Freelance Graphic Designer and Artworker | Midlands | Dudley

I'm Brian Wheatley, a Dudley-based Freelance Graphic Designer and Artworker, with over 30 years of experience working with both my own clients and for Midlands and Birmingham Advertising Agencies. Producing creative, accurate and brief meeting design and artwork time after time.

 

Advertising and Marketing agencies demand high standards. And I offer the same high levels of skills and service to my clients. This is based upon my own background in Advertising as a Midlands Freelance Graphic Designer.

 

Whether it be to create brand development, logo design, 48 sheet posters, brochures, magazines, or pull-up banners, I'll work with a client to deliver effective communication Graphic Design solutions that are creative, yet practical and cost-effective.

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As a designer and artworker I've freelanced for many West Midlands, Dudley and Birmingham Advertising Agencies over the years. Offering creative and technical support for all kinds of visual design work. Both in-house and remotely from my office in Dudley, I can work closely with other designers using their visual concepts to bring their ideas to life and create solid artwork.

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Using the latest Adobe Creative Suite software, I create work in:

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe InDesign

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Lightroom

Acrobat DC

Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Media Encoder

Adobe After Effects

Adobe Audition

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In my role as a Graphic Designer I also use:

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint (expert user)

Keynote

C4D

Strata 3D CX

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I started my career as a graphic designer with two years at Art College. My first full-time job was at a small agency in Erdington in Birmingham as a Junior Designer. Here I quickly gained a solid foundation in design and artwork. In those days it was all cow gum and spray mount. I drew lines with an ink pen and ruler, so you had to have a steady hand. Oh, joy!

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I was taught a little about digital computer typesetting at art college. And when I joined the Allied Carpets POS Department in Smethwick, I became their Compugraphic Typesetter. After this, I moved to Aston Typesetting in Birmingham and quickly became a partner in the company. Here we bought the first Apple Mac I ever touched.

 

Finally, I ended up in my last full-time job at WAA in Sutton Coldfield as a senior designer.

 

I was also responsible for trafficking the flow of work from over twenty account handlers into a studio of 18 artists, creative designers and freelance graphic designers. This involved being able to gauge people's skills and experience to ensure the appropriate jobs would be worked on by the most suitable designer.

 

Then, after two years, I made the move from full-time work to becoming a professional Freelance Graphic Designer. I quickly became an in-house supplier to an Agency on the Waterfront in MerryHill (Dallaway Weston Advertising). Providing design and artwork to a group of companies. As well as working for other design agencies and direct clients of my own in and around Dudley.

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Some Birmingham and Midlands Advertising Agencies I've provided Freelance Graphic Design include:

 

• GDA Ltd

• Dallaway Weston

• Connect Advertising

• Epoch

• BPH

• Plum Ideas Ltd

• Wyatts Adverting

• Pure Design and Marketing

• Juice

• Blow Creative

• Millbrook Medical Conferences

• Vital Marketing

• BDW

• Ghost

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Some of my own clients:

 

• United Biscuits

• Wedding Connections

• Sandwell Council

• Smart Energy Ltd

• Walkers European Transport

 

One of my specialities is professional PowerPoint Presentation design. I regularly provide both complex animation and creative graphic design support to clients at conferences and events. Sometimes this is through conference and event organisers and audio-visual suppliers.

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I’ve been a major PowerPoint user for a long time and have often had my skills called upon to convert design work from InDesign or PDF to PowerPoint format.

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I've produced graphic designs and artwork for all kinds of printed and new digital media.

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• Branding

• Logos

• Brochures

• Posters

• Menus

• Banners

• 48 Sheet Posters

• Pull-up Banners

• Reports and Accounts

• Stationary

• Press Advertisements

• Catalogues

• Magazines

• Website banners

• Animated gifs

• Website designs

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One of the biggest projects I worked on for 3 years was producing a 168pp Wedding Magazine 3 times a year. This included not only graphic design and artwork but also copywriting and helping the client with Sales and IT support.

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How do I Charge?

In my Freelance role when it comes to quoting and charging for design work I will always quote upfront an agreed rate for the work to be produced. I can work remotely or at the client's company studio. Sometimes this is preferable so I can confer with other designers who will know the client's brand guidelines. Also, I would have instant access to any previous work or elements that need to be included in the job.

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Turning a working visual into an accurate piece of media using InDesign or Illustrator calls for a steady hand and concentration. Something I can apply myself to with no problem.

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So if you're looking for an experienced real-world Midlands Freelance Graphic Designer, call me on 07887 655728. Or drop me an email at brian@mmmtv.co.uk