I’m kieran traas, a spirited maker of digital and not so Digital things.
My design journey started with school books filled to the brim with doodles; usually accompanied by the teachers’ disapproval in angry red ink. These doodles turned into Art A-levels and then into a Graphic Communication Honours Degree. The style may have refined itself but I have never lost the spirit that I started with.
Out of university I joined Friendly Giants in London, a group of people with big hearts and even bigger stories to tell. This job became my second education, it was invaluable in building my skills as a designer, and further engrained the importance of having a diverse skillset.
Outside of work I use my free time to develop my practical making skills. Being able to picture something and translate it into 3D space with your hands really scratches that problem solving part of the brain. Across this pursuit I have taught myself the basics of metal working, wood working and sewing, whatever skill has been needed for the idea.
EXPERIENCE
2022-PRESENT
My day to day is working on small and large scale motion projects for social and branding.
2020-2022
As part of a small design team, I worked on a whole array of projects from the early research stages, right through to executing the final deliverables. Our collaborative can-do studio culture meant that I lent my hand in most projects that came through the door, ranging all areas of design (branding, social media marketing, editorial design, packaging, web design and motion design).
2017-2020
DESIGN DEGREE
I studied Graphic Communication at Cardiff Metropolitan University, and graduated in 2020 with a 1st class honours degree.