hi 👋🏻
I'm James Newton

I’m an experienced multifaceted creative designer and art director with a proven track record of delivering innovative design solutions across diverse mediums. Adept at blending strategic thinking with artistic flair to elevate brand identities and captivate audiences.
Want to know more about me?
Read below about my day-to-day as a creative at McCann Detroit, how I got my start, and what I do outside of work.

Strategic Strokes: A Day in the Life of an Art Director

Currently, I hold dual roles as a User Interface Designer and Art Director at McCann Detroit, seamlessly blending these responsibilities. My days are dedicated to crafting immersive website experiences at McCann, as well as spearheading comprehensive campaigns for clients, both within and beyond our portfolio.
Beyond my corporate endeavors, I also operate as a freelance brand and website designer, collaborating with clients on local and national scales to bring their business visions to life. Since 2018, my freelance journey has been a fulfilling odyssey, from supporting homeless shelters and nonprofits to crafting creative for cat cafes, Michigan congressional offices and groups, beverages, bars, and musicians.

Design Unleashed: My Odyssey

My creative journey ignited in 8th grade when I first dabbled in Photoshop, crafting assets for YouTube while simultaneously nurturing a budding small business creating video thumbnails, assets, and Youtube channel backgrounds for content creators. I eventually made thumbnails for Machinima Realm for their MMO RPG Channel. High school saw me navigating the wilds of Tumblr with a 40k+ following, where I honed marketing skills and delved into HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for blog customization. It was also the era of my debut into motion design, animating GIFs and expanding my repertoire.
Taking my passion further, I embarked on a path at Central Michigan University with ambitions for a double major in Graphic Design & Advertising, flanked by minors in Philosophy and Computer Science. Yet destiny led me to College for Creative Studies (CCS) in 2016, where I plunged into Communication Design with a side of Advertising Design. CCS became the fertile ground for exploring interactive experiences, holistic campaigns, and the art of conveying meaningful messages through myriad mediums.
Since graduating in 2019, my hunger for growth and learning has only intensified. Currently, I'm immersing myself in Blender, Cinema 4D, character design & animation, fine-tuning illustration finesse, and nurturing entrepreneurial ventures.


Beyond the Brief: Creative Ventures Off the Clock

In my free time, I enjoy a myriad of activities, including running, drawing, indulging in video games, skateboarding, biking, hiking, and spending quality time with my partner. Additionally, I'm passionate about giving back to the community through volunteer work with homeless shelters, animal rescue organizations, and various nonprofits. On the home front, I've happily welcomed three cats—Nox, Peach, and Daisy—from an animal rescue group, along with a South American Red Foot Tortoise named Clementine.

My Home Design Studio
Besides working on a Macbook Pro for design, I have built my own computer to handle high-end programs such as Unreal engine, Blender, Cinima 4D, and Nuke. I also am looking to start streaming on twitch tv and kick, once I find some downtime between freelance clients
Home Studio Specs
Windows 11
Geforce RTX 3070 TI
Intel i7 3.7 ghz
12 TB (5 SSD storage units)
64 gb ram
Wacom Cinitque 16
Samsung 42-inch curved monitor (primary)
Dell 27-inch monitor (secondary)
Recording software - Elgato capture card for console and OBS for streaming.
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