Quick Q&A with our new Designer Mark Baldwin
We’re so excited to welcome Mark to the Onclick development team. He joins us from local, cool design agency iFour, with a solid 14 years experience in creative graphic design.
We thought we’d run a little Q&A to introduce him to our clients…
So Mark, how did you first get into graphic design?
Working part time at a signage company and I soon discovered my passion for typography, print and design. An artworking position came up in the studio and having got the bug I quickly moved up to junior designer, and later to a more senior, creative role. Things quickly developed from there…!
What attracted you to a move to the elearning industry?
Although my graphic design background was born in print, my thirst for knowledge has led me to discover more about digital design over the past 5 years. With the impact of social media and as businesses streamline budgets and demand a faster product turnaround, everything is going online. Training is just another example of this. Elearning is still a relatively young and exciting industry and it’s evolving every day. I’m really thrilled and enthused to be a part of that.
Why do you think design a key part of elearning development?
The gap between printwork and digital design is blurring. As computers and internet speeds become more powerful, so does the capability to produces vibrant, colourful content that excites and engages users. Sadly, there are times that elearning can get a bit of a bad rap. It doesn’t need to be stale, boring and cumbersome. There’s a gap in the market to make elearning as bold and engaging as other media formats. Good design is really about bringing the subject to life and making the user think learn in new, memorable ways. This is a high priority for Onclick and I think is what sets us apart from other elearning developers.
What inspires you?
I’m a bit of a geek and am constantly reading, researching and fuelling my brain. I like to keep up with the latest industry developments and recent design trends. I regularly get myself out to galleries, exhibitions, and industry events to keep ideas ticking!
Do you think your skill set has expanded since moving to Onclick?
Joining Onclick gave me the opportunity to expand and improve my skills. In the last 6 months, I have learnt more web based products such as Moodle, Adobe Captivate, Adobe After Effects as well as producing HTML newsletters and building websites. I also have been involved in photo/video shoots and post production which are all big passions of mine.
Is there a project you’ve been particularly proud of?
The Information Governance project for Cheshire East Council is my most proud Onclick work to date as I was involved in the process from concept to completion. I feel I have really put my stamp on this project and used my previous design agency experience to good use, be it with custom illustrations, animated videos or associated promotional print material.
What do you like to get up to in your spare time?
I’m a big fan of music and film so you can usually find me in the local arthouse cinema or propped against the bar of a gig venue. I’m a bit of a festival addict and Glastonbury ambassador. I try to keep fit and when not out running with the dog through the countryside, I play football for the Honey Monsters FC (division 1 champions this past Summer!) In the little spare time I find outside of these hobbies, I find terrorising the wife and visiting quaint country pubs is fast becoming a new favourite pastime.
What’s been your favourite film this year?
I love films that challenge your thought process and keep you thinking for days afterwards. There have been two films this year that have done this especially. The Amy Winehouse Documentary ‘Amy‘ was both heartbreaking and inspirational at the same time. Not being a major fan of hers before hand, I left the film questioning todays fame-obsessed culture and the power of paparazzi in moulding public perception to suit their needs. My other film I loved this year was Ex Machina, the tale of a man tasked to test and question an articifical intelligences level of human qualities. I found this fascinating, especially given how close we are to true artificial intelligence and todays level of reliance on machines.
