I'm Marcus, skilled in ui design, illustration, branding, responsive design, app development & social media. I create visually awesome, smart device ready & business-friendly web products.

In a nutshell I love to design, develop and build things. I have formal training in the arts from UW-Madison and excellent experience in design, front-end coding and building things like businesses and apps. (And yes, I actually have dreamt code.)

Design
My design artistry combine » UI design, illustration, branding, graphic design, typography and print.

Development
Coding mastery includes front-end coding » HTML, CSS and jQuery and I do responsive design, working with the new framework library Foundation 4 by Zurb, to accommodate smart devices as the Android, iPhone or iPad.

Building Things
When I'm not building apps for smart devices, I'm also building business-friendly environments that a client previously didn't have » visual awesomeness, smart device ready, socially connected, data-savvy and traffic-optimized. Social media I focus most on includes Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest. I rely on data analytic tools as Google Analytics, Facebook Insights and Topsy, and I apply Panda-friendly SEO to improve Google search rankings.

HIRE ME

Client

Optimal Health Network
[ Madison, WI ]

Project

Madison, Wisconsin health guru Kristina Amelong does big business online. Kristina's site enemabag.com had traditionally been ranked #1 on page #1 in Google for the search query 'enema', so when her site suffered a dramatic Google ranking drop after Google released it's newest search algorithm Panda in February 2011, I was brought in to improve her ranking through analytics, SEO, social media and design.

After a year of careful work, Kristina's Google rankings went from completely off the map, to a gradual ascent to where it is today, back to page one on Google, search query 'enema'.

    Objectives:
  • » Regularly study web analytics data to optimize content via:
         » Google Analytics
         » Twitter trends via Klout and Topsy
         » Facebook fan page tool Insights
  • » Google SEO
  • » Social media cultivation via:
         » Facebook: landing page design, wall posts, 'Like' cultivation
         » Twitter network-building
         » YouTube, including work on an iPhone-based documentary: 'You Can Do It'
         » Pinterest-based traffic
  • » Illustration, photography and web site prototype design

Visit search query: 'enema'

»  enemabag.com
»  Optimal Health Network
»  Guatemala Coffee Enema Facebook page

Client

Crazy Water
[ Milwaukee, WI ]

Project

World-class trained chef Peggy Magister needed a redesigned web site to give a new face to her American fusion cuisine restaurant located in Milwaukee's Fifth Ward.

    Objectives:
  • » Web site redesign
  • » Photography
  • » Facebook and Twitter networking

Visit site

Client

Art Asia
[ Milwaukee, WI ]

Project

Art Asia, an amazingly beautiful and diverse Asian art gallery in Milwaukee's Third Ward needed a simple interface for expanding their business.

    Objectives:
  • » Web site redesign
  • » Online sales platform
  • » Photography

Visit site

Client

Off The Beadin Path
[ Neosho, WI ]

Project

After meeting at Cedarburg's Strawberry Fest in the summer of 2009 creative genius and hippie Lynn Fulbright asked me to design a Peter Max motif web site for presenting her hand made jewelry online.

    Objectives:
  • » Peter Max motif web site
  • » Online sales platform

Visit site

Client

Sweettrio
[ Grafton, WI ]

Project

A small group of talented local chocolateers approached me to design a web interface for their brand new store. I've also done extensive design work for their seasonal outdoor banners, product photography and a high ranking video.

    Objectives:
  • » Visual web interface
  • » Photography
  • » Google and YouTube networking
  • » Print
  • » Video

Prototype

Sweettrio Spring hours banner

#15 YouTube: European Chocolate

Client

Zipcoat
[ Madison, WI ]

Project

Energy experts from Zip Coat needed a prototype web site for future plans to market their polyurethane spray foam insulation product Zip Coat.

    Objectives:
  • » Prototype web site

Prototype site

Client

F. Barkow Inc.
[ Milwaukee, WI ]

Project

Milwaukee-based F. Barkow Inc. needed a redesigned company web site to bring their national web exposure up to speed in both appearance and networking capabilities.

    Objectives:
  • » Web site redesign
  • » Google SEO, Facebook and Twitter networking

Visit site

lyrae design
Snapshot

Say hi!

Marcus Grant
Greater Milwaukee, WI

+1 608 616 0374

ilyrae@gmail.com

Resume
( html, pdf )