Marina Grigorian
Graphic Designer
323.829.3881
grigorian.design@gmail.com
CONTENTS
Resume
Introduction 2
Professional Growth Chart 3
Employment History 4
Education 5
Professional Career 5
References and Availability to Start 5
Skills and Knowledge 6
Portfolio
West Medical 7 - 33
Guitar Center 34 - 39
Benjamin Eye Institute 40 - 43
Outside the Box Project 44
Illustrations 45 - 46
Handcrafted Projects 47
Freelance (B2B Samples) 48 - 51
2
Marina Grigorian
Graphic Designer
INTRODUCTION
Skilled, talented, experienced graphic designer is looking
for an employment opportunity with a good company,
agency or organization. My colleagues refer to me as an
intelligent, creative, rational, organized, trustworthy and
responsible individual. I have knowledge and experience
needed to be a great contribution to any marketing or
creative team. I appreciate your time and attention, and
would like to invite you to take a look at my resume and
samples of work.
Professional Qualities
7+ years of professional graphic designer experience
Hard-working, goal-oriented, focused and determined
Humble, yet assertive: wise leader and good communicator
Able to follow direction to the last detail
Problem-solver, seek and find solutions if difficulties arise
Effective collaborator: take lead in projects and follow others’lead when needed
Proactive self-starter, able to work independently and seek information to complete projects
Strong aesthetic sense and trained eye: see errors in a design piece right away
Good sense for design styles, ability to maintain branding and identity
Habit to be organized: I always know where my files are
Strive to maintain positive and motivating attitude
Well-grounded, polite and honest
Make sure that all my work-related communication is clear and direct
Able to think ahead and prevent problems before they arise
Always respond to work-related e-mails and address all questions asked
Good logical and critical thinking skills
Talent to turn chaotic information into comprehensive text, instructions and communication
Responsible: always make sure that everything is taken care of on time and not the last second
Able to work fast without sacrificing quality
Able to lead creative teams and find common language with different people from all paths of life
Eagle eye for noticing errors, inconsistencies and formatting
Remarkable attention to detail; frequently catch spelling, grammar and billing errors
Good at researching vendors, finding best price/quality/speed options
Acquired administrative experience prior to graphic design career (skills still prove to be useful)
Outside-of-the-box thinker, but regard rules, formats and agreements
Lead a very calm lifestyle that doesn’t interfere with work
West Medical 2014 - 2016
Lead Graphic Designer Marketing Strategist Project Manager
Improved company’s logotype and identity; ensured correct implementation by other graphic designers
Designed billboards, strategized placement, worked with printing and advertising vendors (Outfront, Lamar)
to get the best quality, timely delivery and accurate posting
Designed and prepared for print brochures, booklets, pamphlets and other marketing materials
Created ads for various publications (LA Times, Valassis/Red Plum, Pennysaver, Los Angeles Magazine, etc.)
Designed and prepared for distribution online ads, banners and other web assets
UX/UI design (web pages, forms, landing pages aimed to ensure conversions)
Created some of the company’s social media assets
Worked with legal department on creating proper disclaimers for all print and web advertisments
Worked with video editors of commercials on elements relating to graphic design (typography, branding)
Designed materials for expos, worked on logistics to ensure quality of the company’s representation
Managed teams of graphic designers, copywriters, web developers and other professionals on various
projects; trained junior designers and interns
Developed successful strategies for marketing different services and products
Guitar Center (Headquarters) 2013 - 2014
Graphic Designer (Production)
Created web and mobile assets for guitarcenter.com
Designed product launch campaigns (sets of ads and landing pages)
Re-purposed key art for web and print use
Designed promotional labels for Guitar Center stores
Worked in collaboration with designers, web developers, copywriters, lawyers and project managers
Benjamin Eye Institute 2009 - 2012
Graphic Designer Marketing Strategist Project Manager
Designed promotional materials, ads, informational brochures and booklets
Re-designed company’s website, from wireframe to icons
Worked on marketing efforts with LA Kings brand (company provided sponsorship for the team)
Managed company’s website, created content, added pages and illustrations
Worked on SEO strategy and AdWord campaigns
Designed newsletters, created content and ensured distribution
Created technical illustrations for complex medical concepts
Lead and managed various projects involving a range of creative professionals
Created presentations for medical conferences and continuous medical education courses
Worked on development and implementation of marketing strategy
Worked on marketing efforts with referring doctors, helping to co-promote their practices
Photographed surgeries and company events, staff and facilities
Participated in organizing company events (prepared promotional packets, helped with logistics)
Worked with printing vendors on projects requiring various printing methods
RESUME
4
EDUCATION
Los Angeles Community College 2001 - 2008
Graphic Design
Completed numerous courses in addition to graphic design program. I realized that the required courses
are not enough for the modern field of graphic design, and completed additional classes, such as Photoshop
for photographers (where I learned photo re-touching), digital photgraphy (I’m not a pro photographer, but
I can produce quality images if needed), marketing and advertising (it built the foundation for further know-
ledge I acquired about this field), logic, philosophy and all art history courses available (exposure to art trains
a graphic designer’s eye).
