773 580 4100 | clint@clintmay.com
do boldly.
To do something boldly means a few things. It means doing the hard work, the grind, the deep dive to unearth the often elusive underlying concept. It means doing what’s necessary to express that concept, even if it’s unorthodox, requires new skills, or frightens a little.
Great designers are that instrument that opens the door to that bold place you might not have considered. We create the space where your vision becomes visual. It’s not easy, but that’s what I’m here for. That’s the philosophy I bring to my endeavors and what I’ll bring to yours.
Following are some examples from my nearly two-decades of experience honing that credo.
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identities
Beyond typography and grids, symbols lie at the core of graphic design, and the thrill of creating a new one is what originally drew me to this profession.
Back in school, I was trained in the Bauhaus and Swiss styles, but I like to think I eschew any one style.
I do what's right for the concept, as long as it's meaningful.
What all my designs share is that I seek to winnow any symbol down to the barest essence of the idea(s) that must be conveyed. It's the most frustrating—and ultimately rewarding—part of being a designer.
Philip Black
Founder of TripleSpoke
Wielding sharply honed skill sets in identity, print and online media, Clint makes a phenomenal addition to any design team. His natural enthusiasm to learn and adopt creative technologies makes him a vast resource of executional savvy, and allows him to produce work at a pace rare in the industry.
Beyond that, he’s a crack copywriter which is a great pairing to his sense of meaningful design and awareness of brand identity. As a team member, Clint possesses a warm and engaging personality, quickly developing excellent rapport with clients and fellow teammates alike. His ability to take initiative and innovate when necessary means that Clint adds quantifiable value at every level.
Shachar Meron
Co-founder of BatesMeron
Clint is one of the most brilliant polymaths in Chicago. He's a designer who can write. He's a writer who can design. He's a critic who creates and a creative who critiques. Small wonder he's making his mark as both a thought leader and a productive member of society.
Clint May? No—Clint will.
I'm a stickler for grids when it comes to long-form print, and even more so when it comes to file architecture. When it comes to short-form, illustration is my preference (whether my own or directing a professional), because it is such a useful way to stand out in a sea of photography.
Way back in 2000, I got my start in print and prepress, working at a shop to clean up files while learning theory at Iowa State University. Those two experiences still feed into my rigorous back-end construction that frees me craft a creative front-end. Even when using photography, I like to find ways to tweak it to give it something that bends it towards the core idea (especially since stock photos are typically necessary).
As with anything, I strive for an engaging concept that drives every decision. I've worked with some amazing copywriters and directors over the years, crafting concepts that feed into everything from catalogs to brochures, posters to books.
Karen Juneau
Coworker at Sync360
Clint is a gem to work with. He approaches each project in a fresh, innovative and thoughtful manner and constantly researches, analyzes and recommends modern technologies. He introduced and implemented storage and project management tools to our team, which made us work more efficiently and effectively while ensuring brand consistency.
He has an extremely pleasant and professional demeanor when working with his peers and with the client directly. A proven problem solver, Clint is patient, responsive and articulate. My team and I have benefitted immeasurably from his wealth of experience, resourcefulness and enthusiasm.
digital
I'm a little skimpy on what I showcase in this section. No other medium ages faster and more poorly than things in the digital realm, and the lighting speed of technological progress means that many of my projects are so outdated now as to be, if not embarrassing, at least no longer indicative.
And that even holds true for the three projects below. I chose them to showcase them, however, because they do represent a larger commitment to trying new things and pushing the boundaries of working in a limitless digital world.
These were all produced working with Gameflow Interactive, working with the best programmers I've ever had the pleasure of encountering.
THE EPIC WORK
A series of 3D renderings created in Cinema 4D, a program which I taught myself one winter using online tutorials. IN-teriors of Minneapolis contracted me to create them for the fairy tale-themed conference room center being built on the Epic Campus of Wisconsin. Each rendering was printed large-scale as wallpaper and installed in the respective room.
JUST FOR FUN
Most of my more random work and art is over on my Instagram page, but here are some fun things I've done in the service of learning new skills or technology.