. The technical aspects of something also intrigue me. Understanding an operation’s how’s and whys is satisfying to me. I consider myself to be dependable. I will produce results and have something to pitch, and I do not like to show up empty-handed. I am conceptually inclined in that I tend to want to do things differently. I research what‘s been done and then create something as unique as possible.
Hobbies
I have a few hobbies outside of graphic design. This includes my interest in growing and taking care of plants, as well as a passion for cars and mechanical operations. Despite being disparate hobbies, I enjoy learning how the world operates whether its through a biological or mechanical perspective and I have learned plenty from both areas. In addition to hiking and outdoor activities, these hobbies get me away from the computer and allow me to work physically which is sometimes a much needed thing. I’m also into collecting technology (mainly obsolete tech,) movies, music and going to the gym. The gym is another great way for me to escape a computer screen.