Hello | Derek Mohr: Professional Web Designer

Hello, I’m a full-time designer focused on web design and development, and based out of Grand Rapids, MI. I tend to refer to myself as a Front-end Designer, as I am fully versed in the front-end languages HTML/CSS, jQuery, PHP-based CMS’s — as well as modern[ist] design principles — but don’t write plugins or platforms from scratch.

I graduated with a four-year BFA degree in Graphic Communications from Northern Michigan University. Most of my classes were based in print, and focused heavily on the principles of modernism and typography. The Art & Design building was even modeled after The Bauhaus, if that tells you anything.

Any classes I had in web design were geared towards ActionScript and Flash, which I had (and continue to have) very little interest in. Most of my knowledge of web-based languages that don’t suck, came from my own interests and pursuits. Fortunately for me, this was right when things like the HTML5/CSS3 specs were coming out and jQuery began picking up major popularity.

So far, I’m completely versed in the latest front-end specs, browser compatibility [meaning, making things appear correctly on IE-anything], and mobile device compatibility. Or to be more specific:

Markup-related Languages: HTML, PHP, Handlebars, Twig, Mustache
Style-related Languages: CSS, Sass, LESS, Stylus
Scripting-related Languages: jQuery, javascript
As well as Git for version control and NPM, Bower, Yarn for package management

I spend most of my non-working time making sarcastic jokes to myself and twitter, and watching hockey. Craft beer and pointless TV shows are also a big chunk of my free time. Actually, this would probably just be easier as a list.