Derek Mueller Resume
626 El Dorado Avenue #15 Oakland, CA 94611-5077 Tel: (510) 547-2080
derekmueller@comcast.net
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SUMMARY
• Stanford University BA Degree in Communications 1980
• Original Designer of the “California Raisins” commercials
• Worked with all major ad agencies in the Bay Area and publishers nationwide.
• 20 years experience producing finished illustration for books, magazines, advertising
• Highly adept at visualization of ideas, projects, ad campaigns, and special effects.
• Reputation for speed and accuracy of execution. Highly detail oriented.
• 7 years experience creating digital illustrations using a Mac, Photoshop and Painter.
• Cross-format capable, also adept at Windows programs, Microsoft Word, Excel
TECHNICAL
• Platforms: Mac OS, Windows XP
• Graphics: Photoshop, Painter
• Typography: Microsoft Word, Quark XPress,
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
1984–Present American Illustrator - Piedmont & Oakland, CA
Business Owner / Illustrator
Provided storyboard artwork for television commercials, and comprehensives for printed advertisements. Created detailed animatic frames (final stage in pre-production for television commercials). Well known in San Francisco for accuracy and realism of my work. Have a 100% on time record and a 100% record for client satisfaction. Major part of business is finished illustration. Have created over 100 finished illustrations for advertisements, articles, annual reports, brochures, book and magazine covers, calendars, children’s textbooks, and toy packaging. Clients have chosen my illustration for its realistic, Rockwellian, folksy style. Have completed a total of over 900 separate commissions. Client list totals over 300.
Following are descriptions of some of my more important accounts:
2004 San Andreas Films - San Rafael, CA
Animation Character Designer and Storyboard Illustrator
Produced original designs for 10 characters for feature length animation (in development). Also designed environments and rendered storyboard frames for the project.
2003 Clorox - Oakland, CA
Advertising Illustrator
Created digital portrait of Richard Petty, NASCAR driver for sponsor Clorox. Image was used on “Son of a Gun” car cleaning product labels.
2002 Radio Shack
Advertising Illustrator
Designed and illustrated a Rockwell-style advertisement for Radio Shack that was featured as part of a nationwide newspaper ad campaign to market their home theatre system. The ad was featured in a Radio Shack insert running in November of 2002. The image involved a total of 22 figures, for which I photographed models and then rendered in layers using Painter and Photoshop.
2002 Smart Design Group - Sausalito, CA
Product Designer
Created original designs for sets of dinnerware (stoneware) for client of the design company. Worked on five separate sets of designs, two of which were chosen for final dinnerware group. Entire project was done on the Mac using Macromedia Freehand.
2001 Scott Foresman Publishing
Textbook Illustrator
Painted 2 double page spreads for biographies of two well known Americans, author Laurence Yep and human rights activist Sojourner Truth. Finished product in each case was a realistic painting using traditional materials. Art was published as part of social studies textbook.
2000 Studio Doppio - San Francisco, CA
Product Designer
Helped to create concepts for five different electronic products to appeal to the teen and adult markets. Task was to design each product and illustrate an 11x17 page for each showing design and function of the product. Scanned drawings into computer and colored them digitally.
2000 21st Century Toys - Alameda, CA
Packaging Illustrator
Created packaging art for a series of highly authentic combat figures. Client provided photos of models posing in authentic uniforms. Based on art director’s concepts for appropriate theatre of battle in each case, researched photos for backgrounds and created photo collages for comprehensives. After receiving approval on this stage, created the finished paintings using traditional methods. Packaging was completed and in stores by Christmas of 2000.
1999-2000 Agilent Technologies - Marin, CA
Comprehensive Illustrator
Was commissioned by an independent art director to create comps for print advertising for company that produces technologies designed to analyze DNA samples (among other things). Some of the comps were done with traditional methods. Others were created digitally in Photoshop.
1999 Boeing - San Francisco, CA
Animatic Illustrator
Agency was Young & Rubicam. For Boeing, created a series of detailed scenes of jet airliners, jet fighters and attack helicopters. Depicted a “Sea Launch” site and a satellite deployment. Medium was markers and frames were executed under a tight deadline which is common for such preliminary artwork.
