About me & CV

Im Mike Reed – Graphic Designer, Illustrator, Photographer and Founder of Korsenn Design with over 29 years plus creative industry experiences.

Im based in North Cornwall, the most South Western County in the UK. Sublimely surrounded by the seas, the four winds and green rolling hills, moors and tors. Sticking out into the wild Atlantic Ocean, or more locally The Celtic Sea/Bristol Channel to be exact!

Working as a freelance creative for the past 18 years with a variety of companies, large and small, often travelling into agencies and clients from here. Previous to this I was employed full time for 11 years, in a wide range of design positions in London, Bristol, Bath and around the South West.

After 29 years working in and associated with the graphic design world and with all the stresses that mid life often brings, I had a hiatus with my creative side and semi-retired in 2018. I will always have the creative side in me, but from now on its less business led and more fun, interesting, creative projects for me!

I now also work part time for The North Cornwall National Trust. So a fresher career in all things natural, conservation and heritage is my lot. Working in stunningly beautiful coastal and countryside locations which all opens up new horizons.

(To be honest, I’ve always been drawn to whats over the next hill, that far bend in the river).

Oll an gwella – All the best!

Core design skills:

I’ve had many and varied experiences in most areas of design and marketing, including:

Client briefing, management and liaison
Concept origination at sketch, scamp stage
Visualising & illustration traditionally with markers or digitally
Art direction on photo shoots and illustrations; and production artwork
Photography, digital and wet process
Plus management of staff, projects, print, etc.

Areas of design within this are:

Concept, ideas and origination for any campaign, utilising traditional scamps and sketches
Branding and Logotypes
Brochures and Marketing Literature
Direct Mail Campaigns
Pull up Banners, Exhibits and Exhibitions
Visualising, Storyboards, traditionally with markers or digitally
Illustrations, Cartoons and Caricatures
Point of Sale units
Presentations
Packaging
Web and Digital support graphics for developers. Also WordPress 4.8.1 user, etc
I also have sales promotion and licensed character development experience.

Client and Sectors have included:

Airlines and travel: Virgin Atlantic, JMC/Thompson, Airmiles, British Airways, Dan Air, P&O.
Automotive: Renualt F1, Honda Cars and Bikes.
Banks and finance: Lloyds TSB, ING, NS&i, PWC, Experian, Adnitor, GSK.
Brewer’s: Moet & Chandon, Mercier, Diageo, Courage, Spirit Group, Chiltern Brewery.
Fmcg, Foodstuffs & Licensing: Kraft Foods, Dairylea, Kenco, MaxHouse, Crayola, Carte Noire, Yeo Valley, Peter Rabbit, Happy Eater, Gallaher Group, Imperial Tobacco.
IT/Telecoms/Electronics: Nikon, Siemens, RWE, Vodafone, Rank Xerox, Microsoft, RHM.
Property/Housing Associations: Harrow Churches Housing Association, Rent Plus, Harlington Housing Association, St. Modwen Estates, Alder King, Savills.
Supermarkets: Asda, Tescos and Somerfield, Kwik Save.
Oil & Energy: BP, Gulf Oil, Shell, Nuclear Electric.

Software skills:

Long term experience in the graphic design and illustration domain:

CS Suite; InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Bridge, Adobe Acrobat & Distiller PDF’s.
WordPress 5.7.2, (web development & supporting imagery for; e-commerce, email marketing, web banners, social media graphics, etc), FTP-FileZilla15.
Microsoft Office, Word, Powerpoint, Excel,
(old school Quark XPress & Freehand, etc).

Characteristics and interests out of work:

Positive, adaptable, conscientious, hard working, honest and a reliable team player.

I am enthusiastic about life, try not to take myself too seriously and enjoy a good grounded, but off the wall sense of humour.

Out of main Family time, I’m totally inspired by nature, landscapes and the outdoors, and indulge my passion by: mountain/hill walking, running, road cycling, mountain biking, surfing, canoeing, sea-kayaking in the South West and beyond. I also enjoy photography, varied music, reading, films and theatre.

Work experience

Korsenn Design, Senior Graphic Designer – Wadebridge, Cornwall.

August 2012 to the present day.

I am currently working as korsenn design direct with a client based in London, Harrow Churches and incorporated Harlington Housing Associations, (HCHA). I mainly do this remotely from my studio in Wadebridge but occasionally I work in house. Over the past 4 years I have produced most of their design and marketing material. Also I have also been involved with design work for other clients.

Clients: Harrow Churches Housing Association, Harlington Housing Association, Rent Plus, Dirty Design – Bristol, Impact DM – Taunton, Black Nore Consultancy, Reevolve, Procyon Project Management, plus illustration and cartoon work, etc.

Dirty Design – Bristol.

Senior Graphic Designer/visualiser – (freelance).

June to August 2013 and November, December 2011.

Working with Creative Director, Charlotte Hockey, great to work with who runs a very contemporary and quality design agency. Sometimes working remotely, other times in house, visualising/designing for Chiltern Brewery and other Dirty Design client work.

Clients: Chiltern Brewery, Unite, other Dirty Design client work.

Career break – Part time Palliative Carer – Portishead, North Somerset.

July 2008 to October 2011.

From 2008 to 2011, I had an unexpected part career break to combine being a part time palliative carer for a main Family member with a developing and long term terminal illness (MND).

Along with dealing with it over a difficult emotional period and when time allowed, I still worked (mainly remotely) on some ad hoc design and illustration work from client contacts and colleagues.

