About

Houser House Studios is your stop for professional graphics and video.  I cater each job to fit the needs of the client.  Quality, creativity, and hard work are the aim for everything I set my hand to.

Craig Houser - Owner/Designer

 

I have always loved art.  I think it started with my mom (florist, scrapbooker) and grandmom (painter).  From an early age I enjoyed hours of doodling and painting with them. In elementary school, my identical twin brother and I filled up boxes upon boxes with drawings.  Of course, most of them were army guys, Star Wars space scenes, and Indiana Jones adventures, but it was a blast and I couldn´t get enough of it.

The years progressed and so did the opportunities.  My first “real” project was designing my elementary school´s logo.  It was a drawing of a bee which would be used on an oversized button handed out to the students.  Though my mom has it tucked away for memories, it´s effect was anything but hidden in my life.  From then on I was open to using the gifts and talents God had given me in whatever way He lead.

In high school and immersed in my church youth group, I was blessed to help create some logos, t-shirts, Gospel tracks, and yes…videos!  It all started on a winter retreat where the older teens invited me to be an extra in their midnight movie escapade which aired the next night in cheers from the fellow attendees.  I was sold, I wanted to make videos.  Using the tools I had (a microphone and PowerPoint), I produced a cartoon of the leaders and teens for the next year’s retreat.  Though it took tons of hours, it seemed but minutes when it all came together in production.

Then college came.  Torn between what to major in at Cedarville University, I decided to go for degrees in both of my interests; youth ministry and graphic design.  Soon my favorite projects became the ones in which honored the Lord Jesus Christ and involved the creative juices.  While there I got to make two winning cartoon entries into the school´s Annual Halo Film Festival as well as produce weekly videos and graphics for when I served as the Student Government Association Chaplain to the student body.

After college, I was given the great experience of serving as the Assistant Youth Pastor at First Baptist Church of Perkasie under the tutelage of Pastor Chris Heller.  This helped shape so much of who I am today, and I appreciated the hand-on training I was given.  From there, I began putting into motion a plan to use art to help make a living.  My first stop was at the library.  I also studied online to learn how to organize and run a freelance graphic design business.  I consulted with videographers, photographers, church media specialists, and graphic designers to learn from their experience and see what works best.

Having reviewed my past and the various projects I’ve been a part of, I found my niche in a phrase called identity design/branding.  Unknown to me at the time, this big fancy title boils down to giving a company, group, or event its own “look”.  Usually it starts with a logo and then blossoms into a whole mess of things like print materials, stationary systems, clothing design, articles, video promos, packaging, etc.  I launched Houser House Studios on January 1st, 2011 specializing in graphics and video.

Since then, I was fortunate to be hired by QNB Bank as their Marketing Communications Specialist.  While still maintaining my side business, I now had the opportunity to work every day in the trade, growing and developing new skills.  The Bank provided a wealth of opportunities for every type of creative adventure they’d let me embark on.  I made print ads, shot videos, built websites, made costumes, wrote articles and press releases, coordinated events, designed premiums, made PowerPoint presentations, took countless photos, assisted fundraisers, crafted marketing campaigns, and many other exciting things.

I also continued my education to soak up as much understanding as possible–taking college classes in web design and marketing.  I sincerely love learning, so I dedicate a portion of each day for study.  You could also label me a “people person” since I thrive around others.  I invest a lot of time into people.  I help teach the 3rd & 4th grade boys, Jr. high guys, and young adults at my church because I know my relationship with God and others are the important things that will last beyond this life.

As of January of 2013, God has lead me to become a full-time missionary with Bucks and Montgomery Child Evangelism Fellowship!  After months of prayer, God has given me the passion and faith to minister to the people I love here in the greater Philadelphia area.  It is a very exciting adventure packed with teaching, witnessing, training, creating, and impacting.  You can read all about it here.

I maintain Houser House Studios on the side of my full-time misionary work.  There is much I am thankful for, and working creatively is certainly one of them.  I will continue in my commitment of doing everything to the best of my ability and enjoy it along the way.

 

EDUCATION:

Cedarville University (Graduated May 2008) Overall GPA: 3.94

• Bachelor of Arts in Youth Ministry

• Bachelor of Arts in Christian Education

• Minor in Graphic Design

 

SKILLS:

Graphic Design Skills: Marketing, Branding, Web Design, Photography, Writing, Studio Art

Video Skills: Directing, Editing, Script Writing, Storyboarding, Audio Recording/Editing, Video Lighting, DVD/Blu-ray/CD Packaging

Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, Encore, PowerPoint, Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio

 

EXPERIENCE:               

Graphic Design Experience: Print Advertisements, Billboards, Logos, Stationary Systems (Letterhead, Business Cards, Envelopes), Magazines, Web Design, Posters, Signage, Clothing Design, Menus, Calendars, Reports, Book Design, Bookmarks, Trading Cards, PowerPoint Design, Cartooning

Video Experience: Short Films, Weddings, Event Videos, Commercials, Documentaries, Cartoons

 

HONORS:                      

Graduated College with Highest Honors, Halo Film Festival Best Student Film, Halo Film Festival People´s Choice Award, Elliv Best Campus Video, Deans List, Academic and Leadership Scholarships, National Honor Society, Super Senior Award