With 15 years of industry experience and 4 years as a university instructor, and 2 years of consistent online tutoring. I'm here to guide you in becoming more proficient in any field of design through

Learn more about Adam

• Can you tell us about your first experience using a computer?

  Oddly enough, my first experience using a "computer" was playing our SuperNES on an old '96 compaq monitor. A few years later we got computers in my elementary school and we had typing lessons. I then started playing around with MS paint and various video games. I loved MS paint! I learned all sorts of techniques and even published a web comic in the early 2000's.

• What is the technological evolution that has marked you most and what will be, in your eyes, a turning point in this field?

  The Laptop. Specifically, the MacBook Pro. Mine has become an extension of myself in many ways. More than my phone or any other tool. I'm even quicker and more accurate with a teackpad than a mouse! With a powerful laptop in hand, there are few things that seem impossible. And I can do it all nearly anywhere, any time! As far as a turning point in laptop technology, I honestly feel like the Apple Vision is heading in the right direction. I don't think fully immersive VR goggles are as necessary as a passthrough AR. I think once we improve technology, and reduce down to only the Augmented Reality of spacial computing, without the blackout immersion, we'll be in the next era of personal computing.

• Explain your expertise, your interest in it and, more broadly, its importance in the computer world.

  This is a pretty big question. I began my career in design digital media, and UX in high school. I took every digital/art class available. We even did some web design. I then was a teaching assistant for the advanced class. I also joined the Yearbook Committee, and ended up designing the majority of its pages that year. I just fell in love with design in all forms. From t-shirts for fundraising, to digital ads, to poster painting, and websites. At the end of Highschool I actually had a scholarship for Directing in the Theatre department of UVU, but my long-time crush told me she wasn't interested in dating me because I didn't have a good career path, I began to re-evaluate. I ended up turning down the scholarship and wend to school for Design. One of the reasons I chose design over theater was my realization that "even if the economy and society completely collapsed, Farmer John would want to sell/trade more apples than Farmer Steve, and he would need advertising." My initial passion in design and marketing started with Advertising and the Film "Art & Copy". I truly believe that commercial art and design are not only a backbone of history, but an enormous part of life as we know it. Every single cerial box, juice carton, clothing tag, amazon package, website, and app were all designed by someone. Next time you go out in the world imagine any sign, banner, package, app or website as a blank white slate… There'd be a lot of white. Design and Marketing is how businesses communicate with the word at large, it's how they wear close and express their personalities. Without it we'd be lost when it comes to commerce, and the world would be rather dull.

• Do so-called 'visionaries', such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg inspire you or do you have other role models?

  I mean, to a degree. Steve Jobs definitely had a unique perspective and was a genius marketer, but I tend to look at more historical art and design figures as role models such as: Walter Gropius, Kandinsky, Cézanne, Mondrian, Caspar David Friedrich etc. I have great passion and respect for the modernists, especially Swiss Modernism. The concept of the layout grid, proportions, geometry and balance just sing to me. Most of what I do and love I owe to these predecessors.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  Oh boy, um, that's tough. I don't know if it counts as an anecdote, but I went to an art school that required designers to print, mount and cut their final designs for wall display. This was an arduous process and there was plenty of room for error. I cannot count how many times I rushed off to the university store to buy foam core bards, and spray mount, then sprinted over to the print center to use their over-sized printers and cutters. Mounted the design and trimmed it - only to choke at the last minute and cut the edge wrong, or trim a corner, or (heaven forbid) I drop the piece, denting the corner…then it was back to the store for foam board, and round and round till it was perfect. Ha, it was a ride for sure, but it was a great learning experience that gave me valuable skills that I still use today.

• What would you say to an uncomfortable person in front of a screen who says that "IT is too complicated"?

  I'd say, "take it step by step". Most things are complicated at first blush. Crochet, Baking to a recipe, Fixing a car, etc. But most people have some area they are proficient in that was once difficult. Fortunately a computer is a pretty clean, safe, and low-risk environment for making mistakes and learning how to improve. No banged fingers or messy kitchens. So just take things one step at a time, give yourself room to breathe and you'll get better one day at a time.

• What are your other passions, related or non-related to computers?

  Well, Currently I'm a part-owner of a local trading card/board game store here in the Vally. It's a lot of fun, we do Magic the Gathering, Pokemon, Lorcana, Starwars, board games, and Dungeons and Dragons. All of which are prolific hobbies of mine. Other than those, I play a good deal of video games, and I love working with my hands. I do leatherworking, carpentry, sculpture, and the occasional oil painting. I can be persuaded to play sports or go on a hike, but I'm more comfortable in my workshop laser cutting, 3d printing, or building something.

• What makes you a Superprof in IT?

  I've never really put art, design, and UX in the same basket at "IT", but I have always had a penchant for computers, and a 'magic touch' when it comes to fixing them. Everyone has that friend or relative who can just touch something and it starts working again. I've always been that person when it comes to computers. I have a strong understanding of them, and how they work. I'd consider myself a 'power user' when it comes to most technology, but especially in personal computing, art, design, UX, marketing etc.