1999 Clorox - Oakland, CA
Package Illustrator
Worked with the Clorox Packaging Graphics Dept. to create original illustrations for their “Fresh Care” product packaging.
1999 Travel Centers of America - Ohio
Logo Designer and Illustrator
Worked with Marcus Advertising in Ohio to design updated logo for “Mrs. B” restaurant chain associated with the Travel Centers of America. Submitted series of pencil designs to the client to give them a number of options to choose from. Finish was rendered in oils. “Mrs. B” logo now represents the restaurant chain nationwide.
1998 Bing Crosby Estate - Hillsborough, CA
Portrait Illustrator
The Bing Crosby Estate was holding a Designer Showcase at his home in Hillsborough. Was commissioned to paint portrait of Bing. Portrait was featured in a poster publicizing the event and also decorated sides of buses in the Bay Area.
1997 Pfizer Pharmaceutical
Calendar Illustrator
Illustrated a calendar for doctors. Subject was Cardura, a medication for BPH. Illustrations were done in a humorous, Rockwell style. Hired professional models from a local agency for acting ability. Used family and friends for many of the other figures. There were 24 main characters in the illustrations. Calendar was published in 1997.
1997 Science Diet
Animal Portrait Artist
Was asked by Science Diet to illustrate the top dogs in their “Winner’s Circle”. Client submitted photos of 10 Best of Show dogs that had been raised on Science Diet dog food in previous 10 years. Portraits were incorporated into large limited edition poster. Signed 100 copies of the poster.
1996 Shell Fleet Fueler
Brochure Illustrator
Shell Fleet Fueler needed illustrations for a brochure describing their service. Created the cover and seven interior illustrations. Used toy trucks for reference shots.
1995 Air Force Art Program - Andrews AFB, Washington DC
Military Illustrator
1995 was second year of participation in the Air Force Art Program. Air Force encourages artists nationwide to illustrate some aspect of the US Air Force. Earlier that year, was flown by C-141 to attend “Air Force Rodeo” at McChord Air Base in Tacoma, Washington. Took photos of aircraft and many other activities in the competition. Chose to depict “Combat Tactics” exercise, in which Air Force Commando teams used sonar sensitive weapons in a practice rescue mission. Participants in art program were then flown to Andrews Air Force Base in Washington DC for weekend to donate their art and meet with the staff officers.
1995 Louis L’Amour Western Magazine
Magazine Story Illustrator
Illustrated story entitled “The Apprentice Newspaperman”. Used family members as models. Rented appropriate period attire to take reference photos.
1994 Reader’s Digest
Book Illustrator
Commissioned by Reader’s Digest to illustrate book “The Intruders” by author Stephen Coonts. Main character was naval pilot flying Intruders off an aircraft carrier in the post Vietnam era. Obtained cooperation of Alameda Naval Air Station and photographed deck of the carrier Lincoln. Enlisted help of real Intruder pilot who posed in flight suit. While in hangar, was able to photograph Intruder aircraft for reference. Total of 4 illustrations for story, published by the Digest in 1994.
1991 US Jet Aerobatic Team - Livermore, CA
Aviation Poster Illustrator
While attending air show in Salinas, CA, received commission to do promotional poster for one of the aerobatic flying teams. Leader of US Jet team invited me to Livermore to photograph the unusual planes, “Fougas”, which they rolled out of hangar. US Jet team used posters to publicize air show events.
1991 Sprint - San Francisco, CA
Storyboard Illustrator
Have worked on the Sprint campaigns with J Walter Thompson for a number of years. In 1991, illustrated storyboards for the campaign involving Candace Bergen.
1991 Exhibits - San Francisco, CA
Public Theme Designer
Exhibits creates decorations for public places for various occasions and seasons. Illustrated designs for Crocker Galleria and Embarcadero Center Christmas themes.
1990-1998 Levi’s - San Francisco, CA
Fixture Designer / Illustrator
Worked with Zimmermann Crowe Design in San Francisco designing their in-store displays for the presentation of Levi’s clothing at the point of purchase. Rendered aerial views of store layout and individual views of fixtures.
