WILLIAM F BRAZNELL is technical designer, production strategist, production manager, and hands-on production artist with twenty years experience in the San Francisco CPG design industry.

William's roots are in pre-press, including—as a lad—apprenticeship in the pre-digital methods that electronics now mimic (he knows how to cut a rubylith). His first job, on San Francisco's famed Ad Row, was hand-mixing inks corresponding to PANTONE swatches. It was as messy and fun as it sounds—and to this day, when overheard at a press check screaming, "Back off on the rubine!" one can be certain he knows whereof he speaks.

In 1990 his boss, Rudy Goméz, dropped a gleaming new Mac IIsi on his worktable behind a 400 square foot stat camera and said, "YOU figure it out." It was the beginning of something grand.

William has enjoyed senior staff positions at Anthem Worldwide and Voicebox Creative; the latter for whom he was sought out to build a production department from the ground up and then serve as its manager.

As a freelancer, he offers uncommon expertise in the Adobe Creative Suite, and claims training, writing, and knowledge share mini-seminars to be the most satisfying aspects of his career.

With a specialty in consumer packaged goods, he offers preeminent skill in file structure, FDA regulations, Photoshop, preemptive technique, and awareness of workflow standards typical of premium design studios. He has authoritative knowledge of Flexo, RotoGravure, and Litho print process. International press-check experience has taught him that much of a successful design job happens on the press, and he has nurtured the ability to bring a designer’s eye into the press-room. He also has developed the foresight required to protect designs from mishap on press before they actually get there—an asset formed from experience and attention.

When not working on screen at 4000 percent, he has nurtured a fascination for the big picture of CPG production art. He has developed methods for private label branding extension that became the backbone of high-profile rollouts for Safeway, Albertsons, Hudson Bay Company and others. He writes style guides, and gleefully rules as brand-policeman when given the slightest opportunity.

William lives in San Francisco with his wondrous terrier Stella, and is devoted to hiking in West Marin and the southern Califonia desert, opera, video games, and literary fiction. He works as an independent contractor and is available for projects of any size.

Contact him at 415.307.4412, or william@williambraznell.com.