John Marshall High School (Los Angeles) 1999 - 2000
Completed the program within 1.5 years and graduated with honors.
Additional Education Continuously
Completed numerous on-site and online skill-building and educational courses, as well as trainings provided
by my former employers (on social media, e-mail marketing and marketing in general).
PROFESSIONAL CAREER
Graphic design is an occupation I chose for several reasons. I realized that I have the talent needed to pur-
sue it, patience to learn and motivation to succeed in it. Yet, most importantly, design and marketing are
genuinely interesting to me. Through years of my career I worked on obtaining knowledge and skills, never
staying satisfied with what I had achieved. It’s no accident that at this point I can confidently claim to be
an expert in my field of work: I put a lot of time and effort into becoming a highly skilled professional and
acquired a valuable range of experience.
In addition to being a skilled graphic designer, I have a strong understanding of marketing, which helps me
in creating materials aimed to achieve conversions. I have obtained experience needed to lead and guide
creative teams, worked in design production, managed design production, and worked with various prin-
ting vendors and publishers. I also maintain creative hobbies that sometimes become useful in my profes-
sional work.
My employers valued my dedication, efficiency, integrity and ability to collaborate with colleagues. I’m very
systematic in my style of work: I maintain to-do lists and reminders, ensuring successful progress and com-
pletion of projects. I approach each project with enthusiasm and care, and see importance in value of work I
produce. I welcome challenges and enjoy finding effective and elegant solutions.
I look forward to hearing back from a team where my knowledge, skills, experience and motivation will be
useful. I would truly appreciate an opportunity to introduce myself in an interview and discuss my experi-
ence and qualifications.
5
REFERENCES AND AVAILABILITY TO START
References will be provided upon request. Available to start right away.
6
SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
Graphic Design
Strong knowledge of Adobe Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator
Thorough understanding of typography; habit to use grid systems in layouts
Knowledge of design identity and branding, ability to understand and implement identity guides
Understanding of color systems and all aspecs of working with color (print and web)
Understanding of printing processes and proper preparation of files for different printing methods
Extensive experience in working with various printing vendors and publications
Good brain for UX/UI design and research: strategic, detail-oriented and empathetic
Digital illustration skills (technical and creative)
Very good eye for photography and illustration selection; photography retouching skills
Ability to work fast without sacrificing quality; shifting priorities is not a problem
Ability to lead creative teams and organize effective collaboration
Eagle eye for errors, inconsistencies and formatting; saved companies I worked for money and other
resources by noticing billing mistakes, misspellings, printing imperfections and other errors
Experience with most advertising mediums available (print and web)
Experience in managing design production though all steps of execution
Marketing
Strategizing marketing campains and understanding how to market different products and services
Understanding how to market to various target audiences and ability to create relatable contexts
Understanding how conversion works and how to achieve it
Experience utilizing various marketing tools
Good understanding of social media as a marketing tool, ability to strategize content
Knowledge of legal aspects of advertising (e.g. knowing when disclaimers are needed)
Other Professional Skills
Project management
Fast/blind typing
Very strong communication skills (visual, written and interpersonal)
Strong presentation skills
Excellent spelling and good grammar
Ability to analyze, organize and communicate complex information
Copywriting skills
Impressive organizing skills and excellent memory
Knowledge of e-mail marketing services (MailChimp and Constant Contact)
Above-average knowledge of MS Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
Very comfortable using both Mac and Windows operating systems, basic computer troubleshooting skills
Trilingual (fluent in English, Russian and Armenian)
Hobbies and Interests
Cardmaking (developed new techniques, remarkable percision in working with paper)
Photography, art, literature, history, folklore, music, science, technology
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SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
When I started working for West Medical, the company just developed the brand and had plans to advertize
on billboards and in various publications. I realized that we needed to address typography used in the
original logotype before moving on with these plans: it was too light, and the logo would need to occupy
a lot of space in order to be readable, taking it up from other important information that we would need
to communicate in ads. The original typography would also make use of the logo in digital mediums
problematic: smaller versions would be blurry and hard to read. I was tasked with re-designing the
typographic portion of the logo, which allowed us to proceed with successful campaigns. Addressing this
issue in a timely manner allowed us to establish brand recognition and create effective advertisements.
