Loading...

Jim Balch Design

Art Direction & Visual Design
All works Branding Design Art Direction Web

Skills & Proficiencies

Creative Management

Creative Direction
Art Direction
Mentorship
Team Development

Creative

Adobe Creative Cloud
XD/Sketch
Typography
Packaging

Project Management

Microsoft Teams
Teamwork
Basecamp

Office Applications

Word
Excel
Powerpoint

Digital

InVision
UX/UI
Wireframing
Digital Production

Development

HTML 5
CSS
WordPress

About Me

Hello!

Jim Balch
Art Director
Senior Visual Designer
Simply put, I love art & design. When I graduated from the University of Washington, I wondered where my career would take me, what I would learn and ultimately what I would have to show for my journey. I have been fortunate enough to gain an intensive amount of knowledge and skill without traveling too far from where my passion for design first began. The Seattle design community has been an integral part of my design development, allowing me the opportunity to work with high-profile clients such as Fred Hutch, Deloitte Digital, Philips, Starbucks, Microsoft, Swiss Army, Tommy Bahama, Amazon, Haggar Clothing Company and Weyerhaeuser. My experiences have greatly shaped my approach to design problem-solving, encouraging me to look beyond the surface for that “incredible” solution. I look forward to elevating my design career, focusing on strategy and the user experience, while always searching to expand my technical and artistic capabilities.


Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.

Steve Jobs

My Process

Discover

This phase is usually triggered by an initial insight, need or problem to be solved by a particular group of people or company. I seek to gather as much as possible about the inital insight, ask questions and start to formulate an image of who the various people are I'm intending to communicating to.

Define

Here I learn all I can about the project and problem, then synthesize the information and determine how to use what I've learned. This information gathering furthers the understanding of how and why the audience think, feel and behave a certain way.

Design

Using the understanding and vision found in the Define phase, I generate a pool of potential solutions always keeping my audience in mind. I then iterate and constantly look back, being sure solutions are aligning to the understanding and vision developed during the first two phases.

Evaluate

Design should always be evolving and improving, because our audience and our customers are always evolving. These important steps are taken to monitor the qualitative and quantitatives effects of design. This process helps inform the next initeration of future solutions.

What people say

One glance at Jim’s portfolio will tell you he’s got design chops. What it might not tell you is that he's a dedicated manager with the savvy for business. In design or business, I always appreciated his honest, direct approach, as well as his ability to see through to the core issue and find a solution.

Steve Krug, Electric Pen

What people say

Jim is a stellar creative director as well as a talented designer. His kind and flexible approach, dedication to the client's business goals, sense of humor, and personable nature make him a pleasure to have as a colleague and manager. I'd recommend Jimmy for any job you want done well.

Stephanie Lorig, Electric Pen

What people say

Jim is the design equivalent of a Motown hit machine. He just keeps churning out work that makes the top 40 time after time.

Harmony Hasbrook, Amazon

What people say

An immensely talented designer, Jim Balch produces elegant branding solutions with aplomb. Simply put, he produces good work.

Yoona Lee, Wunderman Seattle

Contact

Call Me
+1 206 910 1623
Address
3221 22nd Ave W, Seattle
Email
jim.balch@gmail.com
Open the map
Close the map