Publication
Timeless Branding: How to Build a Brand That Lasts
https://www.toptal.com/designers/brand/how-to-create-timeless-branding
Micah is currently unavailable
Micah Bowers
Verified Expert in Design
Designer
Vancouver, WA, United States
Toptal member since March 30, 2016
Bio
Micah uses brand design and illustration to tell stories on behalf of his clients. He believes that design must identify a need, stir a desire for change, and shed light on a path that is uniquely helpful, hopeful, and human.
Portfolio
Branding and Illustration for a Workers' Compensation Firm
BrandingIllustrationMessaging
Onboarding Illustrations and Messaging for a Social Web App
BrandingIllustrationMessaging
Brand Development for a South Texas Contractor
BrandingLogo DesignArt Direction
Brand Identity, Messaging, and Illustrations for a Vehicle Wrap Studio
BrandingIllustrationMessaging
Branding, Messaging, and Illustrations for an iOS Nightlife App
BrandingIllustrationMessaging
Contemporary Logo System for an Inbound Marketing Agency
BrandingLogo DesignArt Direction
Brand Illustration System for an Online Sales Funnel
BrandingIllustrationArt Direction
Brand Creation for a Jamaican Muay Thai Promotion
BrandingLogo DesignIllustration
Brand Building for a Travel and Adventure Blog
BrandingIllustrationMessaging
Experience
- Drawing - 15 years
- Illustration - 10 years
- Adobe Photoshop - 10 years
- Adobe Illustrator - 10 years
- Design - 10 years
- Logotype - 4 years
Tools
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
Work Experience
Illustrator
2017 - PRESENT
Google (via Toptal)
- Created high-impact posters to promote an ongoing speaker series hosted by Google's Empathy Lab.
- Designed a psychedelic, 60's inspired alphabet to visually distinguish the poster text in a clean, modern environment.
- Illustrated a wide array of animals and characters to highlight the fun, inquisitive nature of the Empathy Lab.
- Helped the client re-envision the project scope and deliverables to meet the budget and tight deadlines.
Technologies: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop
Illustrator | Designer
2015 - PRESENT
Micah Bowers Design
- Developed brand identities by creating engaging visuals and stories that help companies communicate the unique value that they offer to customers.
- Specialized in creating custom illustrations that support a company's brand messaging and bring life and energy to written content.
- Created bright and cheerful animations that explain the usefulness of digital products in an easy-to-understand way.
- Crafted one-of-a-kind words and letters for logos, websites, and advertisements.
- Provided art-direction to companies in order to reach customers by outlining and implementing a specific mood at the start of each project.
Technologies: Adobe InDesign, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
Illustrator and Presentation Designer
2018 - 2018
Deloitte (via Toptal)
- Designed an on-brand presentation template for a team focused on the future of healthcare technology.
- Illustrated a set of compelling storyboard frames to make the teams healthcare vision more relatable.
- Reviewed the team's narrative and provided practical feedback to make the presentation more engaging.
Technologies: Microsoft PowerPoint, Adobe Illustrator
Senior Onboarding Designer
2017 - 2017
Acupic: Bryxe (via Toptal)
- Delivered a set of 5 illustrations that integrate icons from Bryxe's UI with scenes of exploration and discovery.
- Refreshed the onboarding messaging accompanying each illustration to be more clear and captivating.
- Updated the signup button text to motivate new users with an opportunity to "opt-in" on each screen.
- Consulted with Bryxe's senior UI designer to create more intuitive signup options.
- Performed a detailed brand messaging assessment to help clarify Bryxe's onboarding focus.
Technologies: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop
Brand Illustrator | Animator
2016 - 2016
CheckMate (via Toptal)
- Created engaging storyboard concepts for word-of-mouth networking app's onboarding screens.
- Wrote a compact-yet-powerful script for CheckMate app's onboarding sequence.
- Designed nine original characters to help effectively communicate the app's ability to connect users to professionals in different fields of expertise.
- Provided color direction to enliven the overall mood of the onboarding animations.
- Animated four vignettes in a way that powerfully demonstrated the app's usefulness.
Technologies: Adobe After Effects, Adobe Illustrator
Branding Expert
2016 - 2016
Arrow (via Toptal)
- Developed a brand story and user journey outline to connect the Arrow app with emotions and experiences that people can relate to.
