…I love working with vectors, too.
Cheers!
My name is Neal Boyd and welcome to my production studio and portfolio site. I’m a multidisciplinary digital designer and developer, producing assets in nearly every digital medium, as well as those that eventually become tangible (like 3D printing and pre-press). In addition to creating things with my machines (Windows, Mac, and Linux), I also enjoy tearing down and rebuilding computers and the networks they run on.
A lot of content depends on copy, and with a strong background in English, I can also write keyword-rich SEO-optimized marketing language, technical white papers, instruction manuals, as well as creative writing. I apply a lot of the composing rules I learned while studying poetry under former Louisiana poet laureate Jack Bedell to digital design, development, and editing… especially “less is more.” While that may sound cliché, it’s also a great benefit when approaching projects of all types. I invite you to dig into the site further to see some of the work I’ve done, as well as read on to get a better idea of what I can do. Although I’m fluent in a number of AI pipelines, this site contains no generated content. I feel obligated to learn about emerging technology, but I do not use AI in any of my professional work. I prefer to create by hand. There is no AI on this site, unless I decide to blog about it and offer examples in any article I may create about it in the future.
Some Things I Do.
Graphic Design
I studied graphic design in the very first class that the curriculum was offered at Southeastern Louisiana University under my mentor and friend Professor Gary Keown. I left my English Education studies in favor of visual arts after a few years of writing and studying Greek and African American literature. I apply the rules of design to every project I approach, and when creating assets (from illustrations to photos) I do so with the mindset that they are there to contribute to the mission of the project.
Web Design and Dev (Web and App Front End), UX/UI, ADA
I began professionally building sites in 1998, and have grown from static flat sites to interactive, database driven content management systems as both the web and related technology matured. I started in and still use a LAMP environment, but am proficient in any type of known stack, as well as a few proprietary ones. My professional work is ADA compliant, standards-based, and cross-platform compatible.
Photography, Videography, and Editing
I have a long history of both taking photos and video, as well as post production in Photoshop, The Gimp, Premiere, After Effects, and color grading in DaVinci Resolve. I’ve documented conferences, speeches, conversations (scripted and non), and photograph everything from portraits to landscapes for use in promotional materials.
Illustration, Animation and Motion Graphics
I’ve always tried to stay away from stock art for two reasons… first, I found it to be an unnecessary expense. Second, I could never find exactly what I was looking for without having to bring it into Photoshop and editing it. I grew up drawing, so creating my own art was a given. Digital drawing eventually gave way to digital animation using Flash (now Adobe Animate) and After Effects. Motion graphics are a slightly different discipline, but when used correctly, I think they can really benefit a larger project’s goal of directing the viewer’s attention towards a particular thing.
Organic and Paid SEO
Part of designing and developing public facing websites has always been getting as many eyes to see them as possible. I’ve worked in Search Engine Optimization both full time and as a part of development in general since the late 90’s. I’ve been Google certified (before the engine devoted its top spots to paid placement), and I’ve run paid commercial ad campaigns through them as well, along with Facebook and select apps found in the Google and Apple app stores. I’ve conducted A/B testing and highly targeted campaigns, and I’m well versed with Google Analytics to note trends in acquisitions and traffic.
Pre-Press and Large Format Printing
I’ve created print material designed for four-color and digital presses, from pamphlets to billboards. I spent a number of years working at a magazine publishing house creating templates and magazines in Quark X-Press, InDesign, Illustrator, and even regular desktop applications like Word and Libre Office Writer. I’ve created dozens of conference and trade show displays utilizing large format prints on foam board, plastic, and polystyrene. Along with displays and presentations, I’ve also created designs for promotions such as ink pens, stickers, tote bags, and and endless assortment of other “free conference shwag” items. I’ve also illustrated and designed a few skateboards that saw national distribution.
Contact.
There is a contact form on this site, but feel free to reach out using these methods:
300 East Louisiana Avenue
Hammond, LA
70403
Phone/Text: 225.278.6656
Email: vectornerd@gmail.com
I do not sell, share, or broker personal information for any reason. Contact information may be saved in order to personally communicate, but you or your institution’s data will always remain confidential and will never be added to a mailing list (I don’t have one to speak of, and if I did it would only be opt-in).
Some Previous Clients and Projects
Zoom
Apple
Twitch
Stripe
Spotify
Zoom
Apple
Twitch
Stripe
Spotify