SARAH PICKLES GRINSTEIN

3435 Cesar Chavez #335, San Francisco, CA, 94110  •  (773) 368-2094  •  grinstein.sarah@gmail.com

 

 

Experienced designer with uncommonly strong traditional background and expertise in current digital tools

 

EDUCATION

 

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Studio Art, 2005

BFA Project in Traditional Animation, Academic Internship, Shawnimals.com

 

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

 

Freelance Designer, Illustrator, Sign Painter, San Francisco, CA

Sept 2017 - Present

Provide art and design services for a variety of clients, working seamlessly with small business owners to design custom lettering, creative layouts, graphics, and innovative concepts for signs, packaging, websites, and other branded materials. Bid projects and provide timely digital and hand-drawn proofs and final digital images and products.

Example projects: 

• Hesperian Health Guides - Illustrated location-specific health manuals deigned to help untrained individuals care for themselves and others.  Translated client’s concepts to hand drawn digitally colored images.

• La Pocha Nostra - Visually realized art concepts described by performance artist Guillermo Gomez-Peña as hand-drawn, digitally finished illustrations for a forthcoming monograph, revising proofs based on client input. 

• Glama-Rama Salon - Developed brand identity including custom lettering, hand-painted signage, and logo.

• Focus Innovation Studio - Collaborated with client to create a hand-sketched mockup of client’s logo. Converted raster images of logo and lettering into vector images for enlarging. Painted logo on 7’x10’ internally lit can sign.

 

Visiting Artist and Teacher, San Mateo School District, San Mateo, CA

Jan 2018 - June 2018

Instructed high school students from five classes in collaboratively designing and executing two large scale murals measuring approximately 9’ x 11’. Trained students to design scalable artwork,  scan, and project the images. Sourced materials within school district’s budget and led students to complete painting and lettering within academic semester.

 

Sign Painter and Designer, New Bohemia Signs, San Francisco, CA

Oct 2012 - Sept 2018

Designed custom lettering and layout for hand-painted signs and branding. Executed large scale hand-painted signs for businesses. Translated customers' ideas into clear and effective designs and graphics. Created digital proofs, integrated client input into final designs, and converted raster images into vector images. Prepared and organized files for large scale printing. Managed projects and delivered products within client’s cost and deadline constraints.

 

Apprentice Sign Painter and Designer, New Bohemia Signs, San Francisco, CA

May 2012 - Oct 2012

Completed six month apprenticeship under master sign painter in lettering design, typography, gilding, sign design, and layout. Assisted with client consultations to determine project constraints, budget, sign size and placement.

 

Makeup Artist, M.A.C., San Francisco, CA

Jan 2006 - Aug 2012

Applied customers’ makeup and trained new employees in techniques and product knowledge. Designed and constructed visual displays for in-store events, including painting promotional art for 6’x4’ free standing displays.

 

SKILLS                               

• Adobe Creative Suite

• Extensive knowledge of Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, proficient in Animate and After Effects

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