About Craig Spargur

When it became time to fulfill my dreams, I started taking art classes at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, CA near my home at the time. I took them all and some classes I enjoyed enough to experience more than once. I just lived to do art. For seven semesters I was a full time student during the day and a waiter at night. Then I heard about an advertising design class using computers. This class was at the West Valley Occupational School near byand was taught by a very successful local graphic designer.  Even four year colleges weren't offering computer based design courses at this time and this class promised that I would have a portfolio at its end. Not to mention that the class was on the cusp... transitional! We learned traditional and digital methods and I became hooked on technology from that moment on. I was an early adopter of technology and remain so today in our ever-evolving mechanized culture.

In 1995, printers went from requiring "camera-ready" art to requiring a disc. I was there, ready, willing and more than capable, and thankfully, I've been making a great living ever since. As the Senior Print Production Artist at Clegg Industries, for example, I sent millions of dollars worth of print to press without any reprints, most with complicated dyelines as the products required insertions of light and sound modules. Additionally, I was instrumental in setting up their job tracking system, a critical function to ensure that deadlines were met and clients were happy.

Then, around 1999, graphic designers were required to build Websites. So, I went to the best, the author of the Hands On Training series and Professor at the Art Center in Pasadena, CA, Lynda Weinman of lynda.com fame. I spent a week with her at her center in Ojai, CA, the precursor for her Web company, and by the time I graduated from the course, I was confident I'd added yet another skill to my proverbial portfolio. Which was useful because in those days, I was freelancing and having another asset was instrumental to my success.

During my career, I've been fortunate enough to work with great Art Directors. I learned photo re-touching from the photo editors of Variety and STUFF magazines. Typography I learned from a brilliant Creative Director who published more print advertising than anyone I know to this day. While under his tutelage at Premier Radio, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications, I was an Art Director for a division called Mediabase where I produced a full page of data and advertising in USA Today every Tuesday, for a year, as well as developed and maintained two Web advertising products, all bringing in over $100,000 a week.

Ultimately, it is all about communication and the transmitting of ideas. At the end of the day, we want your product or service on your customer's mind and/or in your customer's hands. So, how do we get it there? Well, as you can see, I've learned to use a lot of tools to that end. Color theory, layout, space/form references, symmetry, juxtaposition—as well as how these things affect people emotionally in different parts of the world—are just a few. With these skill sets in my pocket, here's a little of what I bring to the table:

• Participation: I'm a team player
• Inspiration: Spark original thoughts, ideas
• Motivation: Lead by example and never quit
• Innovation: Find new approaches and remember some proven methods

Ultimately, I've fulfilled my dream to work as a commercial artist, and I've worked with brilliant marketing people to help them fulfill their goals and dreams. That is what I do, fulfillment. I'd like to help you to fulfill your dream. What's your idea? Let's talk about it.