Sleepy Cat

Creative Musing

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Sleepy Cat
My goal for this small illustration and animation was to depict a simple sleeping cat while maintaining its circular shape. During the sketching and ideation phase, I created numerous variations to ensure the effectiveness of how the animation behaved.

 

Patagonia

Client Project

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Patagonia
Patagonia, a renowned outdoor clothing and gear company, embodies a commitment to environmental sustainability and ethical business practices while offering high-quality products for outdoor enthusiasts. I was hired by Patagonia to create several sketches and illustrations based on their prompt, "Eat Local."

I created a range of concept sketches inspired by the "eat local" theme and collaborated with Patagonia, iterating until we achieved mutual satisfaction. From these skteched concepts, Patagonia chose a refined illustration titled "Eat Local, Watering Can," which was selected and printed on their tees.

 

  • Patagonia
    Outdoor Apparel & Gear

  • + Concept Development
    + Illustration
    + Sketching & Ideation
    + Qualitative Research


  • MKN Design Team:
    + Michael Nÿkamp, Illustrator

    Patagonia Stakeholders:
    + Geoff Holstad, Senior Art Director
    + Chris Teig, Director of Graphics & Illustration

Horse & Flag Process

Article + Creative Musing

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Horse & Flag Process
The above video shows my streamlined process for crafting icon and illustrations. This is the same phased process that I use for large design projects albeit condensed to focus on a single artifact. While some may perceive this work as straightforward, it actually demands meticulous attention to detail and draws upon thorough research to effectively sketch, ideate, and achieve visual harmony, alignment, and readability.

 

Spectrum Health – UX & Illustration Storytelling

Client Project

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Spectrum Health – UX & Illustration Storytelling
A prominent healthcare provider dedicated to delivering exceptional medical services and improving community health, Spectrum Health (now Corwell Health) plays a vital role in enhancing the well-being of individuals across various West Michigan. Working alongside a team of engineers and developers, I helped design and develop functional prototype application named My Chart.

This endeavor required a strategic approach, including the use of personas, iterative wire-framing, and meticulous design iterations to craft a compelling and user-centric digital journey for patients.

The application catered to both new and returning patients of Spectrum Health facilities, offering features such as iPad-based check-in for hospital and doctor appointments, seamless access to medical records, and entertainment options.

 

  • Spectrum Health via Mutually Human
    Health Care Facilities & Services

  • + Concept Development
    + Design Direction
    + Illustration Storytelling
    + Qualitative Research
    + User Experience
    + Sketching & Ideation

  • MKN Design Team:
    + Michael Nÿkamp, Visual Storytelling & UX/UI

    Mutually Human Stakeholders:
    + Ross Hunter, Software Craftsman
    + Mark Van Holstyn, Founder and CTO

Remarker – Brand Identity

Client Project

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Remarker – Brand Identity
Collaborating with Sung Yi via Carambito I assisted with developing a logo and defining the aesthetic of his notebook. Through thorough research, it became evident that the logo needed to embody both the notebook’s simple sophistication and resonate with its intended audience. The outcome was a logo that conveyed individuality and simplicity. The logos freehand script mimicked a fluid motion of pen meeting paper. Crafted to be comfortably handheld, this product provides effortless access to personalized index cards that perfectly align with users’ needs.

Crafted to securely hold index cards, with future adaptability to accommodate cell phones. Users can choose from a variety of custom-designed index card options to suit their needs, including Blank, Dot Grid, Line Grid, Isometric Grid, Idea Card, Lined, Time Tracker, Task List, Hourly Task List, and Storyboard.

Notebook Dimensions:
• Closed Notebook: 5¼" x 3⅞"
• Open Notebook: 5¼" x 7¾"

 

  • Remarker
    Stationery Notebook

  • + Brand Advisor
    + Concept Development
    + Creative Strategy
    + Design Direction
    + Qualitative Research
    + Visual Identity

  • MKN Design Team:
    + Michael Nÿkamp, Design Director

    Remarker Stakeholder:
    + Sung Yi, CEO

Herman Miller – Iconography Design System

Client Project

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Herman Miller – Iconography Design System
Led the Workplace Knowledge Team at Herman Miller (presently MillerKnoll) in the development and design of an iconography system pivotal in delineating crucial research methodologies within their workflow. These icons were not only instrumental in establishing definitive research practices but also needed to adhered to Herman Miller's strict brand guidelines.

 

  • Herman Miller (MillerKnoll)
    Furniture Design & Manufacturing

  • + Design Direction
    + Brand Advisor
    + Illustration
    + Qualitative Research

  • MKN Design Team:
    + Michael Nÿkamp, Design Director

    Herman Miller Stakeholder:
    + Gretta Peterson, Senior Director of Global Real Estate & Workplace Strategy

CAT Footwear

Client Project

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CAT Footwear
While employed at Designvox I helped create the photography concept direction for Cat Footwear. Cat Footwear is a renowned brand recognized for its rugged and durable footwear designs, built to withstand tough environments and provide exceptional comfort and protection. With a legacy rooted in craftsmanship and innovation, Cat Footwear continues to be a go-to choice for individuals seeking reliable footwear for work and leisure alike.

The selected photography approach showcased consumers wearing CAT's footwear, focusing specifically on their CAT boots as they engaged in various activities within diverse environments. This concept resonated with our clients, aligned with consumers, and fit the demographics without being overtly masculine or feminine. 

This project faced a distinctive challenge, CAT footwear had been successfully manufacturing high-quality construction boots for 20 years, primarily catering to masculine construction workers. However, new customer demographics emerged, as women and teenagers began to purchase their rugged boots. Armed with this information, I produced some of the photography concept directions.

 

  • CAT Footwear via Designvox
    Footwear Design, Manufacturing & Retail

  • + Concept Development
    + Sketching & Ideation
    + Photography Direction

  • Project collateral was completed while employed at Designvox with a team art directors, project managers, senior and junior designs, and copywriters.