About
Sparkwood and 21. This is the freelance name have chosen to work under. It comes from a very obscure reference from Twin Peaks. I work out of Amsterdam, but through the wonders of modern technology and power-assisted flying, am available everywhere. I have worked with people from all over the world and have continued to produce personal work. Recently, I have become interested in interaction design and portraying information in beautiful ways.
The way I work. It’s not about doing a job and moving on. It is about forming long-term relationships, building upon our strategy, and creating favourable results for both client and audience. I pride myself on quality and giving you the best service I can. I am always open to talking about design, creativity and how to help organisations in new and exciting ways. I don’t want to work for you, I want to work with you.
Hello. I’m Duncan.
I have always been a creative type, I put it down to having a massive blackboard on my wall when I was tiny where I could draw Star Wars battles. And however much I deny it, I really like computers. When I was 11 I sat down at my BBC Model B computer and wrote my very own Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy using text from the published books. I made it look like Ceefax, because that’s all computers could do at the time.
Roll on a few years and after a series of interesting, yet spiritually unfulfilling jobs, I decide to go back to university to study Design. Why? Because I wanted a trade, a set of skills that I could use to earn my keep, and it was something that would use my creativity, my brain and my hands. I love it so much that 4 years later I come out with a First Class (Hons) BSc. Creative Product Design (Oh, and I also get married and have a beautiful daughter).
After a series of events that I won’t bore you with, the wife gets a job in Amsterdam and we relocate to Haarlem in The Netherlands. It’s difficult finding work as I don’t speak the language and I have a small child (and now a dog) to look after. I research ways of making money from the skills I have. It’s obvious: Design.
My name is Duncan McKean and I am a Designer. Pleased to meet you.
Creative Tools
Adobe | Apple | Douwe Egberts | Faber-Castell | Google
last.fm | Microsoft | Moleskine | Nokia | Paypal | WordPress
The Studio Hound
This is the dog that hangs around the studio: Indiana. He is an English Shorthair Pointer. He helps me keep the sofa warm, and gather inspiration by allowing me to wander across fields with him.