Max Dolberg
Graphic Designer / Art Director · Self Employed
San Diego, CAIn My Own Words
was born to do this work. For as long as I can remember my eye has traced the letterforms, logos, shapes, and colors that permeate my world. As a teenager, I discovered skateboarding and punk-rock, two scenes rich in visual language. It was in these counter culture environments that the foundations of my aesthetic and world-view were laid. It was through skateboarding that I came to understand brands had personalities, and that the graphics they used could define and communicate emotional qualities and character. It is also where my love of photography sprouted, resulting in my first published work. I graduated from San Diego City College in 2013 and won the photography category at the AIGA/SD student portfolio review. I currently work as a media agnostic graphic designer and art director for niche clients, creative agencies, and lifestyle brands.
Work Experience
Graphic Designer / Art Director
Self Employed2017 – Present
Contracting for agencies such as Red Door Interactive and Bex Brands, as well as working client-direct, I quickly understand esthetics and brand standards to meet and exceed the graphic design, art direction and photographic demands of clients in industries including: packaged consumer goods, health care, education, hospitality, clean energy and fast casual dining, through graphics ranging from social media posts, advertising, digital banner ads and websites, to packaging, print magazines and collateral. Selected Clients: Qdoba AstroGlide Perfect Bar SKLZ Alere Sunrun California Western School of Law Grand Pacific Resorts
Art Director
Jetty Extracts2018 – 2019
Working closely with the Creative Director and CMO, I was responsible for steering the overall brand direction as well as concepting, pitching (to internal stakeholders as well as partner brands) and creating cross-channel campaigns for new product launches, corporate social responsibility initiatives, and events including trade shows and music festivals. Drawing on my strong photography background, I negotiated and oversaw photoshoots and, when appropriate, shot content myself. Additionally, I was tasked with designing packaging, collateral, marketing communications (B-to-B & B-to-C), apparel and environmental graphics, along with overseeing junior designers and working with vendors to get these projects produced. In my time at Jetty, we were able to dramatically increase brand awareness in an extremely crowded category and grow market share to put us in the top 5 of California cannabis vape brands.
Production Artist
VITRO2015 – 2016
Working from comps, prepare press and/or screen ready files for print and banner ads, websites, emails, collateral materials, and out of home applications. Working from story-boards, create HTML 5 animated banner ads. Resize existing creative to publisher’s formats and specs. Working within brand guidelines, design collateral materials for clients. Using Adobe Digital Publishing Suite, design and create interactive collateral materials for tablets and smart-phones. Design and create materials for client presentations and new business pitches. Selected Clients: Toyo Tires Asics Wild Turkey UCSD Red Robin Marvel
Graphic Designer
Electra Bicycle Company2014 – 2015
Helped to shape the creative direction of the iconic lifestyle brand by creating and producing designs for catalogs, apparel, packaging, trade shows, bike graphics, and collateral, building on the brand’s history, while adhering to graphic standards
Graphic Designer
Immersive Youth Marketing2013 – 2014
Research, develop concepts for, art direct, design, layout, proof, produce, and deliver internal and consumer facing projects for social media, web, and print applications targeting a tween, teen, and young adult audience
Junior Graphic Designer
Miriello Grafico2012 – 2013
Research, develop concepts for, design, layout, proof, produce, and deliver internal and client projects for both web and print applications
Design Intern
Visual Asylum2012 – 2012
Design and layout agency promotional mailer, research client projects for senior designers, digital asset organization and management, manual production of client projects, waste disposal
Director of Photography
Bloodwork Books2007 – 2011
Responsible for creating, overseeing the creation of, and managing all photography for fine art books created around the globe.
Owner
Max Dolberg Design & Photography2003 – 2011
CEO to janitor and everything in between, responsible for winning, researching, photographing, designing, retouching, and delivering photo and graphic design assignments for local regional, national, and international brands and publications, as well as all aspects of running an independent creative business
