About

Mark Thoburn is a Virginia-based graphic designer specializing in logo design and illustration.

For the past decade Mark has owned and operated Thoburn Design and Illustration, a multidisciplinary design studio serving clients nationwide.

He grew up around Florida where he was selected among thousands of applicants to the Walt Disney Company’s career start program. While there he designed collateral material for the Walt Disney World Resorts. After accomplishing his goals with Disney, Mark began work in commercial printing in the art and prepress department. Here he oversaw the creation of printed files, output to film and plate processing for single to multicolor presses. This gave him the advanced skills required to create correct files, that not only looked good, but were also press-ready.

In 2002, Mark was approached by the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) to lead their art department within Communications. Here his love of non-profit work flourished as he was privileged to design and develop a variety of products for purpose. Leading the art department meant working on a variety of projects including large format displays for yearly conferences along with matching materials both print and online, sign design including billboards, all printed collateral including business cards, letterhead, internal communications, advertising materials, powerpoint presentations, online store and forum assets, digital communications including social media and email graphics, and more. He also put his illustrations skills to use in advertising, internal and external scientific studies, and cover design as well as interior illustrations for their bi-monthly publication, The Home School Court Report. He was also tasked with handling sensitive content and the overall image of the organization.

In 2010 Mark launched Thoburn Design and Illustration after building up a large network of clients through freelancing. Here his career accelerated while his “illustrative designs” were featured nationwide and won numerous awards. Mark has designed just about everything including minted coins and the official car for the NASCAR Toyota all-star champion Jason Bowles in 2012.

Mark currently works as the art director for a marketing and fundraising agency located in Northern Virginia, while maintaining his small business. Mark knows his way in and around every facet of design including both print and digital. While not behind the computer Mark enjoys time with his wife on their minifarm which includes 3 miniature donkeys, several chickens, a rabbit and a handful of cats.

Resume

The Richard Norman Company – Axiom Strategies

Art Director

• Create direct mail marketing and fundraising packages for non-profit organizations
• Create custom, eye-catching and engaging graphics and headlines used to entice readers to open and read direct mail packages with the goal of raising awareness and increasing donations
• Responsible for creating the aesthetic of the fundraising campaign and seeing it through the phases of production, edits and final execution
• Determine which artistic elements to use; articulate the vision to the team; review and approve copy, and determine how to best represent the creative director’s concept.

Thoburn Design & Illustration

Owner, Principal

• Successfully run and manage Thoburn Design & Illustrations. Designed product catalogs, commercial logos, corporate identities, brochures, flyer’s, forms, business cards T-shirts and more. For samples please see the homepage or click on “projects” above.

Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA)

Art Director

• Create all promotional materials intended to boost awareness of homeschooling and expand membership of organization
• Develop trade show displays, logo creation, annual reports, book design, audio CD’s and conference materials
• Implementing and designing advertising concepts decided on by committee
• Appointed to advertising committee which makes ad buying and placement decisions

Bayou Printing

Lead Graphic Artist

• Supervise art department
• Organization and distribution of incoming jobs, design, layout and preparation of printed materials for a variety of methods
• Manual imposition of files through a RIP to an imagesetter
• Processing and developing of film, stripping film and plate burning

Marconi Services Inc.

Lead Graphic Artist

• Responsible for design, layout and preparation of printed materials
• Computer based imposition of files through RIP to an imagesetter
• Processing and developing of film

Accent Signs

Design/Production Specialist

• Responsible for all sign design and production
• File and equipment organization and maintenance
• Outside sales representative

The Daily Commercial

Retail Account Executive

• Handled a multitude of local and national advertisers including scheduling and ad placement
• Designed and sold advertising space within a designated territory
• Oversaw completion of advertisements through production which included working with several advertising agencies and the in-house art department

Mount Dora Chamber of Commerce

Marketing Director

• Designed and published monthly newsletter and prepared all files for remote printing
• Organized membership drives along with multiple chamber functions
• Set up and maintained large member database

Quick Print

Customer Service/ Production Assistant

• Mechanical layout and pasteup of files and stripping of film
• Camera operation and plate preparation
• Bindery
• Outside sales
• Maintained financial records

The Walt Disney World Corporation

Guest Relations, Recreation coordinator, Freelance designer

• Participated on the opening crew of newest resort property
• Designed maps and fliers for the resort property that were delivered to the Resort Design department for finalization
• Guest satisfaction, handling luggage, room location and guest information
• Responsible for maintenance of superior theme park attractiveness and daily guest experiences

AWARDS & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

• Printing Industry of Virginia Award: Best in Print (10+ times)
• Four time American Advertising Federation, Addy Award winner
• Developed award-winning advertising campaign for Mom’s House
• Contributor to stock photo & illustration resource
• Featured in Dynamic Graphics Magazine
• Completed scholarship in advertising & marketing with a 4.0 GPA

EDUCATION

Mark received his education while on the job. His greatest compliment came from a recent graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree whom he hired. After a week of solid training, she commented, “I’ve learned more from you in one week, than I have in four years of college.”

• Northwest Florida State College
  2003, Fort Walton Beach, Florida
  Completed scholarship in advertising and marketing (4.0 GPA)
• Disney University
  1991-1996, Orlando, Florida
  Completed multiple courses under instructor, as well as self guided classes in computer

Links

• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram