The Designer

Hi, welcome to my studio. I’m Shanna Blasingame; designer, graphic artist, photographer and website developer, with many years of experience. I’ve worked on all types of design projects that require knowledge of marketing, economics, communication, computer coding and much more. I’ve become somewhat of an expert researcher since each new business brings a new set of information to absorb. In this business you get to be a quick study, on many subjects.

I began as a graphic artist / production artist in the early 90s professionally, but learned to code in C+ in high school, when desktop computers were being introduced in the 80s, then later in college as well; and in both cases learned it fast and then tutored the others. It just stuck.

Developing websites is pretty fast paced changing set of skills and you can never quit learning. Social media is unavoidable, we have a split second focus span, and it is just a super highway of images and information blasting us from all directions.

The principles of marketing are the same, though.
It’s a more complex web but to break it down as simply as possible, my goal is to help you:
Identify and Reach your target audience,
Deliver your message creatively and effectively,
Entice your customers to react (call to action),
Within your means (stay in budget).

That last one is where some creative thinking really comes in handy.

I work in WordPress mostly for websites, however I’ve had to learn other platforms on the go, when sites were already developed and I came in later to fix them; Joomla, Shopify, Google Sites and a few really not-good ones. In WordPress there are constantly newly created themes and plug-ins, all in need of updates as more hackers get into them; each theme is like a new piece of software you have to figure out. Plug-ins are a bit easier but each one has a learning curve.

I hire another developer with even more complex computer coding skills when it’s needed, and professional illustrators and though most of the websites I work on are conceptualized, written, coordinated, illustrated, photographed, etc. by me, I work with what is best for the project. Often that includes coaching others how to take better photos there on site for usage on the website here, where photos are then enhanced even more for maximum pop and effect. A collection of skills and input is needed to develop a website properly, including those already on staff at your location. 

Desktop apps: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign are most used now. Some video projects in Keynote. 

My A-Typical Studio
I’m an active, outdoor nature loving, adventure seeking dog loving hiker. Being inside a building without a window was literally torture, and so was working a salaried position that required 60-80+ hours a week. I had to seek my own path. One year while employed at MARC Advertising in Station Square in downtown Pittsburgh, I went on a 3 week vacation to Alaska, and saw people there living more simply and with nature, in cabins with a whole different lifestyle, adventure and nature based. I was born and raised in Houston, Texas, where I-10 is now 18 lanes wide including the feeder streets, it’s an extremely hot and metropolitan area. We went camping a lot, and nature was where I connected, not back home in the hot concrete city life. 

I decided to go for the simpler slower paced lifestyle so the focus is on the creating, not the game. Now I live in a more natural area with trees outside of the windows, dogs in the office, free to work right where I feel creative, not rushing around and then getting into traffic for a new stressful start of a day. Nope. Not for me. When inspiration is needed I go outside, to the trails or just my own wooded backyard. I believe in working with nature, not against it and that includes not being on a regimented time clock. Any artist gets this.

Background: On the Job Training
Software was not taught to me in college, that was all hands-on learning, working at jobs where they said “can you do this project in Freehand?” and I’d say “I’ll figure it out.” That was enough to get every job, because that software was new, and no one else knew how to use it yet either, so I was often paid to learn Photoshop, Freehand, Framemaker, Pagemaker, WordPerfect (wrong! such terrible software) on projects, on-the-job that I had to figure out the software as I went and then train others to use it. Early on I produced numerous projects on PCs and MACs this way even before those two worked together, converting files back and forth, ran a linotronic image output machine which required constant troubleshooting of files when they wouldn’t rip (machine froze) and it was extremely technical. This experience along with a desire to create led me to here where you need technical skills to create. 

I’ve had full and part time jobs in design studios and agencies, through Mac temp agencies, on site at Robert Morris State University in their marketing department as a graphic designer, and freelanced in a variety of companies for many years. Now the work is done independently completely from my home office.

Education  I’m bringing this ancient news up because these were the building blocks for me to be able to work as an entrepreneur. The ability to combine all of the business and creative processes that it takes to run my business, as well as to be in service of others to help reach their marketing goals with a good solid grasp on the whole picture, not just the fun design stuff really did come from college which I worked jobs to get through. I do like the entire process of working directly with a business owner to communicate and work efficiently which doesn’t happen in an agency. The clear path to proper communication for me is direct to decision maker. Communication is my business, and this is how it works best. 

Bachelors in Business Administration: East Texas Sate University (now called Texas A&M Commerce) Fine art with an advertising minor, learning from adjunct professors (working professionals in their fields) in Dallas ad agencies:  illustrators, designers, art directors who were employed held classes right in the big major Dallas agencies. We got to see some legends in the ad field. We drew logos, get this – by hand with a pencil and used press type lettering and pantone paper sheets to create a brochure. We learned the basics of design without help from a computer. A very fortunate thing as it turns out, to learn design principles with no desktop help. After going through most of the Art and Advertising classes, I switched majors to Business Administration, a complete 180. 

I started working from home in 2002 as a freelancer, and under the name Hot Designs since 2003.

In 2020 I had some time (and the need) like a lot of us, to find another source of income. Over the last few years I’ve organized the thousands of photos I’ve taken around the Laurel Highlands, and started a second business. Nature Rocks Designs making greeting cards, wall art, stickers, yard signs, natural sprays and other nature driven things.