- Provided art direction and styling inspiration for the look and feel of the Arrow app.
- Created a compelling visual identity for the Arrow app, including logo, logotype, app icons, app typography, and app color scheme.
- Refined in-app copywriting to better reflect Arrow's brand story and make the onboarding process clearer.
- Created a set of five dynamic animations to add excitement and energy to the Arrow app's onboarding screens.
Technologies: Adobe After Effects, Sketch, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
Logotype Designer
2016 - 2016
Reserve Direct (via Toptal)
- Created a custom word mark and logo system for a large, online travel booking website.
- Designed a versatile type system that allows for destination city names of varying length to be placed with the logo.
- Generated 15 custom word mark sketches and explored a wide range of typographic styles.
- Worked within the framework of a brand positioning document that client had in place prior to the start of the project.
- Met a client's tight turnaround needs and delivered a new logo system in under three weeks.
Technologies: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
Graphic Designer
2012 - 2015
Image360
- Helped with the launch of a business by handling design, production, and installation of signage and vehicle graphics for the first year and a half of operating.
- Developed a workflow checklist that organized the entire process of a project from client inquiry to final delivery and payment.
- Oversaw, operated, and developed best-practices documents for large format print production equipment.
- Created a design services package that allowed the business to increase profits from design and prepress tasks.
- Worked as part of a three-person crew that saw monthly sales go from $1,500 to over $30,000 in three years.
Technologies: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
Graphic Designer
2010 - 2011
Purdue Envision Center
- Designed promotional print items and displays for Purdue's haptic lab technologies.
- Conceptualized, shot, and edited promotional videos highlighting faculty research.
- Collaborated with staff designers from various Purdue departments to create promotional displays highlighting interdisciplinary collaboration with the Envision Center.
- Led tours and operated demonstrations of Purdue's immersive "3-D Cave" technology.
- Oversaw use and operation of the department's large format printer.
Technologies: Adobe Illustrator
Other Experience
Publication
Create Standout Social Media Graphics That Drive Engagement
https://www.toptal.com/designers/social-media/social-media-graphics
Publication
Beyond Text: Designing the Future of AI Prompting
https://www.toptal.com/designers/artificial-intelligence/design-ai-prompt-optimization
Publication
Expert Designers Leading Healthcare Product Innovation
https://www.toptal.com/designers/product-design/healthcare-product-innovation
Publication
From Promoting to Creating: How an Advertising Leader Found His Calling in VR Gaming
https://www.toptal.com/designers/augmented-reality/vr-gaming
Publication
Apple Arcade’s Lumen: A Promotional Art and Logo Case Study
https://www.toptal.com/designers/graphic/logo-case-study
Publication
The Widening Impact of the Motion Design Industry
https://www.toptal.com/designers/motion-graphics/motion-design-industry
Publication
Why Internal Corporate Software Is So Frustrating (with Infographic)
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/corporate-software
Publication
The Ultimate Experience: A Guide to the Principles of Sensory Design
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/sensory-design
Publication
Paving the Path to Purchase: E-commerce UX Best Practices
https://www.toptal.com/designers/e-commerce/ecommerce-ux-best-practices
Publication
Landing Page Best Practices for Boosting Conversions (With Infographic)
https://www.toptal.com/designers/web/landing-page-best-practices
Publication
A Field Guide to DesignOps
https://www.toptal.com/designers/product-design/designops
Publication
Numbers Shouldn't Lie: An Overview of Common Data Visualization Mistakes
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/data-visualization-mistakes
Publication
Information Architecture Principles for Mobile (With Infographic)
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ui/information-architecture-principles-infographic
Publication
Compelling and Moving: A Guide to Motion Design Principles
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/motion-design-principles
Publication
What Not to Do: The Beauty of Bad Product Design (with Infographic)
https://www.toptal.com/designers/product-design/bad-product-design-infographic
Publication
Design Constraints Are Not Restraints, They Stoke Creativity
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ui/design-constraints
Publication
How to Work Remotely When It Matters Most
https://www.toptal.com/designers/design-leads/how-to-work-remotely
Publication
Brands Still Matter: Brandless Boom to Bust
https://www.toptal.com/designers/brand/brandless
Publication
Visual Shelf Life: Why Web Design Illustrations Go Stale
https://www.toptal.com/designers/adobe-illustrator/web-design-illustration
Publication
