About
Hey, I’m Matt!
Rare Dimension is the studio/ one-man-show of yours truly- Matt Pahler.
I’m a freelance creative contractor with over a decade of design experience living in Portland, OR. I specialize in digital artwork & editing, WordPress based web design, and creative branding.
Over my career I have worked with clients big and small; from major entertainment companies and national nonprofits to local startups and restaurants just opening their doors.
I started my career in the sprawling Los Angeles entertainment industry working my way up from intern to full-fledged salaried creative with Embrace Digital’s LA agency before making my move to the Pacific Northwest in 2012. I decided to start Rare Dimension with the vision of having closer relationships with clients and taking on projects I’m passionate about.
My goal is to provide uncompromising quality to each client, create sites optimized to work across devices and platforms, consult to focus on the most important content and keep a consistent brand identity, and striving toward a better user experience.
Services
Let’s create together!
Web Design
I build sites that last, period. Using best-practices learned from years of trial and error, implementing new techniques and technology, and streamlining the building process: I’m your guy.
Branding
A unique identity is the core of any business endeavor. I make logos that communicate your story in a simple and effective way, and establish brand guidelines to help you stay cohesive over the long haul.
Artwork
Want to make a splash on social media with some eye-catching content? Creating your next big album? Let’s help elevate your message over the crowd with some sharp visuals that embody your message spot-on.
Custom Assets
Whether you need email templates for a big marketing blast, viral-worthy layouts to brand your business across social media, or a refresh on old assets to get your brand more consistent- I can deliver.
What skills do you have/ what programs do you use?
Design:
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Premiere
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Dimension
Web:
- WordPress
- Adobe Dreamweaver
- Genesis framework
- CSS, HTML, and a smattering of PHP and JS
Audio:
- Ableton 11
- Izotope RX
How much do you charge for a website?
Because of the nature of how customized each site is to each client, there’s no good way for me to put a flat price on a web build.
Site cost is most dependent upon content and functionality- meaning how many pages of content, the complexity of layouts, and the features you want from your site (eg: blogging, e-commerce, custom contact forms, etc).
Feel free to contact me for a free estimate, and include all of your site requirements in the email.
Why wordpress?
Since its inception in 2003, WordPress has grown into the most robust and adaptable Content Management System (CMS) available. Almost 60% of all CMS based websites use WordPress today, from corporations to small businesses. And the vast community of developers surrounding WordPress means features, benefits, and customizations previously only available through an agency are now well within reach; even for a one-man show like mine.
Using WordPress as a framework also means I can deliver robust and client-friendly sites because of WP’s easy backend. This allows me to handoff a site to a client or their team for content updates and self-management (if thats your cup of tea) while keeping brand guidelines easy for the end-user.
Do you offer monthly retainers?
Yes! As with any CMS software on the market, WordPress needs the occasional update, maintenance, and best security practices implemented in order to stay on top of any threats out there in the big WWW. Any site I build comes with a rock-solid code and security base from day one, but I also offer ongoing updates, maintenance, and backups on a monthly basis. A few perks:
- Monthly updates to all WordPress theme/ plugin files.
- 24/7 uptime monitoring: I’m notified the second your site is down for any reason, and sleuth it.
- All files/ database (SQL) backed up to local & cloud drives.
- Access to premiere developer plugins (licenses maintained by me).
- Reduced rates (25%) on additional hourly work.
- A pro creative consultant: fielding any/all site and design related questions!
Want to set up a maintenance retainer? Easy- send me an email.
How much will it cost to create ___?
The best way for me to put an estimate together is if you give me as detailed a description as possible of what you want the end product to be.
For example; if you need a new logo designed for your company, tell me what your vision for this logo is, and what it needs to communicate. Generally 3-5 examples of logos you enjoy, what colors match your brand identity, and who your general audience for the product or service is.
Any creative endeavor is a 2-way street, so the more input you have the better!
Shoot me an email on the contact page with the above to get started.
Will you trade design for a service or product?
Sorry, but no. As a full-time creative contractor, it would be unwise of me to accept anything besides US currency to keep my business (and life) afloat.