Pixels, Creativity & Lorem Ipsum
Why not infuse your next project with a bit of German efficiency and Australian serenity? Welcome to brizk design, the portfolio of German-born, Australian-based web design freelancer Kai Brach.
Work
Specialising in the design of functional, high-quality websites, I like the challenge of creating artwork within the confines of usability and the results-driven objectives of my clients.
As someone who has been actively engaged in this everchanging industry for the last ten years, I know that the right ingredients for a successful website are now more important than ever. I'm absolutely passionate about what I do for a living and I love to create superior designs for my clients.
My previous clients range from large enterprises to small startups and are spread across industries and continents. My skills include conceptualising a client's ideas, creating distinctive designs, and developing clean HTML/CSS templates. One of my strengths is consulting with my clients on usability and conversion improvements so I can then actualise those more practical elements in a compelling, artistic way on the web.
I'm regularly praised for being thorough, professional, approachable, and, of course, efficient (I'm German after all). So you can expect to receive my email response sooner rather than later.
Please note: I focus on design and template development and no longer produce entire websites including CMS implementation.
Blog
Latest - 4th of September 2010
Use words. 1
We people who make stuff seldom realise that our thirst for creating things can be quenched in many different ways. That's why designers become educators, become authors, become curators. When visuals don't do justice to ideas, we may use our linguistic repertoire.
Read onOlder
My web apps roundup 5
About 3.5 years ago I spent days trying to figure out a hardware failure causing my system to crash. All ....
Time to rethink this whole freelance thing? 9
Over the last few months several of the freelance designers I'm following on Twitter have turned their backs on being ....
A conversation with web design freelancer Lea Alcantara 7
Lea is one of those female web designers that keeps popping up on popular web design blogs and events and ....
About
As a professional freelancer with clients all over the globe, you might catch me working, playing, and mingling with other geeks in Melbourne, New York City, or Berlin.
Born in Germany in 1981, I started designing websites in Frontpage while still in high school and soon after found myself working for an internet company based in my hometown of Saarbrücken in the South-West of Germany. My passion for travelling led me to Asia and Australia in 2002, where I ended up studying courses in business management and graphic design. With a few longer breaks in Germany and a bit more travelling along the way I'm now enjoying my life in my favourite city: Melbourne.
My freelance career has been fantastic so far. I've had the privilege of working with well-known startup companies and talented people from around the world. One of the most crucial experiences in my professional life was a project at the Google headquarters in Silicon Valley when I met Google CEOs Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt.
I also consider myself a bit of an entrepreneur, developing and managing several websites myself, most of them related to travelling or freelancing and mostly in German (see Projects). If I'm not busy with personal and client projects, I spend lots of time following news in the fields of business, technology, web design, and all that other nerdy stuff. You may rest assured that if the next big thing is out there, I've heard of it.
In my time away from the screen I ride scooters (Vespas in particular), go for long runs, and drink good coffee. My travel bug is alive more than ever and I tend to book the next flight as soon as I get off a plane.
Projects
Pet projects are a good way to keep my creativity flowing and to allow me to try out different business ideas. In return, my clients benefit from this experience and from my constant interaction with users on my personal websites.
I'm open to trying out new endeavors and putting my ideas and skills into action. So if you are working on an interesting side project and need some design input, get in touch!
globalzoo.de
This is one of my biggest private projects so far. With more than 12.000 members, globalzoo has become one of Germany's most popular travel communities. Based on my concept and design, my colleague Daniel Fett and I developed globalzoo in August 2007. The site has been featured in several German magazines and newspapers and continues to attract the attention of investors.
ausmag.de
I came up with the idea of Ausmag while backpacking Australia. It's a website that sells travel magazines (only available in Australia) to people overseas. So far we have had more than 6.000 orders. In 2008/2009 I wrote and published two e-books on how to work and travel in Australia. I interviewed more than 25 backpackers about their experiences in Australia. Both e-books are available for purchase/download from the site.
gofreelance.org
Gofreelance is another mini-project of mine that I developed recently: a simple list of books and e-books on freelancing and running a solo business. The design has been featured in numerous, high-profile web design galleries.
appl.gr
This site is still in development. Once launched visitors can easily browse through hundreds of accessories for Apple products including MacBooks, iPhones, iPads, iPods etc. You can rate or comment on each item or save it in your favorites list. Launch: late 2010.
australien-blogger.de
Australien-Blogger is a (German) blog about my migration from Europe to Australia. It served as a personal diary at first, but has now grown into an extensive resource of helpful articles on travelling, studying in, and moving to Australia. Apart from myself, several guest bloggers publish in-depth articles on recent events in and about Australia.
Contact
I'm always interested in new projects, ideas and meeting like-minded people. So get in touch!
The easiest way to get in touch with me is by filling out the form on the right. You can also reach me on my mobile phone in Australia: 0438651477. German clients can leave a message on 06805 617338 and I will call back if necessary.
When calling please make sure you are aware of the local time in Melbourne. There is usually a waiting period for new projects of at least 4-6 weeks.
If you are after prices and rates for your project, please note that I don't give out hourly rates or random estimates. To provide a proper quote for your project, I will need to see a project brief that covers the extent of the design work necessary, including deadlines.
