Hometown Pixel is a one man graphic design shop dedicated to kindness, craftsmanship, and delight.

Me, sitting cross-legged in an alleyway looking pensively at my laptop

Hey! I’m Sean O’Brien.

When I was younger I wanted to be many things, but most of all a LEGO designer. As I’ve grown older, that dream has changed (thanks, reality) but the “designer” part has stayed.

My interest in art began around third grade thanks to being shown a beautiful portfolio by a very talented commercial artist. However, that interest didn’t fully take off until a friend introduced me to computers, giving me an old Macintosh: a blue, candy-colored iMac G3. After that, graphic art eventually became a hobby that brought me tremendous amount of joy. (And Pixelmator tutorials gave me a taste of hard-fought design before I had the privilege to use Photoshop in college).

During high school, I became disillusioned and discouraged while thinking about future careers and toyed with the idea of becoming a respectable engineer. Upon entering college, knowing that engineering required copious amounts of math and realizing that everyone would be far safer if I didn’t design or make bridges, I attempted to combine my interest in art and computers by pursuing a bachelor’s in computing (emphasis in web development to be specific). While a dance with computer science was… entertaining, the precious opportunities I had to work in graphic design roles while a student cemented my love of all things visual design.

Today, I still cautiously call myself a design student, knowing that I still have so, so much to learn, but all the while relishing the opportunity to spend time pursuing work that I really, truly enjoy.

Hometown Pixel

Born and raised in the Midwest, I’ve been inspired by the honest hard work, enduring craftsmanship, and the humble, warm creativity that is often present in my culture. Hometown Pixel is my attempt at doing design work that is rooted and grounded in these values. It’s an attempt at making engaging things that bring joy, help people accomplish their goals, and maybe even make a difference.

Hometown Pixel is also my digital garden where I hope to grow not only as a designer, but also on a personal level. It’s a place to plant art, ideas, and projects. My hope is that the things that grow will also be a benefit to others.

Services offered

While I have some education in computer science (bachelor’s in web dev), my present focus, interest, and experience are in the graphic arts. I currently offer services in:

Get in touch

If you are looking for help with a design project and think that I may be a good fit, I’d love to hear from you. Or if you just want to say, “hey,” that’d be really fun too! Either way, let’s start a conversation.

More

Visit the blog for design inspiration and thoughts, garden for additional art and projects I’m growing, resources for people and learning materials I’ve found invaluable, and uses for tools that I currently use.

You can also check out my Official Designer Presence™ on Dribbble, occasional photos on Flickr, and conversations on Mastodon.