Machine Language: A Guide to Chatbot Terminology (With Infographic)
https://www.toptal.com/designers/chatbot/chatbot-terminology
Publication
The Designer's Edge – An Overview of Photoshop Plugins
https://www.toptal.com/designers/photoshop/photoshop-plugins
Publication
Looking at the Future – Design Trends of 2020
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/digital-design-trends-2020
Publication
The Higher Ground – A Guide to Design Ethics
https://www.toptal.com/designers/design-director/design-ethics
Publication
Designed, Sealed, Delivered – The Power of Logo Package Express
https://www.toptal.com/designers/logo/logo-package-express
Publication
The Power of Touch – The Evolution of Button Design (with Infographic)
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ui/button-design
Publication
Level Up: A Guide to Game UI (with Infographic)
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ui/game-ui
Publication
CX Design: Why UX Is the Moment and CX Is the Memory
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/cx-design
Publication
Yours Truly, Freelance Design Advice
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ui/freelance-design-advice
Publication
The Art of Virtue Signaling: Why So Many Brands Get It Wrong
https://www.toptal.com/designers/brand/virtue-signaling
Publication
Mini Tutorial: Working with Figma Button Components
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ui/figma-button-component
Publication
The Origins of Bad Logo Redesigns
https://www.toptal.com/designers/logo/bad-logo-redesigns
Publication
Expert Perspectives on the State of Design Education
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/future-of-design-education
Publication
How to Transition from UX Designer to UX Consultant
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/ux-consultant
Publication
Card Sorting: Better Information Architecture by Aligning With Users' Mental Models
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ia/card-sorting
Publication
Logo History 101 – A Walkthrough of Lasting Impressions
https://www.toptal.com/designers/logo/logo-history
Publication
What Is Branding? Everything Is Branding.
https://www.toptal.com/designers/brand/what-is-branding
Publication
If You’re Not Using UX Data, It’s Not UX Design
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux-research/ux-data
Publication
Why You Don’t Need Design Education
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/design-education
Publication
Color Theory for Designers: A Crash Course (With Infographic)
https://www.toptal.com/designers/graphic/color-theory-for-designers
Publication
The Chat Crash: When a Chatbot Fails
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/chatbot-fails
Publication
A Day in the Freelance Life: Getting to Know Toptal Designers
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/toptal-designers
Publication
Dissecting the Intricacies of Typography Anatomy (with Infographic)
https://www.toptal.com/designers/typography/typography-anatomy-infographic
Publication
UX Research Methods and the Path to User Empathy
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux-research/ux-research-methods
Publication
Words Matter: The True Value of UX Copy
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/ux-copy
Publication
UX Portfolio Tips and Best Practices
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/ux-portfolio-tips
Publication
E-commerce 101: Understanding Shopping Cart Abandonment (With Infographic)
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/shopping-cart-abandonment-infographic
Publication
A Spectrum of Possibilities: The Go-to UI Color Guide
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ui/ui-color-guide
Publication
Creating a UI Style Guide for Better UX
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ui/ui-styleguide-better-ux
Publication
Icon Usability and Design Best Practices
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ui/icon-usability-and-design
Publication
UI Design Best Practices and Common Mistakes
https://www.toptal.com/designers/ui/most-common-ui-design-mistakes
Publication
Presentation Design and the Art of Visual Storytelling
https://www.toptal.com/designers/brand/presentation-design-tips
Publication
Brand Illustration 101: Visualizing the Narrative
https://www.toptal.com/designers/brand/brand-illustration-system
Publication
How to Create Custom Fonts: 7 Steps and 3 Case Studies
https://www.toptal.com/designers/typography/make-your-own-font
Education
2008 - 2011
Master of Fine Arts Degree in Electronic Time-based Arts
Purdue University - West Lafayette, IN, USA
2004 - 2008
Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Design
Purdue University - West Lafayette, IN, USA
Skills
Tools
Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Sketch, Microsoft PowerPoint, Adobe InDesign, Adobe After Effects
Other
Drawing, Logotype, Illustration, Design, Logo Design, Branding, Typography, Blogs, Corporate Identity, UX Design, Blog Design, UI Design, User Experience (UX), Consulting, Graphic Design, Digital Design, Visual Design, Art Direction, Creative Direction, Squarespace, Messaging
Collaboration That Works
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