Mister Munn is the creative studio of Derek Munn.
Mister Munn is a branding and design studio specializing in type-centric solutions. Proudly operating out of Norfolk, Virginia, Mister Munn creates powerful visuals that are culturally relevant but push back against industry norms.
Capabilities include, but are not limited to: apparel design, branding, type design, illustration, lettering, user experience, and interface design.
About Derek Munn
Since beginning my career in 2006, typographic solutions always appealed to me because of their blurry line between text and image. As a result, I’ve used my passion for letterforms to help clients develop brands and systemic solutions for a variety of challenges.
My strong point of view led me to graduate from The School of Visual Arts with a Master of Fine Arts in Design. While in New York, I began pursuing lettering and type design in 2011 after taking a type design course with James Montalbano (of Terminal Design) at The School of Visual Arts. Later in 2013, I returned to New York City to attend Condensed CooperType to pursue type design.
My passion projects have led me on several entrepreneurial adventures. The first being RageHaus, an art and design studio that operated from 2007-2010. Then again in 2013, I co-founded Maple & Belmont, a branding and print studio centered around hand-lettering. I worked with the studio as a constant consultant and partner until 2019.
Mister Munn has always been present as a home for freelance work, but continues to grow in pushing typographic solutions and education.
Honors
Maple & Belmont Business Profile
Distinction Magazine, 2014
Certificate of Type Design
Cooper Union, 2013
Master of Fine Arts
The School of Visual Arts, 2012
Certificate of Typographic Excellence
Type Directors Club, 2011
Best in Category : Logos & Stationery
AIGA Richmond GRADE 5, 2008
Judge’s Choice
AIGA Richmond GRADE 5, 2008
Bachelors of Fine Arts
Old Dominion University, 2006
The Past Lives of Derek Munn
Mister Munn as Art Director
While at Red Chalk Studios, I was responsible for helping Red Chalk’s clients dive deep and and see through the clutter. I provided focus on the fundamentals while building brands from the ground up—strategy through execution—all the while being mindful of user/target audience experience with the developing brand.
Once a brand had been developed and/or repositioned, I maintained the relationship with the client hand help them solve any problems with exceptional creative solutions. I was entrusteded with a multitude of tasks ranging from brand collateral design, front-end development, and user experience design. Taking all forms and running the gamut of clientele, I independently conceptualized solutions for a wide range of design needs, and brought them to production with the help of Red Chalk’s Graphic Designer. These solutions included: campaigns, brand identities and systems, websites, and user experiences.
Mister Munn as Lecturer of the Arts
While at Old Dominion University, I taught 4 graphic design courses ranging from fundamentals through upper level courses covering design in space and design over time.
I would later return to teach as a adjunct assistant professor at night. I taught one course a week on the fundamentals of digital art. By introducing students to the Macintosh operating system and Adobe software suite, I taught a series of walk-through lessons reenforcing the basic elements of design.
While encouraging students in their original explorations as the class progresses, I discussed the legalities of image usage and appropriation, and guided students as they curated and published their first online portfolio.