I am a creative and versatile art director with a passion for blending design and art direction to produce innovative solutions for both print and digital media. With strong leadership skills and detailed project management experience, I enjoy collaborating with teams and freelancers to bring compelling visual experiences to life. In addition to my art direction expertise, I am also a highly skilled woodworker and metalworker with over 25 years of experience crafting custom furniture, store fixtures, and sculptural art pieces. I love combining artistic design with practical functionality to create personalized and high-quality works that enhance any space.

Robert F. Russo

I am a creative and versatile art director with a passion for blending design and art direction to produce innovative solutions for both print and digital media. With strong leadership skills and detailed project management experience, I enjoy collaborating with teams and freelancers to bring compelling visual experiences to life. In addition to my art direction expertise, I am also a highly skilled woodworker and metalworker with over 25 years of experience crafting custom furniture, store fixtures, and sculptural art pieces. I love combining artistic design with practical functionality to create personalized and high-quality works that enhance any space.

Available to hire

I am a creative and versatile art director with a passion for blending design and art direction to produce innovative solutions for both print and digital media. With strong leadership skills and detailed project management experience, I enjoy collaborating with teams and freelancers to bring compelling visual experiences to life.

In addition to my art direction expertise, I am also a highly skilled woodworker and metalworker with over 25 years of experience crafting custom furniture, store fixtures, and sculptural art pieces. I love combining artistic design with practical functionality to create personalized and high-quality works that enhance any space.

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Work Experience

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Education

BFA in Graphic Design at PRATT Institute
January 1, 0001 - December 31, 0001
School of Architecture (no degree specified) at Temple University
January 1, 2001 - January 12, 2031

Qualifications

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Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Manufacturing, Retail, Real Estate & Construction, Professional Services
    uniE621 NUMBERS!
    An events company tapped me to design and build 3 dimensional numbers they can rent and decorate for events and parties. I recommended keeping the numbers at 5 feet tall by 16 inches deep and to be made from 1/2" x .0625 wall square steel for strength and lightness. Year: 2021 Dimensions: 42" x 60" (WxH)
    uniE621 ALL-IN-ONE
    This newspaper spread relies primarily on typography to create its structure. Realizing the company is a start-up, I used the opportunity to create a page that straddles the line between editorial content and advertising, with small images strategically placed for emphasis and visual interest." newspaper print typography
    paper NO SALE
    With a short story and a single photo the challenge was how to bring visual interest to this page. The Mondrian-like grid establishes order and balance, yet the asymmetry adds a sense of movement and modernism. The hierarchy of the sans serif fonts create entry points for the reader and directs them through the page while the red and grey boxes add a bit of a deviation from their journey, but add pertinent information. graphicdesigner newspaperdesigner print
    uniE621 MIXING MESSAGES
    To illustrate this story, I incorporated Warhol's soup can, an iconic image, by repeating it to create the American flag. It recontextualizes its meaning to support the subject of branding and controversy in a political climate. graphicdesigner artdirector print editorialdesign newspaperdesign newspaperdesigner layout photoillustration typography
    uniE621 WINNING THE GAME
    With only a small number of product photos in hand, my design solution was to create a playful design that transforms the layout into a game board, visually capturing the essence of the game company while showcasing its products in a dynamic way. graphicdesigner artdirector print editorialdesign newspaperdesign newspaperdesigner layout photoillustration typography
    uniE621 GAME OF DRONES
    The brief was how to illustrate the growing use of unmanned aircraft in the state. The shadow of the drone spread across a photo of farmland, as well as the entire news page, serves as a metaphor for its pervasive presence in modern society and reflects the growing integration of drones in society, from military to corporate and civilian use. graphicdesigner artdirector print editorialdesign newspaperdesign newspaperdesigner layout photoillustration typography
    uniE621 BINJE - Business in New Jersey … everyday
    I was tasked with designing a logo/masthead for a new business-to-business news outlet that covers business in New Jersey. The challenge was making the whole word "BINJE" read clearly while also emphasizing the NJ location. This was accomplished with the change in color as well as the manipulation of the font. The shadow lines were used to emphasize the business aspect (or money) of the company as well as to add depth to the logo. graphicdesigner artdirector logodesign typography
    uniE621 See More Appliance Center
    I was tasked with refreshing the See More Appliance Center logo, maintaining its legacy and brand recognition. The company's long-established eyeball symbol was kept but given some weight to honor the company’s enduring reputation. The font was updated and changed to bold and all-caps to balance strength and modernity while appealing to contemporary customers. graphicdesigner artdirector logodesign typography
    uniE621 Tiny Town Party Rentals
    The brief was to adapt the company's existing logo for a party rental and balloon division. The addition of balloons lifting portions of the logo skyward was an opportunity to add bright, cheerful color and whimsy to the original logo while maintaining the company's intent. graphicdesigner artdirector logodesign typography
    uniE621 ROI-NJ Food & Beverage innovation Summit
    Logo design for a food summit sponsored by ROI-NJ. graphicdesigner artdirector logodesign typography
    uniE621 The Portal
    Won a juried competition to create a temporary performance pavilion eventually known as "The Portal." Its inspiration comes from the sunsets I've witnessed through Metuchen's Arts Alley, which is why it sits canted and looks as if it's descending behind a horizon. The dripping colors symbolize the fluidity, interconnectedness, and beauty of human identity and meant to instill a feeling of a safe space. Year: 2019 Dimensions: 84" x 108" (WxH)
    uniE621 "M" (for Metuchen)
    During Covid I was asked to build an arch in which decorations could be hung. I had instead proposed steel "M" to create a branding element as well for Metuchen, which was accepted with great enthusiasm. It is a permanent fixture in the town's plaza and is decorated for various events. Dimensions: 96" x 96" (WxH)