Jeff Coatney

Design • Communication • Creativity

Armed with an understanding of industrial mechanics as well as human anatomy, Jeff’s proficiency in design and drawing enables him to generate ideas and solutions quickly.   While these skills are essential for any designer, perhaps the most important asset Jeff possesses is a clear understanding of story. 

A lifelong student of myth and storytelling, Jeff is uniquely qualified in bringing clients’ products to life through concept art, storyboards, illustration, industrial design and the written word.

Jeff’s primary mission is to create imagery for clients based on their vision. His work has taken him all over the world from Europe to Asia, building relationships between clients and their audiences using high-impact, emotionally driven images. 

The method Jeff uses is modeled on proven product-development disciplines, and whether it’s generating bold new visuals for a film, re-imagining well established icons, or just pitching in to provide support for a pre-existing design team, identifying the client’s goal is always the first priority.

“Going in blind with a lot of assumptions is a recipe for failure,” Jeff explains.  “Great design talent is like an arrow--its useless unless its aimed at a target.  I strive to get to the heart of my client’s goal, then work to exceed their expectations with innovative imagery that I know will reach people emotionally.”

As Jeff says, “Ideally, I’m the guy you work with to determine what the audience will see, what will grab them, what will hit them emotionally.  I’m in the ‘sales’ business.  I help you ‘sell’ your story, your idea, your vision, your product.” 

Jeff is proficient in all media, but initially prefers the immediacy and efficiency of the sketch.  Regardless of what form the deliverable ultimately takes, the project always starts with the flexibility of pencil to paper.

Innovation is a principle that Jeff prizes and must be at the core of every decision, pushing the boundaries of what is possible, acceptable, and desirable.  In the highly competitive race for the audience’s attention, one cannot simply rely on precedent or imitation of the familiar.

For Jeff, the key to unlocking the secret of what draws the audience’s attention lies not in their eyes, but in their hearts.

“The average human being today is practically assaulted by an unending torrent of imagery.  Finding the right visual cues to capture the viewer’s imagination is a very difficult and elusive discipline.  It really begins with story.  The connection between the human eye and the human soul is one that is too often overlooked by many of my peers.  What touches the audience emotionally will ultimately prevail.”