Melissa Darling
I am a multidisciplinary creative who crafts delightful experiences for people and brands. Throughout my career, I've had the pleasure of working on diverse projects including SAAS product design, web design and development, 360° stadium motion graphics, broadcast design, digital and print marketing design, social media campaigns, and a children's book.
Recently, I've been designing, developing, and teaching STEAM classes for grades PK-12; with a special focus on hands-on art activities and art history associated with the respective STEM lessons.
- 15 + Years of Experience
- 14 Classes Taught
Web presence
Professional Skills
Adobe Photoshop
If I don't already know how to do a thing in Photoshop, it'll only take a minute to search for a tutorial and figure it out.
Adobe Illustrator
Just like Marvin Erikson once said, I know most stuff. Just like Photoshop, if I don't already know a thing in Illustrator, it'll only take a second to learn.
Adobe InDesign
I know enough about InDesign to know that there's a lot to know about InDesign. It reminds me of CSS, and that's a good thing!
Adobe Acrobat
So much more that a PDF viewer, I once designed and programmed a five-page custom contract in Acrobat. This program is POWERFUL. IYKYK.
HTML & CSS
My first HTML project was an Angelfire website and I started writing CSS so I could customize my MySpace page. Just for funsies, as nerds do.
WordPress
Sometimes I LOVE WordPress, WordPress doesn't always love me back. Despite this, I continue to shower my affections and get the job done.
Resume
Education
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
I received my BFA in Graphic Design from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. Core curriculum included Graphic Design, Typography, and Information Architecture. Senior year, I was invited to take a class At MassArt's graduate design program, The Dynamic Media Institute.
Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design
In my junior year at MassArt, I was awarded a full academic scholarship to study as an exchange student at The University of the Arts London. I chose to attend Central Saint Martins and am so glad that I did.
The University of British Columbia
I received this certificate through UBCx, an online learning initiative of The University of British Columbia.
Experience
Founder and Creative Director
Valkaria Creative is my one-person creative studio. Cient list includes: human-rights, social justice, and other non-profits; authors; solo entrepreneurs; startups; retail stores; restaurants; artists and actors; and more.
Senior Visual Designer
As a Senior Visual Designer at Ebates, I initiated and managed a significant change to the workflow of a weekly marketing project, whch resulted in a 50% labor savings across three departments. I Collaborated across departments to devlop and design multi-channel digital graphics for varying needs including web and mobile, arena motion graphics, and email. I worked on the global rebrand from Ebates to Rakuten, and I mentored and onboarded Junior Designers.
Visual Designer
Designed one-sheets, infographics, social media graphics, and assisted in the total website redesign, working directly under the VP of Marketing.
Visual Product Designer & Front-End Developer
As first designer (employee #11!) and only visual designer during my tenure at Indiegogo, I designed and wrote HTML/CSS markup for the crowdfunding platform itself as a member of the Product Team; I designed, developed, updated and maintained the WordPress blog and MailChimp newsletter in collaboration with the Marketing Team; I designed webinars and PowerPoint presentations for the CEO, Sales, and Customer Happiness teams; I created infographics featured in Forbes and other publications in collaboration with the PR team; and I fulfilled all other visual design needs company-wide.
Interactive Graphic Designer
In this freelance role at Apple HQ in Cupertino, California through the Traction agency, I designed the in-store iPad product information app now displayed alongside merchandise in Apple retail stores worldwide.
Testimonials
Melissa is a consummate professional with a keen eye for detail and a flexibility for whatever the task at hand may be. I have commissioned her for several projects and I'm always impressed by her quick response time, passion and insight, creativity and professionalism.
Phil Wilcox
Melissa’s passion for STEAM combined with her art background, attention to detail, and thoroughness in her preparation of these classes makes her a valuable asset in our co-op. Her patience, strategy, and ingenuity have been, and continue to be, a great inspiration to myself and other parents.
Braylon Burkhart
Melissa has an incredible ability to pull out the details of what needs to be in a final product, and create work that communicates a clear message. She is collaborative but also self-directed and works great with a team as well as independently; my work always improved when working alongside Melissa.
Sarah Chadzynski
Blog
Full STEAM Ahead!
In the fall of 2022, I began to develop and teach STEAM classes in a local PK-12 co-op. I never…
STEAM Kinetic Craft Series Class 1: Spinning Color Wheel
Students receive an introduction to color theory and kinetic art in this class that teaches primary, secondary, and tertiary colors;…
STEAM Kinetic Craft Series Class 2: 3D Solar System Mobile
Astronomy has always been one of my favorite sciences! I loved learning the names of the constellations and being able…