Fusion Experience Ltd – London

Senior Graphic Designer – (full time freelance).

November 2008 to June 2009.

Working remotely with freelance creative director San King and for associated web developers, designing multiple batches of Photoshop brand images, following brand guidelines for a website re-design project.

Client: Standard Life

Studio Six Communications, Clifton, Bristol.

Senior Graphic Designer – (full time freelance).

February 2007 to November 2008.

Designer, visualiser/illustrator working on in-depth brand design on banking, web and e-campaigns for by now, expanded, successful thriving agency

Clients: Lloyds TSB, Kraft Foods, Renault Formula 1 Racing Team, Somerfield, Diageo, Spirit Group, St Modern Estates, Siemens, PWC, P&O, Experian, NS&i, Savills.

Impact Design and Direct Marketing – Taunton, Somerset.

Senior Graphic Designer – (full time freelance).

May 2006 to January 2007.

Senior designer, visualiser/illustrator support on long term Honda print/web media plus other work within this successful fast moving design agency.

Clients: Honda Automotive, Corus, Foster Yeoman, Ozzanes.

Studio Six Communications, Clifton, Bristol.

Senior Graphic Designer – (full time freelance).

January 2000 to March 2006.

Senior designer, visualiser and sometimes illustrator within this very successful, thriving full service agency. S6 had a particularly positive, generous atmosphere of a growing company over this period, nurtured and inspired by Creative Director/Founder Steve Sackett and fellow Account Director John Argent. Great to be part of a dynamic creative team of designers and account managers. I worked on continuing successful pitches for new work over the years and on interesting, varied client accounts.

Clients: Lloyds TSB, Kraft Foods, Renault Formula 1 Racing Team, Somerfield, Diageo, Spirit Group, St Modern Estates, Siemens, PWC, P&O, Experian, NS&i, Savills.

The Morris Agency – Nailsea, North Somerset.

Graphic Designer/Visualiser – (full time freelance).

October 1999 to January 2000.

Mid weight designer and art direction support to the creative director on brand guidelines and brand design work and print.

Clients: Great Mills and Halfords.

Barraclough Woolston Grey, Direct Mail Marketing Agency, Hammersmith, London.

Graphic Designer/Visualiser – (full time freelance).

November 1998 to September 1999.

Mid weight designer, visualising/illustration on DM campaigns support for agency art directors and copywriters.

Clients: Dulux, Scottish Power, Southern Water.

Village Design, Chew Magna, North Somerset.

Designer/Visualiser – (full time).

September 1997 to November 1998.

Mid weight designer, art direction, visualising and illustration on marketing work, some packaging and photo shoots and print. After a year I resigned and went full time freelance for BWC-DM back up in London, due to agency politics and splitting up into rival concerns, whilst I was working for them.

Clients: Yeo Valley, Imperial Tobacco, Hungry Horse, Somerfield, Kwik Save, Telefonica Telecom.

KLP and Partners, Redland, Bristol

Designer/Art Director/Visualiser – (full time).

August 1995 to August 1997

Design, visualising and art direction role on concept/ideas, client pitches, photo shoots and print.

Clients: Gulf Oil, Nikon, Jarvis Hotels, The Lemon Tree, (British Rail Catering).

Network Communications and Guy Jackson Associates,

Chiswick and Ealing Studios, London.

Designer/Visualiser – (full time).

June 1993 to August 1995

Design, visualising and art direction role on concept/ideas, client pitches, photo shoots and print. I had good relationships with my ex MCB directors who went onto setup ‘off shoot’ agencies and some of MCB’s old clients.

First initial experience and use of ‘digital design’ on my first Apple Mac’s & PC’s. Inspired enough by the new technology to invest £2.5k on my first Quadra 700, illustrator 2.0 & Quark Xpress!

Clients: Moet and Chandon Champagnes, Associated Leisure, Crayola, Peter Rabbit Licensing, Gilbeys Off Licences.

Marketing and Communication Business (MCB Ltd).

Notting Hill, London.

Designer/Art Director/Visualiser – (full time).

April 1989 to June 1993

Design, visualising and art direction role on concept/ideas, client pitches, photo shoots, conferences/exhibits and print. A very varied and interesting design role working with inspiring creative directors and clients with this agency.

Clients: Virgin Atlantic, Dan Air, British Airways, Gallagher Group, Moet and Chandon and Mercier Champagnes, Rank Xerox, Hogg Robinson Travel, Courage, Gilbeys Off Licences, NATO, MOD and Gvt Departments.

Rex Stewart and Riley Advertising, Clifton, Bristol.

Art Director/Designer/Artworker – (full time).

September 1988 to March 1989

Full time designer and art director role on recruitment press advertising and marketing. As a creative team, (art director/writer) we managed to win a UK press advertising award for a Nationwide Building Society ad in 1988!

Clients: Nationwide Building Society, plus national press.

Taunton Deane Borough Council – Taunton, Somerset.

Graphic Designer/Artworker – (full time).

August 1987 to September 1988

Full time designer and part time photographer secondary role utilising the Somerset’s beautiful scenic area for use in guides, etc.

Design Education

HND in Graphic Design/illustration – Merit.

Somerset College of Arts and Technology.

Wellington Road, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 5AX

September 1985 to July 1987.

OND/Vocational Diploma in Graphics – Merit.

Weston School of Art, Weston College.

Knightstone Road, Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, BS23 2AL

September 1983 to July 1985

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