Hi! My name is Mike Malaska. I am an artist, and graphic designer..
Conducting bleeding edge scientific research, leading a critically acclaimed rock band as well as having a knack for saving the world from the occasional horrific catastrophe would be a great list of hobbies.
But to be realistic I am a design nerd who enjoys the occasional romp in the land of code (html, css, actionscript 3.0), listening to David Bowie, and working hard to help other young creatives become successful designers.
Please, feel free to browse through my work. I also have a blog where I document projects and share some of my techniques.
During my time at Structure Studios I was responsible for creating magazine ads, logos, and other colateral materials.
These examples show a few of the design peices I created while at Structure Studios.
The creative concepts in each ad are products of extensive research and brainstorming.
One of my main responsibilities as a graphic designer at Structure Studios was to design and build a new website. The site was my largest web project to date, and I was responsible for designing, assembling and coding the project (yep, everything). Included were several flash elements, such as the animated headers (see them in the interactive category).
Upon completion of the site I assumed the responsibility of web master, managing all updates and site maintenance for the next year +. We later added Spanish and French mirror sites which needed regular updates. That wasn't so fun, but fortunately "yo hablo español."
The Buybuild logo was designed for an e-commerce site that would cater itself to landscapers and pool builders. The company wanted a logo that could represent the site as a place to quickly and easily find everything they need, and have it delivered directly to their project.
Designing car ads taught me a lot about design! I learned how to be fast, accurate, and how to enjoy even the most mundane projects. It wasn't long until I was finding ways to make the ads look better, and design them faster. Enjoy these riveting design pieces, and revel in the custom illustrations (giant DUH! anybody?).
My first real job as a graphic designer was for Smith Phillips & DiPietro Advertising. It was a great place to learn. The clients typically had a small town attitude, were often demanding, and always provided a challenge (Bob Hall was a client I worked with while at SPD). The work I produced at SPD ranged anywhere from brochures, to campaign signs, to websites.
The work was sometimes hard for me as a new designer, but it exposed me to many of the real world problems a designer encounters. Working with clients, meeting tight deadlines, and talking with printers helped me develop my abilities. I even did some photography for a few projects (fishing lures, and the historic 37 house!).
My hard work seemed to pay off. By the time I moved on to Structure Studios I had been promoted to Jr. Art Director, had built up a decent working portfolio, and had established some great lasting relationships with a few clients.
This piece was created for a fishing lure catalog. The illustration features one of the companies most popular lures, and a Bass fish. The work you see here was created primarily in Photoshop with a Wacom tablet.
Pretzel Lady was illustrated for a small pretzel company in Selah Washington. The company, "It's All About The Pretzels" was featured on the Rachael Ray show. Too bad I did the artwork as an intern (for free). Poor me. The pretzels were good though!
This personal project was created in from inception to completion using Photoshop. I enjoy the process of starting with a sketch and working to bring it to life. Despite my sketches and planning I made some big changes to the piece as I worked (one of which you can see in the process).
Most of my illustration work is self indulgent. I regularly sit to sketch and draw ideas. These pieces are a sample of my more complete works. Some of these pieces are also examples of my more nerdy work.
As part of the website redesign for Structure Studios I created these animated headers. Each one features a different product (or service) offered by the company.
My first official website was a fun project. I even won some awards — Student Gold Addy awards at the local, regional and national level. That's right! I'm basically a celebrity.
I also like to make fun flash things every now and then. If I finish them they will show up here.
While I was interning at Enigma Marketing solutions I put this bad boy together. While I am not particularly fond of the site, it helped me take the training wheels off of my flash skills.
Creativity and art has always been my inspiration. It's strange though, I often approach design projects from a technical or logical perspective. This allows me to approach my work with a critical eye on each and every project.
I have learned through experience to approach each project with a clear goal in mind. What am I designing, and why? Who is going to see the product, and what is the message the client is trying to convey to the audience? Graphic design is about communication, and that fact always helps shape the goals and concepts I produce for each project.
Whether I am working on a project for a client, or teaching a class I always stick to one last rule: HAVE FUN! If I am not enjoying what I am doing, how can I expect other people to like it?
Expecting something more?