Freelance design done right!
As FreeFrog Designs, I offer up my freelance graphic, web & print design services for large & small business, non-profits and even individuals. I have brought my unique FreeFrog style of graphic design to print and the web for many years and continue to stay up with the trends and technologies.
Design Services
Visual design is what I do as FreeFrog Designs. With a huge range of clients and projects under my belt, I can pretty much do whatever, but here are my specialties:
- Web Design – front-end website design and development, existing site makeovers, web banner ads, or monthly maintenance.
- Print Design – complex or simple, 1- to 4-color, including product packaging, signage, brochures, and much more. I started in print design and I still love it.
- Branding & Logo Design – everything from individual company, non-profit, or product logos, to full branding campaigns and styleguides for building your consistant brand/identity.
- Icon Design & Illustration – be they simple avatars for a forum, to game icons, to unique vector illustrations, my styles of illustration are fun and functional.
- UI & Interface Design – from conceptual mockups to full-fledged vector or raster template interfaces you can then implement for a specific product/application.
- Photography – specializing in natural light, I can do product, people, nature, and architectural photo shoots.
- Audio & Loop Sounds – custom electronic musical or abstract sounds to fit your next product, game, website, podcast or vidcast.
Modus Operandi
It sounds heady, but every designer should have a method of operating. Here are some of mine:
- Formal Training in typography, printing, design, color theory, plus years of real-world web and print design.
- 2-way Communication to assure that you are getting the design you want and not just one I talked you into.
- Integrity & Reliability so you know when I sign-on to work with you, your budget and schedule will be met.
- Word-of-Mouth is how I get most of my business. I believe happy customers are the best form of advertising.
My Portfolio
My portfolio is rather varied, ranging from 1-color logos to 4-color packaging, to game interfaces, icons and even photography. I'm fluent in both print and web design, but don't take my word for it; mouse-over the images below for samples from each category.
Print Design
Be it a 1- to 4-color, I can design brochures, mailers, books, packaging and more.
view samples
Icons & Illustration
I have a special love of sketching and computer illustration, be they raster or vector.
view samples
Web Design
I build intuitive, attractive and functional websites for small personal pages to large corporate sites.
view samples
UI/Interface Design
Whether wireframing a website to full application UI mockups, I can help you brainstorm a better interface.
view samples
Photography
Have camera, will travel. I do semi-pro product and head shots, stock photos, events, etc.
view samples
About FreeFrog Designs
FreeFrog Designs is me (Nicolas Solberg), and I am a freelance graphic designer. I started FreeFrog Designs as a freelancer in 1995, shortly after graduating college and just as Silicon Valley's dot-com era was taking off as the internet was becoming mainstream.
Most of my clients were big companies in Silicon Valley. Those first years were crazy; clients and technologies came a went about every 2-3 months due to wild innovations and uncontrolled capital ventures. I kept up with the pace trying all manner of software and technologies, but ultimately focused on front-end web design, Flash animation, and of course high-end print design (my bread-n-butter). At that time doing print and web design were not synonymous with each other and I played to my strengths of knowing both.
When the dot-com bubble burst many of my clients went under with it, however, I had a reputation for creativity and reliability, so as people found new jobs they re-enlisted my freelance design services at their new companies. FreeFrog Designs weathered the storm, unlike so many of my colleagues and competitors. I broadened my client base with new projects in the emerging video and online gaming industries, creating websites, print materials, packaging and user interface graphics.
FreeFrog Designs is now indelible and my client/project list is very long. The irony of being a freelance designer for so long is that you learn fads and technologies come and go — especially as they pertain to the internet — and now social media, tablets and smartphones have changed the game once again. Ultimately, having a solid design background in typography, grid and color theory, pre-press, and HTML coding has meant my skills never go out of style, regardless of how many new skills and tools I add to my repertoire.
Even in this troubled economy, being personable, professional, creative and reliable means clients want to work with FreeFrog Designs year after year. I am grateful my passion and my career are one in the same.
Who is this FreeFrog guy?
In short, FreeFrog is me (Nicolas Solberg), but let me tell you in story form, since ya seem curious... ;-)
Once upon a time, there was a very young frog who went by the name Nicolas. He loved to paint and tell stories, to draw insects, submarines, monsters, and spaceships. He was told he was very good at them, but like all young frogs, he got distracted with youthful pastimes. After a few misadventures, he found himself in the big pond known as college. He hopped from school to school, and subject to subject – cinematography, art and even biology – before discovering graphic design, illustration and typography were his forté. He studied both technical writing and graphic design and graduated a "free frog" ready to hit the pond with newfound purpose.
He soon started a freelance design business called FreeFrog Designs, and became known by the moniker FreeFrog. Things happened quickly. He was able to jump into web design literally as the internet was taking off, and soon found himself creating packaging, logos, websites, publications and more for tech corporations, musicians, game companies, toy manufacturers and all sorts of colorful wildlife.
Now an older and dare I say wiser frog, he can safely say that “once upon a time“ continues to this very day. Indeed, his interests and skills have broadened to include photography, music, creative writing, zipping around on two wheels, and even paddling on the water (naturally), but drawing and design remain this FreeFrog's favorite endeavors.
So now you know, for what it's worth.
Contact Me
Not everything is work-related, so email me with what's on your mind, but make it purposeful or I'll just mark it as spam.
Get a Design Quote
If you want to hire me or need a freelance design quote, don't hesitate to fill out the form below. I usually respond the same day (weekends excluded).