Mike Uriss started his career before computers were developed. The benefit, in that pre-digital era, was in learning to do things, such as drawing, by hand. Mike's early education in Chicago included mostly figure drawing and clay modeling. A few years later, in San Diego, he was introduced to the Macintosh. Mike designed page layouts and trademarks, then edited photos and painted digitally. As artists waited for developers to turn these new-fangled personal computers into viable production tools, Mike gained useful work experience in the graphic design field with traditional drawing tools. As a design consultant, he instructed design professionals and computer enthusiasts. Over the years, Mike offered a wide range of services to a variety of companies. In a sort of Franklin-like way, he enjoys the responsibility of serving the community.
Commercially designed art, during the years prior to the advent of the personal computer, was hard fought and won by way of traditional tools such as a drawing board, T-square, triangles, templates, French curves, and Rapidograph technical drawing pens. The old tools are no longer used in many billable environments. But artists who learned to draw the old-fashioned way have a firmer understanding of aesthetics and design principles than those who have learned the trade only by way of computers. As an entry-level designer, Mike practiced a lot with drawing templates of all shapes and sizes. Now, having etched the nature of those forms in his mind ─ as well as on many stacks of paper and Mylar ─ it’s much easier to draw smooth, graceful curves in Adobe Illustrator, Freehand, or CorelDraw.
Mike Uriss received his early formal training in traditional painting, drawing, and sculpture, in Chicago, where he attended The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, The American Academy of Art, and The Chicago Academy of Art. In San Diego, he learned traditional graphic design and production skills by way of on-the-job-training. At the same time, Mike earned a certificate of achievement in computer graphics from Platt College. In Virginia, he studied at Piedmont Virginia Community College, The University of Virginia, and received a BA from Mary Baldwin College. Mike is currently looking into an MFA program, as he hopes to teach art.
Relying on twenty years of experience, Mike Uriss offers graphic design and illustration, in digital and traditional mediums for all forms of communication collateral. Mike's CV, in PDF form. is available for download.
Mike designs and delivers illustration, painting, drawing, page layout, trademark design, information graphics, and all other forms of visual communications for print as well as interactive applications. At the desktop level, Mike Uriss has rendered lots of little animations for use in online games. He is skilled at the expert level with most popular design and production graphics tools in Windows or Mac environments.
Mike offers art lessons, design consultation, and software training, both public and private, for artists of all ages. In central Virginia, he has provided instruction for the Tandem Friends School summer art program, CASBA Charlottesville Area School Business Alliance, The Curry School of Education Summer Enrichment Program, the ITC Department at the University of Virginia, and the Piedmont Virginia Community College Center for Training and Workforce Development. In San Diego, CA, Mike provided computer graphics training for Support Source and The Learning Annex.
Mike's clients are small companies as well as large corporations. His accounts-served list is included in his CV
Mike provides pro bono fine art and graphic design and conducts talks on the business of communication design. He has played music for seniors, a variety of NPOs, and church-goers alike.