Travis Root

Design work

Updated: 10-6-2024

Darwin

Animations for major clients like Harvard, DoorDash, and more. 2021 -> now

Steelcase

Animated ads for beautiful office furniture. 2021 -> now

Tulane University

Print materials for Tulane's Internal Medicine program.
2022

Adobe CCX Templates

Classroom material templates for Adobe.
2022

Microsoft Avanade

Animation components for Microsoft's IT subsidiary. 2022 -> now

One-Shots

Indie work for small clients.
2020 -> now

CHI PIX Card Deck

A Chicago-themed pixel art card deck.
2022 -> now

Sketches & Experiments

Illustrations and weirdo projects. 2016 -> now

Xtend, Inc.

Helping credit unions help people. 2019 -> 2021

Media Sandbox

Campaigning for creativity at MSU. 2017 -> 2018

Goldilocks

I designed & built a bass guitar. 2019 -> 2020

Spartans Vs Zombies

The craziest game on campus. 2015 -> 2017

Winterlite

You're using it right now. 2020 -> now

Client testimonials

“Travis's technical skills and creative talent are truly remarkable. It's delightful to work with him; he communicates effectively and he is always willing to go the extra mile. He welcomes feedback and revisions, ensuring that the final product meets our expectations. I highly recommend Travis to anyone looking for an outstanding animator.”

Mariana Ontiveros
Creative Operations Manager
Darwin AI

“Travis is amazing! Very knowledgeable, professional and quick. Every opportunity we have to work with him, we will.”

Ka’Lynde Smith, MBA
Sr. GME Administrator II
Tulane University

“Travis has been one of our favorite vendor partners to work with. Not only is he prompt with his responses, but he understands our vision. He is a great listener, and offers valuable feedback that helps elevate our brand. I can’t imagine working with another graphic designer.”

Megan Pieper
Vice President of Marketing & eCommerce
WestStar Credit Union

“Travis, you are incredible and it was such a pleasure to work with you. We look forward to doing business with you again in the very near future!”

Donna Darensbourg
GME Administrator II
Tulane University

Bio & resume

Hi, I'm Trav! I'm a full-time freelancer in Chicago. I have a B.A. with Honors in Creative Advertising and Design from Michigan State University.

I'm from Grand Rapids, MI. I attended Michigan State University from 2013 to 2017.

At MSU, I was a radio DJ/staff writer for Impact 89FM, a documentary editor, the head admin of Spartans Vs Zombies, and a regular participant in the Ludum Dare game design contest.

I spent a year in Nagoya, Japan after graduating, where I worked as an English teacher at ECC. I also made some friends and climbed a bunch of mountains. The language barrier really tested my ability to adapt and communicate, especially graphically (since I used a whiteboard all day).

A group photo of my Japanese language teachers in Nagoya.

A picture of Trav and Shogo with some adorable deer in Nara, Japan.

I moved back to Grand Rapids in 2019 and worked as the Creative Lead at Xtend, Inc. for two years, designing media for credit unions, creating marketing plans, and running interactive design seminars. I made this website during the pandemic.

I moved to Chicago in 2021 to begin my career as a freelancer.

Nowadays I contract with Darwin AI and other studios, and directly with other clients. Occasionally I do work for some wonderful local nonprofits, including the Chicago Architecture Center and Preservation Chicago.

Here's my full resume. Thanks for checking out my website!!

Articles

Embrace Constraints Before They Become Flaws

A look at inherent design limitations, and a simple method to manage them. Written for CUSO Magazine. Spring 2022

You Should Be Thinking Like A Designer

Anyone can work through problems like a designer, but too few do. Written for CUSO Magazine. Winter 2021

The Pitfalls of Polish

When it comes to marketing, how polished is too polished? Written for CUSO Magazine. Summer 2021

+ more articles

Contact information

Phone: (616) 419-9466

Email: travismroot@gmail.com

Social: Here's my LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Itch.io page.

Here's my full resume.