Resume
Please view my portfolio online at portfolio.mikebuffington.net. A PDF version of this resume is available.
- Objective
- To combine graphic design, industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and storytelling to create memorable experiences.
- Education
- Royal College of Art, Master of Arts: Innovation Design Engineering, 2008–2010
Imperial College London, Master of Science: Innovation Design Engineering, 2008–2010 - University of Arizona, Bachelor of Fine Arts: Visual Communication (Cum Laude and Honors), minor: Mathematics, 2000–2005
- Royal College of Art, Master of Arts: Innovation Design Engineering, 2008–2010
- Work
- Collaborations with Gotye. 2015.03–Present
I am working with musician Wally De Backer to document, replicate, and restore rare musical instruments, as well as lending design and engineering advice on various projects and ideas.
- Argosy Designs. 2014.07–2015.10
Draftsman for a small metal fabrication shop. I worked with artists, architects, and designers to detail and 3D model large-scale commercial and residential metal work and create elegant and informative fabrication drawings for the metalworkers.
- Factum Arte 2012.02–2012.12
Engineering work and design for various in-house industrial design projects, including working on a custom designed 3D laser scanner.
- Freelance Industrial design, graphic design, and innovation consultation, 2010.07–2014.07
Clients include Unilever, Innovation Design Engineering, My Preserver, Lambde Ltd., Ludic Group
- Sustainability of semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas (SAHRA), 2005.09–2008.08
Graphic designer and illustrator. I worked with scientists, programmers and editors to produce hydrology-related web sites and publication materials for both scientific and public audiences. I improved workflows for our bimonthly publication, redrew scientific illustrations, and generated graphics, code, and scripts for web sites.
- Collaborations with Gotye. 2015.03–Present
- Clients
- They Might Be Giants: downloadable album art
- Musical Instrument Museum: service and documentation on an RCA Theremin on loan to museum
- Ford: design concepts and research
- Unilever: brainstorming and concepts
- SEED Foundation: graphic design, brainstorming and concepts
- Aids Project Los Angeles: graphic design, illustrations
- Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans (CEDO): layout, illustration, design
- Awards
- Commendation, Deutsche Bank Awards 2010
- University of Arizona Medici Scholarship, 2004
- University of Arizona School of Art Scholarship Awards: Edward Dumm, 2004, Haldeman Scholarship, 2004
- Society of Illustrators National Student Scholarship: Dick Blick Art Materials Award, 2003
- Exhibitions
- Royal College of Art Show Two, 2010: Track 01, solo project
- Royal College of Art Interim Show, 2010: mywater, group project
- SIGGRAPH 2007: NaturArte, art direction, graphic design
- The University of Arizona Summer Reading Program: Lionel Rombach Gallery, 2004
- Society of Illustrators National Student Scholarship Exhibition: New York SI gallery 2003, ICON 2003
- Events
- Visiting artist and guest speaker at the University of Arizona: 2011.03, 2013.01
- Publications
- 2010 | 30: Innovation Design Engineering, 2010, ISBN: 0956136411: selection of work
- Ecology and Conservation of the San Pedro River, 2009, ISBN: 0816527520: Illustrations
- Respiratory Function in Singing: A Primer for Singers And Singing Teachers, 2007, ISBN: 0976351315: Illustrations
- Evaluation and Management of Speech Breathing Disorders: Principles and Methods, 2004, ISBN: 0976351307: Illustrations
- Illustrators 45, 2003, ISBN: 0060585709: Illustration
- Skills
- OS and Software
- Mac OS
- Windows
- SolidWorks
- Rhino
- Grasshopper
- hyperShot
- Illustrator
- InDesign
- Photoshop
- Acrobat
- Flash
- DVD Studio Pro
- Final Cut Pro
- FontLab
- Maya
- Digital Performer
- Max/MSP
- Arduino
- Processing
- Languages and protocols
- XHTML
- CSS
- XML
- PHP
- Perl
- FTP
- SSH
- Making and building
- metal and wood fabrication
- turning
- machining
- welding
- soldering
- sculpting
- drawing
- painting
- printmaking
- lasercutting
- rapid prototyping
- CNC preparation
- DSLR photography and video
- scanning
- Wacom tablets
- Intangible
- brainstorming
- nonlinear thinking
- empathy
- role playing
- abstraction
- linking
- creative thinking
- OS and Software
- Interests
- making lists
- music
- recording
- songwriting
- playing guitar, bass, accordion, synths, mandolin, and theremin
- rhythm programming
- attending concerts
- concert photography
- cooking
- local and whole foods
- 100-mile diet
- farmers markets
- root beer
- home brewing beer
- traveling
- visited 23 countries on 3 continents
- backpacking
- cycling
- sustainability
- sustainable living
- biomimicry
- cradle to cradle
- low footprint construction
- local materials
- art
- sequential art
- story telling
- character development
- mood
- visualizing quantitative information
- science and art
- math and art
- I have seen 36 out of the 37 known and disputed Johannes Vermeer paintings.
- I run the leading vintage theremin educational site RCATheremin.com with my colleague Andrew Baron.
- References upon request