I am Steve Ollice, a graphic designer, illustrator, and photographer located in Raleigh, North Carolina. I am constantly expanding my horizons by experimenting with digital processes while photographing the landscapes and wildlife of this beautiful area.
For over 15 years, I have designed logos, websites, mailers, posters, and screen-print t-shirts for many great companies. Some of my clients included AKC Companion Animal Recovery, Ducks Unlimited, Comcast, Tommy Bahama, Fila, Champion, and Woolrich. I can help you with your company’s brand by creating identity materials, a useful website, magazine ads, and many other promotional items.
Currently, I hand code responsive HTML emails for the Institute of Business Value global team at IBM. I also have designed infographics, white papers, and animations for various teams at IBM for the last 10 years.
To see a detailed outline of my professional career, connect with me on LinkedIn.
My Process
When you contact me I will interview you to get a better understanding of your needs and goals. After we come to agreement on the terms of the project, I start your project by doing some research. If your company has branding needs, I may look into your competitors, your position in the marketplace, and how your current customers perceive your business. If you need an illustration, I will research the subject at hand, think of the concept from different angles and look for visual cues to help communicate the underlying concept. When I get an idea for a solution, I loosely sketch thumbnails in pencil. Sometimes I jump straight into a digital file, especially if certain elements are already concrete.
Even though I sometimes get it right the first time, most projects take some going back and forth. This is a natural part of the creative process. It’s this give and take, that polishes good ideas into great ideas! I truly love the challenge that solving visual problems present.
Please contact me to get started on your project today!
My Professional History
In the early 90’s, when I left East Carolina University and entered the real world, all I wanted to do was to be an artist working on computers. My first job was designing screen printed t-shirts for a small shop. It was a perfect way for me to use my illustration skills and develop a foundation of a strong production ethic.
I continued that career path by working with many large and small screen print shops. I started at the bottom as a production artist. The graveyard shift at Champion’s Mid-South Distribution Center taught me how to increase production and efficiency, even with an old stat camera! At Coming Attractions, digital output helped me bring those stat camera skills into the digital era. I was able to replicate an old analog spot separation technique into Photoshop. That technique really helped me concentrate on the art and give me the confidence to explore different design concepts. I worked with some great artists and their great art started rubbing off on me.
During the late nineties, I took my art to a new level. My designs became heavily concept driven. I would combine a visual pun with a catchy tag line. I developed techniques to make screen printing photos easier. Eventually, I was able to separate anything I could design.
NAFTA had a huge impact on the screen print industry. Most production went to Guatamala and over seas. The price points for wholesale production absolutely dropped. I watched as the company I worked for for 8 years dwindled from over a hundred employees down to a handful. In the early Y2K, I made the big jump from a loyal employee to an independent entrepreneur. I started my freelance business catering to multiple screen print brands.
I used to design for some great clients when I started my business. The prosperity lasted for a while, but the industry and economy evolved. I felt that I needed to expand my skill set to be more competitive. I branched out by designing for ad agencies and building web sites. I’ve taken assorted contracts and have embraced new techniques to network and establish myself in the design community. To see a time line of my career, check out my LinkedIn profile.
Now, my freelance business exists in my spare time. This economy has affected the design community immensely and I am grateful for the stable paycheck that a full time position provides. But, when a client approaches me for a project, I know they need my help. I love the diversity of the projects that freelancing presents.
My Personal Life
In my spare time, I’m hanging with my wife and kids. Soccer practice and ballet lessons used to consume our weekends, but these days, my kids are working jobs or borrowing the car. That has freed up time for more personal passions. I started making my own fishing lures out of wood, I travel around the east coast to the good fishing spots, and put together a YouTube fishing channel. I love designing bonsai, working on my yard, or in the fall, tailgating with old friends at ECU football games. My online social media philosophy is as follows; I keep up with old friends and hobbyists on Facebook, co-workers on LinkedIn, and embrace the design community on Behance and Dribbble. See you around!