Hi, my name is Michelle Boutin, pronounced [boo•tan]

My design origin story is different from others. While my peers were drawing skulls, snakes, and skate deck graphics in their five-star notebooks and Moleskins, my debut start was on the yearbook committee in high school. While I could draw Bart Simpson and doodle well, I really enjoyed story telling through pictures and layout. Back then, paste-up mechanicals were on their way out and desktop publishing was on the rise teaching me the importance of strong design foundations like grids and dots per inch. 

Since then, I've dived headfirst into my career, crafting brand books, packaging, directing campaigns and photo shoots. I've been both the star player creating them and the coach leading a team of creatives. When I'm at the top of my game, I'm weaving a visual narrative through layout and design, creating something that people can engage with at their own pace, whether it's flipping through a physical lookbook or scrolling through digital stories. Throughout my more than two decades in the field, I've accumulated guiding principles to abide by. Some of these principles come from other sources, and some are what I’ve learned along the way:

Start With The End. Meaning, whatever I want people to say about me at my funeral—be that, everyday. 

Stay Curious. I was awarded an “always asks why” award in middle school. I took that as a good thing. 

Make It Relatable. Pretty is just that: pretty. Pretty things intertwined with meaning creates personal, relatable, and aspiring connections.

I Love To Laugh. But I Do Not Like My Laugh. I enjoy adding a small joke and lol’ing when the vibe is off. 

Control What I Can Control. I may not be in control of a decision, but I can control what I do next.

What I Am. What I Am Not. Discovering the origin story of someone or something fills me with excitement. Numbers might not elicit the same reaction.