The Online Art Director

By Kevin Boyd

Intelligent Art In Many Media

Creativity and intelligence are the most valuable qualities I bring to any project. Ideas are my stock-in-trade. Working for newspapers for more than 18 years has given me a deep understanding of integrated text and visual content. In my portfolio, you will find examples of information graphics, illustrations, designs, and Web pages produced on tight deadlines. I am very productive and do well in both team and solo settings.

I hold a full-time position as Lead Web Designer at the Stanford University School of Medicine. I'm an expert in informational graphics for print and the Web, and have done medical illustration since 1992 for Medical Advisor, a weekly syndicated health column published in over 150 newspapers. I'm also an able illustrator and dabble in animated graphics.

Although my current activities keep me pretty busy, I'm always willing to consider a new project or client. If I can't help, I'll try to help you find someone who can.

You might also want to see my Stanford Home Page

What's A Home Page Without A Rant?

Online media represent the next stage of our cultural evolution. Culture and commerce, politics and education, everything is changing. Freedom of the press is at the heart of what makes democracy work, but for 200 years freedom of the press has belonged to those who owned the presses. Beginning now, everyone owns the presses. The horizon glows with potential for a new golden age of democracy.

The anarchy inherent in free speech threatens to swamp those who adopt the new technologies...who can be trusted? Businesses that build and protect credibility with users will have a competitive advantage. Training and experience in the ideas and ideals, practices and pitfalls of modern journalism can help promote credibility, regardless of the flavor of information purveyed.

Beyond content, behaviors -- activities and interactivity -- form an exciting new frontier. Users will no longer be content to sit passively reading, listening and watching. They will want to get involved, shape how the content they use is presented, interact with the media, and build relationships online.

The new media will be visual media. What users see will be essential to the quality of their online experiences. Companies that understand this and build a visually talented staff now will have an even greater competitive advantage, especially when bandwidth opens wide for everyone and media converge. Intelligent visual leadership is essential to making the most effective use of this advantage.

For more information on my skills and background, and for my references, check out my resumé, which will open in a new window. You can also read what some of my fellow journalists have said about me, also in a new window.