Kirsten Townsend, Designer in Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Kirsten Townsend

Verified Expert  in Design

Designer

Location
Los Angeles, CA, United States
Toptal Member Since
May 14, 2020

Kirsten is an award-winning creative director and graphic designer specializing in brand identity and design communication. She started her career in South Africa, working with brands such as Microsoft, Sasol, Telkom, First National Bank and ELLE Decoration, and went on to win a number of national and international creative awards. Kirsten is now based in Venice Beach, LA. She has experience working in advertising, branding, and design as well as publishing and editorial design.

Presentation DesignLogo DesignBrand IdentityLogotypeBrand DesignBrand DevelopmentBrand BooksBrand GuidelinesUI BrandingCreative DirectionAdobe IllustratorVisual Design LanguageBrand MarketingSignature LogosConceptual Design

Portfolio

Work Experience

Creative Director and Designer

2016 - PRESENT
Freelance
  • Built a brand identity guide, including colors and typography, illustration and iconography, visual language, logos, and other assets for a nationwide supplier of fresh produce across the US.
  • Judged New York Advertising Festivals 2020 as part of the grand jury.
  • Developed and designed a brand identity including logo, typography and color, visual language, and photography style guide for a startup client in Australia.
  • Rebranded and updated a client's current brand identity and logo in Berlin, which including developing their visual language and providing them with options for their website redesign.
  • Successfully designed and launched to collections of rug designs, exhibiting in Paris and Vienna.
  • Consulted in the financial industry for the most technologically advanced bank in Africa.
  • Art directed a number of shoots, including pre- and post-production.
  • Designed a collection of fabrics and wallpapers for a restaurant group in the UK.
Technologies: Adobe, Squarespace, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe CC

Creative Director

2013 - 2016
Grid Worldwide TBWA\
  • Managed a studio of designers as creative director, overseeing work, approving concepts and visuals, and working with production.
  • Won a Grand Prix award at The Loerie Awards in the Branding and Design category.
  • Successfully launched Microsoft into South Africa as a consumer-facing brand (previously B2B).
  • Looked after First National Bank as creative director on the brand overseeing all communication and visual elements for campaigns and brand.
  • Art directed Liberty Health and Financial Services shoot and communication.
  • Worked on accounts such as Sasol, First National Bank, KFC, Liberty Insurance, Qatar, and Microsoft.
  • Successfully branded and launched a number of small businesses and startups.
Technologies: Adobe, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe CC

Art Director/Designer

2013 - 2013
ELLE Magazine
  • Designed and art directed the layout of ELLE Decoration magazine, South Africa.
  • Styled a number of shoots for digital and print issues of ELLE Decoration.
  • Sourced and styled a number of shoots along with the editor and lead stylist.
  • Created content for online versions of ELLE Decoration.
Technologies: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe CC

Art Director/Designer

2011 - 2013
BBDO
  • Worked on a number of alcohol brands owned by the biggest distillery in South Africa, successfully rebranding and launching some of the brands.
  • Worked on clients in the financial services industry, working with financial and health insurance.
  • Rebranded an iconic South African brandy. The rebrand included concept development, logo design, guidebook rules and design, and Jamie Foxx becoming the face of the brand.
  • Designed a number of campaign logos for short-term usage, including campaign fonts and color palette, photography styles, and visual language systems.
Technologies: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe CC
2008 - 2010

Bachelor's Degree in Applied Design

Stellenbosch Academy of Design & Photography - Stellenbosch

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