[ ABOUT ME ]

DAN PUTNAM

Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida, I’ve been surfing for over 30 years and designing for 25—two passions I love to blend whenever possible. My design experience spans all mediums, from video, web, and print to pixel art, vector art, and 3D art. I bring a positive attitude and excel at collaborating with others, combining my love for technology with creativity. Constantly eager to learn and develop new design concepts, I thrive on implementing efficient workflows that enhance production without compromising quality.

My experience ranges from fast-paced production environments to more creatively focused design departments, allowing me to strike a perfect balance in my approach. In my most recent role at a smaller company, I wore many hats: drafting legal documents, building marketing campaigns, managing a team of developers, ensuring product compliance, and designing comprehensive application systems to boost productivity. In my spare time, I enjoy painting and spending time with my family.

DESIGN IS MY LIFE
Inspired by the Ocean, Driven by Design.
[ Professional Summary ]

With over 25 years of experience in all aspects of design, I’m passionate about using my creativity to lead and craft designs that inspire fellow designers. My career has evolved from graphic designer to creative director, immersing me in digital design across various mediums, including illustration, graphic design, video production, photography, 3D design, and animation. I have a proven track record of leading design and development teams, consistently delivering projects on time and within budget while optimizing workflows to increase production without sacrificing quality. I’m skilled at adapting styles and techniques to suit diverse projects. As a creative director, I excel at bridging the gap between developers and designers, fostering collaboration and driving innovation. My experience and passion for design enable me to elevate the quality and efficiency of any creative department.

“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.”
—Jon Kabat-Zinn
[ WORK HISTORY ]


Grom Social Enterprises, Inc.
Creative Director

2015 - 2024

While contracting under Swellguided, LLC, I collaborated with a 12-year-old client to build a social networking website for kids. The project quickly gained traction, attracting a large user base and securing investment from the client's family and private investors. As the brand grew, I took on the role of managing the development team’s sprint cycles, overseeing all aspects of the brand’s design, and eventually developing a mobile application. I also authored policies and ensured full COPPA compliance by working closely with compliance companies. Over the past two years, we completely revamped the app, successfully rebranding it with support from an in-house engineer and content manager. I expanded my skills by learning new software such as Figma, Webflow, Blender, and AutoDesk’s Maya, mastering 3D character design, rigging, and animation to introduce an innovative feature to the app.


Swellguided, LLC. -
Redington Shores, FL
Owner

2012 - Present

Swellguided LLC is a dynamic design company specializing in surf-inspired collections that capture the essence of coastal life. Founded by Dan Putnam, Swellguided LLC offers bespoke freelance contract design services, bringing a unique blend of creativity and expertise to each project. From branding and visual identities to product design and marketing materials, Swellguided LLC merges Dan's passion for surfing with his extensive design experience to create compelling and immersive designs that resonate with clients and audiences alike. Whether you're looking to infuse your brand with a touch of the surf lifestyle or need a creative partner for your next project, Swellguided LLC is dedicated to delivering innovative and impactful design solutions.

Eastern Surf Magazine -
Melbourne Beach, FL
Art Director

2008 - 2012

Spearheaded a comprehensive restructuring of the art department, optimizing workflows and introducing cost-effective strategies that improved both efficiency and product quality. I directed all layout design for the magazine and internal print materials, developed in-house and client ads, launched campaigns, and led the redesign and ongoing management of the company website. I consistently meet tight daily deadlines for the website while ensuring the print magazine is published on time every six weeks.

Clearchannel Outdoor -
Largo, FL
Senior Artist

2006 - 2008

Designed billboard layouts and creative outdoor campaigns, collaborating closely with sales, marketing, and clients to brainstorm innovative ideas. Led the introduction of digital media into the outdoor market, developing marketing campaigns to attract new clients and creating extended billboard designs to elevate upscale brands.

DirectCity Media, Inc.
(The Neighborhood Guide), New York, NY
Freelance Graphic Designer

2005 - 2006

Creation of advertisements for information magazine. Successfully created new layout of magazine (ie covers, table of contents and calendars).

Cox Target Media (Valpak), St. Petersburg, FL
Graphic Designer

2003 - 2006

Provided leadership in developing Spec ads for Sales Reps in the field, effectively managing a high volume of work with biweekly and monthly deadlines. Proficient in all aspects of InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat, Streamline, Fetch, and database software.

Cox Target Media (Valpak), Largo, FL
Graphic Designer

1998 - 2003

Reported to the Graphic Supervisor, responsible for ad layouts and art creation. Leveraged extensive knowledge of QuarkXPress, Illustrator, Photoshop, and database software. Played a key role in the design and launch of Spec Ads. My design skills were recognized, leading to advancement within the company’s graphics department.

[ SKILLS ]

Adobe Creative Suite
Extensive Knowledge

Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Indesign, After Effects, Premiere, Media Encoder, Demensions, Bridge

Web Design / Development
Fundimental Knowledge

WebFlow, Wordpress, Joomla, HTML, CSS, Figma, Sketch, GitHub, Jira, Confluence, SCRUM

3D Design
Working Knowledge

Blender, Maya, Adobe Reality Converter, Xcode, Rokoko, Spline

Animation
Working Knowledge

Flash, Blender, Adobe Character Animate, Rive

Other
Fundimental Knowledge

G-Suite, Microsoft Office, Airtable, Mailchimp,

[ INTERESTS ]

I live in Florida with my wife and three wonderful children. In my free time, I enjoy painting, surfing, fishing, and spending time with my family. Both my wife and I are artists, so our home is brimming with creativity.