Whit Gurley - Senior Design

Oh hey, were
you looking for
Angled End?

I’ve seen a lot of action in my three decades as a designer: the browser consistency wars, the print PDF takeover, the rise and fall of Flash, the killing of Quark, the triumph of responsive design. And I’ve worn a lot of hats during that time — brand consultant, web developer, long document designer, art director, animator, production system architect...

It’s just in my nature to want to do “all the things,” to not let myself get pigeonholed as any one type of creative professional, and I feel proud of my overall track record across those roles.

Still, there are through lines across those endeavors: system thinking; digital savvy; a zeal for solving challenges and distilling the optimal path to business/organizational goals. I’m a diligent communicator, a team-engaged collaborator, a value-focused creator, and a vision enabler.

How can I plug into your vision?

Let's dive in! Open the triangles below to drill into my skill sets, each with a self-ascribed strength rating and further info.

DIGITAL

I began my career focused on digital channels, mostly websites but with some multimedia and animation work. I’m a quick study with anything technological and try to think architecturally about how my creations should be crafted for clarity, performance, and longevity.

Web

I built my first (hideous) portfolio site in 1995 and have been pushing the boundaries of what current web tech could do ever since. As a deeply-experienced front end designer/developer, I am highly adept at both crafting digital visions and building them.

Figma
CSS
AI Development
Webflow
Framer
WordPress

Animation & Video

While animation hasn’t been among my primary mediums during my career, it has played a strong secondary role for most of my career’s duration. I have always loved creating and refining movement in my work.

After Effects
Premiere
Lottie
GSAP
Templater

Interactive

I developed an early love for interactive design back in the Director days, when I created a few “projectors” before the Flash revolution took over (which was right around my internship with Macromedia). I have always thrived in environments where brand, layout, motion, and interactivity work in harmony.

Intuiface
HTML5

UI/UX

The humble rating here takes into account the massive surge in UX as a sub-industry over the past decade — in which I have only played an ancillary part — but I have been designing interfaces for all kinds of projects and applications since my 1996 summer job with Macromedia. I haven’t delved deeply into the “science end” of UX since its revolution, but I’m very strong with the “designy end” of the process.

BRAND

Strictly speaking, I’ve been developing brands since I was about eight years old — in the form of logos and advertisements for fictitious (sometimes scatological in nature) companies. Call it a result of our capitalist culture, but I have always loved the craft and creativity involved in matching and maximizing the energy of an organization with its brand materials.

Logo
Typography
Voice
Brand Guides/Systems

I got help with the ins and outs of pre-press from some terrific tutors early in my design career and have been loving print design ever since (it’s not dead, in case you were worried!).

Long Document Design & Production
Digital & Offset Pre-Press
Products, Imprints, & Screen Printing

CORE TOOLS

At the end of the day, a designer’s gotta know how to use the tools. Fear not, I got this on lock.

Figma
Illustrator
InDesign
Photoshop
Lightroom & Photography

ETC

Jack of all trades, master of... well, some. Photography, video editing, copywriting, illustration – if it involves creative production, I've probably done it.

Production

Sooner or later, a lot of XYZ has to get generated and distributed (the XYZ being any large number of assets, variables, or variations). Countless times in my career I have needed to evaluate these needs and develop efficient systems for their execution, I have a very strong command of the tools and methodologies needed for such cases.

Business Tools

PowerPoint/Slides/Keynote
Sheets/Excel

Project Management

I’ve been diligently (read: anal-retentively) refining the way I handle projects my entire career, leaning heavily into repeatable, flexible, sustainable systems to ensure that my energy goes into creative work, not organizational futzing. Additionally, I have significant experience with popular project management platforms such as Monday.com, Asana, and ClickUp.

Communication

I specialize in “threading the needle” of business communication—delivering clear, often complex information with professional empathy. Whether it’s “kind words” or “plain talk,” I focus on maintaining productive, transparent relationships with clients and teams alike.

Former Clients Include

Our Adidas client was really pleased with the look and content of the leader profiles. The COO said they were the best he has seen at Adidas.

KARIN KOLODZIEJSKI, PH.D.
METASKILLS

M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust 50th Anniversary

BRAND · DIGITAL · PRINT · MOTION GRAPHICS

A wide-ranging campaign for a monumental milestone

U of O School of Journalism Hall of Achievement

Brand · Digital · MOTION GRAPHICS

Leveling up a dynamic educational experience

Serenity Brand

Brand · Digital · Print · MOTION GRAPHICS

A vibrant presentation for a creative studio

UC Berkeley Safety App

Brand · Digital · Print

Crafting and promoting a critical system

Various Examples

Brand · Digital · Print · MOTION GRAPHICS

A range of pieces from other projects

Whit and team delivered a result that left our team stunned with excitement. A gorgeous, immersive, visual display incorporating touch and video in addition to imagery and text. Elegant doesn't do it justice.

COLBY READE, VP EXTERNAL AFFAIRS & STRATEGY
M.J. MURDOCK CHARITABLE TRUST