an artist, graphic designer, UI/UX designer, web designer, CSS/HTML ninja, painter, cartoonist, podcaster, blogger, video game player and all around geek from Seattle, WA. Currently rocking socks off at Amazon.com.
Click “click to zoom” to see larger works.
Dive deeper into Chris’ portfolio, photos, paintings and etc on his flickr page.
Kindle with Special Offers
I designed some of the very first sponsored screensavers for the Kindle with Special Offers device for Amazon.com as well as helped establish style and beauty guidelines. Here are some examples from a campaign for Chase.
Dewalt Father’s Day Sponsorship on Amazon.com
Created the design and led the pitch process for the Dewalt Father’s Day 2011 Sponsorship on Amazon.com. This was a high profile marquee pushdown unit with interactive products and never before used parallax scrolling effects that resulted in a 300% year over year lift in sales.
The 31 Days of Zero Suit Samus
With the help of my good friend Ross Rosenberg, I created a daily drawing series where Ross would give me a title, and I would draw my own interpretation of that title. The subject was the character of Zero Suit Samus from the Metroid series. The series has sold over a hundred prints and has been featured on popular gaming site Kotaku.com and in the December 2011 issue of Nintendo Power magazine.
This series is currently being compiled into book form, for sale in early 2012.
Here’s a quick video profile of me from Thrillist.com. Watch me draw some stuff!
AdMash
In 2011, my primary project at Amazon.com was to oversee the creative process behind the creation of AdMash, a website and Kindle app where users can vote on upcoming screensaver ads to be featured on the Kindle with Special Offers. I oversaw the project from start to finish - wireframes, design iterations, development implementation and launch. V2 designs were also created as part of that process. This was a largely self-driven project and increased the user engagement with the Kindle with Special Offers to the point where there is a regular user base of thousands of voters a day.
Press Coverage
Art of the Table
Website redesign
I redesigned the website for local Seattle restaurant Art of the Table, integrating a Wordpress content management system for their weekly rotating menus. The menus weren’t being archived before, and now restaurant goers can peruse past menus to get a feel of the place. I also integrated various social media features including a more prominent newsletter signup box, facebook, twitter, flickr and rss integration.
Recent Works
1: Weapons
Featured in issue 2 of Scroll magazine, this piece is a tribute to Dragon Quest IX.
2: Stiltzkin, The Adventurer
Created for Zac Gorman’s upcoming Final Fantasy IX zine.
3: Townsfolk Problems, With Link!
Created for the Gamecity 6 Zelda Zine 1.
4: Channel marquee sign
Created for the purpose of wedding decor out of plywood, aluminum flashing and LED lights.
5: The Controller - Yellow Devil
Featured in Cory Schmitz’s video game art magazine The Controller. This painting was done entirely on the iPad using the program Brushes.
Microsoft KIN
Front-end XAML (Silverlight), design integration, icon design
I worked as a UX Design Integrator for the Microsoft KIN project in 2009. Primarily I created the front-end XAML code for the home screen, application screen, inner circle screen, settings application and feed reader application. I was also involved in major design decisions for the unique layout of the home screen. I also designed the hardware icon that appears in Windows when you plug the phone in via USB, and created a few design directions for the feed reader for v2 which pushed the idea of social connection further.
See a walkthrough of the KIN UI on Engadget here.
Shipped products: KIN one, KIN two
Shop Pampers Now on Facebook
Design, Front-end code
Proctor & Gamble and Amazon.com launched an e-commerce store within Facebook in the Fall of 2010 using Amazon Webstore technology. I acted as design lead on this project. I created wireframes (and oversaw all the information architecture), the design, and custom Webstore 1.0 HTML and CSS and widgets. While focusing primarily on Pampers products, Facebook users are able to shop a vast array of P&G products directly within Facebook using their existing Amazon.com account. This was the first time a project like this had been attempted at Amazon, and it got a lot of press.
Visit the Shop Pampers Now store on Facebook now
Press Coverage
Cold Heat
Design created in Photoshop, CSS, XHTML, Movable Type
Cold Heat was a company who created soldering irons, glue guns and heated pet beds. I redesigned their existing website for Portent Interactive, giving them a more contemporary, high-end gadget feel. I saw the design from wireframes to completion, utilizing semantic CSS and XHTML and the Movable Type content management system.
This new design also informed the design of Cold Heat’s email marketing campaigns.
Gears of War
Designed with Photoshop, XHTML, CSS
While working for Microsoft Game Studios through Aquent, I was the de facto webmaster for gearsofwar.xbox.com. Based on an initial homepage design received from an external firm, I designed all secondary pages including interface design for the Xbox Live integrated stats browser and photo gallery. I also coded the front-end for all pages on the site, and assisted developers working in ASP.NET.
Shipped products: Gears of War homepage, Gears of War blog, Gears of War Xbox Live integrated stats page, Gears of War Xbox Live integrated photo gallery, Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360)
Various custom toys.
Polymer clay molded around a blank vinyl toy and painted.
I enjoy toy customization, usually inspired by video game themes. Beppy the Happy Bathysphere created for the Delicious Drips Who Da Bomb custom toy show at TenaciousToys.com.
Lighting Universe
Print ads created in Adobe Illustrator
I created this print ad for an online lighting retailer to be run in New York Home and Better Homes & Gardens magazines. I also created numerous other local newspaper and magazine ads and maintained the front end of the website.