1990 New York Society of Illustrators - New York, NY
Annual Illustration Show Participant
Submitted a painting to the New York Society show. Subject was a farm family standing in a field in an “Andrew Wyeth” style. Bought appropriate clothing at the local Goodwill Store in Manteca, California and then shot photos of models at sunset. Painting was one of 400 chosen for the show out of 7,000 entries. Show paintings were published in annual “Illustrators 33” in 1991.
1989 Industrial Light & Magic - San Rafael, CA
Production Illustrator
ILM was at the time taking on projects outside the scope of the Star Wars films and movie special effects. They were designing theatre and stage setups for large independent companies. Worked with Doug Chiang (Design Director for Star Wars Episodes I and II) on floorplans and elevations for a “Star Tours” type exhibit. Also produced some concept illustrations for a 3-D theatre and a laser light stage setup.
1989 Chef Francisco - San Francisco, CA
Portrait Artist
Chef Francisco, a company that provides soups to restaurants, awarded a number of its customers with free portraits. Was chosen by the Shore Young & Tomi ad agency to paint over 60 separate paintings from photos that clients sent in to the company. Used traditional oil and canvas for project and completed portraits within 6 months. Portraits were framed and shipped to each client.
1986 California Raisin Board - San Francisco, CA
Original Designer of the California Raisins Commercials.
Worked with Foote Cone & Belding Advertising to come up with appropriate designs for a claymation “dancing raisins” commercial they had conceived for the California Raisin Board. Was assigned task of designing characters from scratch and creating several large “key frame”illustrations for presentation to the Board. This was a weekend assignment. On the basis of my designs, Raisin Board bought the concept and key frames were sent to Will Vinton Productions for further development. Later, was commissioned to do several more key frames and storyboards for additional commercials. California Raisins became a phenomenon and commercial won Cleo Award in 1986.
OTHER ACCOUNTS
In addition to those listed above, have worked with a number of well-known accounts. To list a few: American Express, Apple Computers, Bank of America, Blue Cross, Cellular One, Century 21, Chevron, Dell Computers, Del Monte, Dole, Epson, Gallo, Good Guys, Hewlett Packard, Hunt-Wesson, Inc., Kaiser Permanente, Kraft Foods, McDonalds, Microsoft, Nestle’s, Nextel, P G & E, Safeway Stores, Shell Oil Company, Taco Bell, United Airlines, US Postal Service, VISA, Wal Mart, Wells Fargo Bank.
OTHER EMPLOYMENT
1994-1995 Academy of Art College - San Francisco, CA
Instructor, Marker Indication
Instructed art majors in use of markers for storyboards and layouts in commercial art. Created a comprehensive course of study that took students through basics of freehand drawing and shading objects, use of perspective, lighting, drawing the human figure, emotion & expression, drawing heads of children and adults, folds in clothing and, drawing hands for example. Went over basics of composition, color, use of reference material, and proper use of markers. Gave students a sense of the real advertising world by giving them professional level assignments which they could use to build their own portfolios. Some assignments took the form of sample print ads, and final assignment was to create their own TV storyboard.
1982-1983 Artworks - San Francisco, CA
Staff Illustrator
Created finished illustrations for brochures and advertisements. For Royal Cruise Line, artwork included airbrushed illustrations of their ships, as well as route maps. Used airbrush for photo retouching also. Completed course in advanced airbrush techniques.
1981-1982 Bank of America Media Services - San Francisco, CA
Graphics Consultant
Worked in the bank’s multi-media department designing and photographing slides for bank presentations, creating artwork for brochures , and laying out type for bank publications. Media Services Dept. also designed sets for instructional videos.
EDUCATION
1976-1980 Stanford University - Stanford, CA
Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Film Production)
2002-2003 Academy of Art College - San Francisco, CA
Studied illustration and digital animation.
2003-2004 Screenwriting as a Pro - San Francisco, CA
Studied screenwriting with James Dalessandro (author “1906”).
CONTACT INFORMATION
Phone: (510) 547-2080 • E-Mail: derekmueller@comcast.net
626 El Dorado Avenue • Oakland, CA 94611-5077 • Fax: (510) 547-2080
Back to Derek Mueller Illustration Home
derekmueller@comcast.net
