Will Truran
🙂

Will Truran

GD Professor @ Old Dominion in Norfolk, VA

Open for freelance and always down to chat on podcasts or contribute to articles.

A year ago

About

Since 2010, I have been immersed in the world of commercial art, specializing in graphic design. Throughout my career, I have established a diverse portfolio of work that spans across various industries. This includes founding my own clothing brand, serving as a UI/UX designer for a small agency, and creating large format displays for leading brands such as Tylenol and Band-Aid. Additionally, I have designed t-shirts for Harley-Davidson, collaborated with Procter & Gamble to develop tech-based home advancements, and provided guidance to numerous small businesses on their aesthetic and visual identity from my personal studio. Recently, I have taken on a new challenge as Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Doane University, while continuing to operate my studio based in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Contact

Website
LinkedIn
Youtube
Twitter
Instagram

Projects

2024
TIDAL | 757's Design Conference at ODU's Graphic Design Program

Hampton Roads, though unified in concept, is divided by bridges, tunnels, and tolls, creating logistical barriers that have historically kept the design community fragmented. These geographic separations have hindered opportunities for local designers to gather, collaborate, and celebrate their work in a large-scale, cohesive setting.

TIDAL was Hampton Roads' first-ever design conference with an emphasis on creating a full-day experience that is worth the journey. TIDAL offered a day packed with inspiring presentations, networking sessions tailored to creative professionals of all levels, and portfolio reviews for students and early career designers. This inaugural conference sets the stage for Hampton Roads' design community to gather, connect, and shape the future of the industry in the region.

Event Photos are from Vaughn Davis instagram.com/davisvfx

2022

Dungeons & Designers is a podcast where Graphic Designers play Dungeons & Dragons together.

2022

In my video series, 'Bits N Boards' I talk about what goes into making Board Games with those in their Game Design Journey

Side Projects

Ongoing

The content in this project represents many different experiments built within Touch Designer. The majority of these experiments are audio reactive.

2023

In 2023 I decided to start creating animated posters based on various accomplishments in space achievements. I believe that utilizing motion and a Futuristic User Interface (FUI) aesthetic we can better engage and excite the next generations that require more to be captivated.

The animated posters can be viewed by visiting the link.

2023

//trashFiles is an ever growing record of humanity and the effects of our consumerist behaviors on the planet. This digital archive is intended to equip artists with the necessary resources to create data-driven artworks that shed light on the state of our environment and the consequences of our actions.

Founding Designers
willtruran.com/
emmacanfield.com/
mariefabozzi.com/
jlwvision.com/

2023

Escape is a group zine printed and assembled in a living room in Lincoln Nebraska. All contributing artists attend RIT's VCD program between the years 2019-2022.

It is 32 full color pages, with 11 original art pieces, saddles stitched with 2 staples.

2022

Galactic Interfaces is as much a love letter as it is an in depth study on how Hollywood uses interactive design as a storytelling element. The poster is primarily a grid of recreated interfaces from various Star Wars movies and shows. They are organized in ascending order of original release date (A New Hope to Andor). This captures both the design trends as they evolve over time and gives us an insight in how multiple design teams used the work proceeding them to solve the same visual problems.

2022

A Self Published Zine released March 10, 2022. Contains 14 original posters

2021

Released Jul 13, 2021
Awards: 1st Place Independent Short Passaic County Film Festival 2022

2021

Throughout the first years of the pandemic I worked on a series of posters that were both animated and printed for a solo gallery exhibition called 'What's Left?'

Work Experience

2023 — Now
Norfolk, VA

Classes:

  • Intro To Graphic Design
  • Web Design
2017 — Now
Remote

Founded in 2017 Noble Folk Design Group is the name I have adopted after transitioning to a freelance career.

Responsibilities
• Maintain client relations
• Manage outsourced work partnerships
• Creative Direction
• Branding , Illustration, Print Design, Presentation Layout,
Merch Design, Squarespace, Wordpress, Web Design, and Web Dev

Notable Clients : Harley-Davidson, Amazon, JP Morgan Chase & Co

2021 — 2023
Crete, NE

In addition to advisement, growing the marketing efforts of the department, and working on campus committees I taught the following classes:
Intro to Digital Media, Typography I, Typography II, Graphic Design I, Graphic Design II, Graphic Design III, Graphic Design IV, Intro to Professional Practices, Advanced Professional Practices I + II, Web Design

2020 — 2020
Remote

Worked within the Research & Development department, developing upstream products.

Responsibilities
• Pitched product ideas in exploratory sprints
• Explored concepts for ‘greener’ products
• Developed expanded market concepts
• Branded internal efforts
• Created presentations for user tests
• Designed workflows for in home digital consumer experiences
• Contributed as 'Inventor' to a pending patent

2018 — 2018
Ramapo, NJ

Taught Fundamentals of Interactive Media

2013 — 2017
UI/UX Designer at GeekHive

Worked on internal marketing initiatives and digital interfaces

Responsibilities
• Created internal merchandise
• Designed interior spaces including the conference room and
waiting area
• Designed mobile application interfaces and workflows
• Designed modules to work within pre existing systems
• Quality Assurance
• Front end development
• Worked with brands like Coach USA, Trojan Condoms, JP Morgan Chase, and Church & Dwight

2011 — 2014
Sussex, NJ

Taught Designing For Interactivity and Computer Graphics 2

2013 — 2013
Junior Art Director at Johnson & Johnson

Developed printed materials for various JnJ brands

Responsibilities
• Designed printed collateral such as magazine ads and coupons
• Designed large format displays
• Worked with internal and external brand guidelines
• Branded internal events
• Selected stock photography
• Worked with brands such as Baby Johnson, Band-Aid, Listerine, Walgreens, Walmart, and 2014 World Cup

Exhibitions

2023

A National Juried Printmaking and Book Art Exhibition of Traditional and Digital Print Media, Jan. 30 – March 24
Juried by Susan J. Goldman

2022
Crete, NE

Curated by Will Truran, Art by Brit Sigh
instagram.com/midnightrunstu…

2012
From Copper to Blue Film at The Louis Bay 2nd Library & Community Center
Hawthorne, NE

Group Printmaking Show put on by Zhiyuan Cong and the Center for Chinese Art

Volunteering

2016 — 2019
President at United Design Guild
New Jersey

Responsible for leading the non-profit board and volunteer base.

Responsibilities
• Led the re-branding efforts when moving from the Art Director’s
Club of NJ to United Design Guild
• Created multiple monthly events
• Organized quarterly workshops
• Produced live on-site video streams
• Reformatted membership and member benefits

Education