Illustrator/Cartoonist/Writer/Designer (self employed) at
West Palm Beach, Florida Area
- Current
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- Freelance Editorial Cartoonist at Palm Beach Daily News
- Illustrator/Cartoonist/Writer/Designer (self employed) at David Willson, Design and Illustration
- Past
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- Editor in Chief at ValueRich Inc.
- Senior Art Director at American Media
- Creative Director at The International Association of Corporate Real Estate Executives (NACORE)
- Desk Editor at American Media
- President, Creative Director at David Willson's Artmasters Inc.
- Education
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- East Carolina University
- Recommended
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10 people have recommended David - Connections
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120
connections
- Industry
- Publishing
- Websites
David Willson’s Summary
I have had a widely varied career with many lead creative roles in advertising and publishing.
I primarily specialize in launching and redesigning magazines, corporate and brand marketing design, illustration, writing and cartooning. As a journalist, I am the freelance editorial cartoonist for the Palm Beach Daily News and I frequently write and illustrate for various publications.
I am always ready to take a new magazine or design project under my wing. I would also be very interested in the editorial cartoonist position with a metropolitan newspaper or for syndication.
Please feel free to call me at 561-644-4327 or e-mail me at DWllsn@gmail.com if you need creative services.
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David Willson’s Specialties:
• Launching and redesigning magazines
• Corporate and brand marketing and advertising design
• Creative direction
• Print design and production
• Concept design and strategic consultant for Web sites.
• Freelance journalist, illustrator and cartoonist
Please follow the link to my online portfolio (above) to see samples of my work.
I am an excellent public speaker.
David Willson’s Experience
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Freelance Editorial Cartoonist
Palm Beach Daily News
(Newspapers industry)
March 1992 — Present (17 years 9 months)
I have produced a weekly cartoon for he Sunday editorial page of the Palm Beach Daily News for over 17 years. These cartoons have a decidedly local focus. But then, the Palm Beaches have a knack for attracting world-wide attention and controversy, so it has been (and still is) a great gig. Follow my portfolio link from this profile to see many examples of my cartoons from the Palm Beach Daily News.
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Illustrator/Cartoonist/Writer/Designer (self employed)
David Willson, Design and Illustration
(Graphic Design industry)
August 1972 — Present (37 years 4 months)
No matter who I've worked for or what my day job might have been. I've always had projects for other clients on the side. I'm still doing it ... "it" being:
• Illustration for magazines, books and advertisements
• Cartoons; gag or political
• Writing articles for magazines
• Launching, redesigning and editing magazines
• Internet based strategic consulting and visual design
• Logo design, brand campaign creative direction
• Print and display advertising design -
Editor in Chief
ValueRich Inc.
(Public Company; 1-10 employees; IVA; Publishing industry)
September 2003 — January 2008 (4 years 5 months)
I launched ValueRich magazine under contract, producing the first two issues out of my studio and then eventually became the Editor in Chief of the quarterly magazine. I also helped the new company with all of its brand identity and marketing materials as well as providing corporate communications when needed.
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Senior Art Director
American Media
(Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Publishing industry)
February 2000 — July 2000 (6 months)
I was rehired by AMI to be the lead art director for several "true crime" titles acquired from the purchase of Globe Communications. The object was to redesign and reposition sleazy crime magazines for distribution through mass market channels to crime enthusiast readers. The distributors were very excited about what we developed, but the projects were eventually killed by the publisher for internal strategic reasons.
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Creative Director
The International Association of Corporate Real Estate Executives (NACORE)
(Non-Profit; 11-50 employees; Real Estate industry)
September 1993 — February 2000 (6 years 6 months)
I was Art Director of the Corporate Real Estate Executive, a monthly magazine about corporate strategic management. When I joined NACORE, I significantly redesigned the magazine and their other publications, bringing their computer graphics up to date in the process.
I was also Creative Director of all of the association's marketing outreach, such as their Web site; collateral and marketing materials, catalogs, brochures, advertisements and signage for their continuing education institute and national symposium events.
Duties included creative staff management, art direction, computer graphics, photo effects and illustration; planning, purchasing, pre-press and print management.
NACORE was merged into a competitor association in 2001. -
Desk Editor
American Media
(Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Publishing industry)
August 1991 — September 1993 (2 years 2 months)
I was a desk editor for a team that was assembled to launch new publications. We began by launching the weekly fan magazines Soap Opera Magazine and Country Weekly magazine.
Our team was also the beta testers of the prototype all-digital production concept, later implemented throughout all AMI owned operations.
Duties included Macintosh networked computing, design, illustration, layout, headline/caption writing, copy editing. Additionally, created the initial design concepts for prospective new publications on a project basis. -
President, Creative Director
David Willson's Artmasters Inc.
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Graphic Design industry)
June 1985 — August 1991 (6 years 3 months)
I was the founder, president and creative director of a full-service graphic design studio. Our clients included: Allied Signal Aerospace Bendix/King, First National Bank in Palm Beach, Servico Corporation, Med-X Corporation of Miami, The Burt Reynolds Jupiter Theatre and various advertising agencies and public relations firms from Miami to Orlando, Florida.
Also at this time I served as an artist in residence at the Palm Beach County School of the Arts, teaching drawing and painting to students in grades 7 - 9 and adjudicating entry portfolios.
David Willson’s Education
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East Carolina University
1969 — 1972
- Activities and Societies:
- Managing Editor of the East Carolina University student newspaper The Fountainhead
Vice President, Sigma Chi Delta social fraternity
Additional Information
David Willson’s Websites:
David Willson’s Honors:
• American Society of Business Press Editors, Excellence - Publication Redesign
• American Society of Association Executives
• Association Trends
• Florida Magazine Association, Charlie Awards
• Communication Concepts, APEX Award for Excellence
• Publishing & Production Executive and Printing Impressions, Gold Ink Awards
• Printing Industries of America, excellence in 4-color magazine
• Several South Florida Addy Awards
• Annual Excellence in Editorial Cartooning Award (3) Florida Press Club
David Willson’s Contact Settings
Interested In:
- career opportunities
- consulting offers
- new ventures
- job inquiries
- expertise requests
- reference requests
- getting back in touch
