Ari Pallaris
Creative Lead Multimedia Designer
& Photographer

Overview:

I am a creative lead designer with experience in multimedia and interactive design. In 2006 I graduated from Kingston University with 2.1 honours in Multimedia Information Systems. I have successfully applied my creative knowledge to a variety of high profile brands including Paul Smith, The British Academy of Film & Television Arts (BAFTA), ZSL and Amazon.

 

Education:

2002 – 2006: Kingston University – BSC Hon's in Multimedia Information Systems

Final year module breakdown: Advanced HCI, Virtual Reality, IT & Entrepreneurship, Broadband Multimedia Networks, Information Systems Strategy, Computer Graphics (3D Animation) and dissertation.

2000 – 2002: Broomfield 6th Form – A-Levels in IT, Graphics and Sports Science

2000 – 2002: St. Barnabas Greek School – A-Level in Modern Greek

1995 – 2000: Broomfield School – Eight GCSE's Grade A – C, including Mathematics and English

 

Computing / Technical Proficiencies

Application	Proficiency	Last Used	Experience
Adobe Photoshop	Advanced	Currently used	8 years
Macromedia Dreamweaver	Intermediate/ Advanced	Currently used	6 years
Macromedia Flash	Intermediate	Currently used	3 years
Adobe Lightroom	Intermediate/Advanced	Currently used	2 years
HTML / JavaScript	Intermediate/Advanced	Currently used	6 years
CSS	Intermediate	Currently used	3 years
Adobe Illustrator	Intermediate	Currently used	1 year
Oracle / MySQL	Intermediate	Currently used	2 years
Alias Maya	Beginner	2 years ago	6 months
PHP	Beginner	3 months ago	1 year

 

Work Experience

theOTHERmedia – [ Creative Lead Designer  September 2006 - present ]

• Designing brand rich creative websites spanning ecommerce, fashion, visitor attractions and charity sectors
• Conceptualising and developing rich user experiences by combining usability with interactive design
• Overseeing and supporting team members and interns
• Liaising with project managers and high profile clients to provide creative opinions and solutions
• Developing a creative design server that is used internally by colleagues and externally by clients
• Maintaining vital resources that allow the design team to function
• Gaining the respect of my colleagues and became the first point of call for design queries
• Providing my experience and knowledge of information architecture to improve user journeys
• Maintaining strong communication between the Design and User Interface teams to improve transparency between departments
• Credited with “significantly improving both the creative and design output of the company”
• Redesigning a new interactive, design orientated website for the OTHER media that expresses t the true design potential of company
• Providing photography services

 

Clients I have worked with: BAFTA, Paul Smith, Luminar Group, Zoological Society of London, Novas Scarman Group, Surrey Cricket, ECB, Myla, Royal Academy of Arts, Action For Blind People, English Eccentrics, Ecover, Circle Anglia…

 

Amazon.co.uk – [ Web / Graphic Designer September 2004 – September 2005 ]

• Creating graphics for online and offline promotions in UK, French and German locales
• Developing graphics for in-house and co-op sponsored campaigns
• Participating in regular international design meetings to discuss projects affecting the company on a global scale
• Liaising with project and department managers to ascertain user requirements and market strategies
• Providing design and usability expertise whenever required
• Gaining valuable experience in Photoshop CS, Dreamweaver, ImageReady and Macromedia Flash
• Driving a company global project to revamp mail marketing campaigns and achieved a 10 per cent financial improvement
• Working in an environment with demanding deadlines and goals, whilst maintaining a high level of professionalism
• Developing a variety of prototype solutions and site functionality to improve both the site and in-house tools
• Scoping the competitive market to assess the strengths and weakness of existing solutions and or ideas
• Gaining valuable insight into the business process, tools and methodologies deployed within multinational companies

 

elfinternationalltd.com - [ Freelance Designer - January 08 ]

• Designing a distributors online retail showcase
• Designing the hierarchy menu and category structures
• Designing the concepts and promotional material
• Training and support for the use a bespoke content management system
• Project managing and liaising with ELF International LTD
• Feedback from ELF International indicates that they tripled business leads within the first month of launching the new site, and have subsequently improved their natural search engine positioning.

 

Puttingyouthere.com - [ Freelance Designer – December 07 ]

• Establishing the company’s first online presence
• Providing knowledge of online strategies to better market the company’s services
• Re-organising the information architecture for improved user journeys
• Developing an accessible, CSS and XHTML valid website

 

Mituls.com - [ Freelance Designer June 2006 ]

• Communicating and establishing user requirements with company director
• Relaying design concepts and ideas to meet desired specification
• Illustrating graphics in Adobe Photoshop to be used in main banner marketing
• Developing all onsite graphical elements, including marketing banners, company logo, site themes and designs
• Producing vector based graphics suitable for print work
• Communicating and addressing usability concerns of the main core concept to achieve improved accessibility and site efficiency

 

Slade & Kempton / Millennium Gems - [ Freelance Graphic Designer 2004 -2006 ]

• Enhancing product stock photography in the annual jewellery catalogue
• Designing and developing a web campaign to promote exclusive Elini diamond encrusted watches
• Creating site and associate marketing graphics utilising Macromedia Flash
• Designing and developing to strict user requirements, whilst  meeting stringent timelines
• Communicating and offering design solutions and expertise when required to achieve the best possible outcomes

 

Achievements:

I have recently become a published photographer, with a piece entitled Lake McKenzie. The photographer featured in Digital Camera Magazine May 08 and will be showcased in January 2009 Focus Imaging Exhibition.

At the age of 16, I developed a fan site for the band Guns N’ Roses. Having utilise a variety of social networking tools, that included message boards and live chats sessions, the website soon became the most used online resource with the Guns N’ Roses community. 

As a result of this popularity I was contacted by the promoters of Velvet Revolver to promote the launch of an ex-band member’s new album, and by Ferrari who were showcasing celebrity Ferrari’s, one of which, was owned by GNR front man Axel Rose.

 

Interests:

As a child I was fascinated by the thought of capturing a scene; a moment, a time in place that is lost by single blink of an eye. Having always channelled my thoughts and feelings through creative paths, photography seemed a natural progression. I have taught myself the technical and theoretical principles of photography, including the understanding of exposures, reading light and compositional techniques such as the rule of thirds.

I am also a self taught guitarist, originally inspired by Guns N’ Roses and have now played for over five years. Having studied sports science I became interesting in health and fitness and have been an avid gym devotee for six years.

 

Other Information:

• Full UK driving license
• Conversational Modern Greek

 

Referees:

Please ask for a current list of referees