Before
After
SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
Billboards have been consistently posted all over Southern California for over two years (new designs added with time). Stock
images of the billboard harware are used to display designs due to practical difficulty in obtaining good shots of
the actual panels. “Model shown”is a required disclaimer for advertising medical treatments.
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SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
My weekly responsibilities also included strategic choice of design for each billboard, depending on lifestyle or other demographic
considerations for the area, as well as the side of the road and objects in the landscape (for good visibility).
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SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
Red Plum (Valassis) ad. Distributed weekly in several Southern California counties.
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SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
Red Plum (Valassis) ad. Medical ads require careful wording and disclaimers due to strict advertising laws.
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SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
Red Plum (Valassis) ad. Distributed weekly in several Southern California counties.
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SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
Red Plum (Valassis) ad distributed weekly.
West Medical ads have been running in Red Plum for years and have proved to be successful (the phone number on the ad is
tracked for number of calls). The ads were prepared weekly for various locations (about 20 to 60 per week). Each of the weekly ads
was customized to location, design and specific size (different for each region).
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SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
Red Plum (Valassis) ad prepared for distribution during the holiday season.
14
SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
15
Red Plum (Valassis) ad prepared for distribution in spring.
SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
Varicose veins and sinusitis ads for KIIS-FM‘s
Wango Tango festival concert guide.
Holiday postcard distributed to existing patients who expressed
interest in a cosmetic treatment procedure.
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SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
Double truck (2 page) ad for Los Angeles Magazine.
Sample pages from a book with treatment results.
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SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
Informational brochure on venous treatment options (four folds).
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SAMPLES OF WORK
Planning and Design forWest Medical Booth at Los Angeles UltimateWomen‘s Expo
Prepared design and planning for the event, worked with large format printing vendors to ensure timely delivery of assets.
Floor plan and setup instructions for the team. Assambled booth at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
The strategy worked well and lead visitors to the booth. The event was a success for the company.
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SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
Some of the Facebook ads designs. The image appears in
Facebook users‘ feed (linked to a landing page).
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Design, copy and strategy for a landing page
(linked from a Facebook ad).
SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
Design, copy and strategy for landing pages (linked from Facebook ads). Placement of all elements is strategized for conversions.
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SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
Design for social media assets (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter).
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SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
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Design for social media assets (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter).
SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
Design for social media assets (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter).
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SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
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Design for social media assets (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter).
SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
26
Design for social media assets (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter).
SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
27
Design for social media assets (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter).
SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
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Design for social media assets (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter).
SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
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Design for social media assets (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter).
SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
30
Design for social media assets (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter).
SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
31
Design for social media assets (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter).
SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
32
Design for social media assets (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter); selection of quotations for #MondayMotivation posts.
SAMPLES OF WORK
West Medical
33
Design for social media assets (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter); selection of quotations for #MondayMotivation posts.
38
SAMPLES OF WORK
Guitar Center
Landing page design. The challenge of the project was to incorporate and
visually separate a lot of information, while using colorful background and logo
provided by Ernie Ball, and making it look in line with Guitar Center‘s style.
Samples of small ads for mobile.
39
SAMPLES OF WORK
Guitar Center
Promotional labels for Guitar Center stores.
Form for a Facebook campaign with Rock of Ages (the movie).
SAMPLES OF WORK
Benjamin Eye Institute
Retractable banners.
Screensaver for computers in examination rooms.
43
Pop-up display.
SAMPLES OF WORK
Outside the Box Project
44
A PROBLEM: the Institute invested into printing custom binders, however the information on the cover
was not accurate anymore and the plan was to discard them.
A SOLUTION: I came up with a way to cover the text with a 3D illustation of the concept of co-manage-
ment (in consistency with company‘s design identity, where the Institute is represented with blue, and co-
managing practices with green colors). Not only did it save the binders for use, but also improved their look.
Materials: a puzzle set and spraypaint. Painting process.
Linked puzzle pieces. Detail: perfect execution.
The binders can be used again. The idea was inspired by a photo used in contents.