Portfolio

Check out my Pacific Northwest-themed videogame blog, Silicon Sasquatch, at siliconsasquatch.com!

- Please see my most recent résumé here. -

The following is a sampling of my most outstanding writing, editing and design work. It includes content that was printed and/or published online by a variety of publications. Unless otherwise noted by any external Web sites linked to below, all content is copyright © Nicholas Cummings.

Writing and Editing:

Button Magazine – A brand-new Portland culture and arts magazine, built from scratch by a several former Flux colleagues. I’ve contributed regularly to the magazine since its inception. Once subsequent issues are published, I will include links to my contributions below.

Flux Magazine - An annual arts and culture magazine written, photographed, filmed, designed and edited by top-level students at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. I served as an associate editor from March through June of 2008, editing stories about conscientious war objectors in the armed forces, the future of advertising through harnessing the social networking hivemind, and the wisdom of bathroom wall poetry. I also wrote a couple short pieces on a Eugene-based old-time band and the Rock Band bar phenomenon. (.pdf)

Oregon Daily Emerald - In addition to working for a year as a designer at the Emerald (see below), I also contributed several video game reviews to the Pulse (arts, culture and entertainment) section. Oh, and there’s this really silly letter I wrote in response to an even sillier opinion piece decrying Guitar Hero and its destruction of musicianship. Whatever. I had fun writing it.

Cerise Magazine - A feminist perspective on video games and gaming culture. I’ve contributed a couple of pieces to it, including a short opinion piece and a game review.

Independent writing – From personal essays about my battle with a mouse infestation to journalistic features, fillers and reviews about music, video games and everything in between, it’s probably fair to say I’ve written some stuff about things!

  • The Best-laid Plans of House Mice – A personal essay about my battle against the most tenacious mouse in the history of forever.
  • Putting the Band Back Together – A feature story about the social and health benefits of playing Rock Band. Includes interviews with the game’s lead designer and a pretty fascinating comedian/public health professional.
  • Everybody Wii-main Calm… – A short filler piece about Nintendo’s latest everybody-proofing tactic: soft, cushiony sleeves for Wii Remotes.

Design:

Oregon Daily Emerald - The independent student newspaper at the University of Oregon, the Emerald has served the campus community for more than a century. I worked as a designer for the Emerald from September 2007 through April 2008. In addition to designing the news, sports and culture sections, I was also the primary designer of special supplements, including the holiday and moving guides as well as special features on Halloween and the ever-popular “Vice” supplement.

Web Design:

This site - It may not be much, but it’s mine! I’m hoping to continue to integrate more features in the future, but for now I’m playing around with graphics and tables. You know, trying to wrap my head around the easy stuff. Stay tuned!

Places and Faces - This is the first Web site I ever fully designed. As part of my online journalism class, I also chose to take the reins of the design process. Several painful months spent struggling with Javascript produced this result. I also wrote a short essay and shot some photos and video for my own story (see below).

  • Old-time gets a new voice – A short essay I wrote about the banjo player of Eugene’s Water Tower String Band, an authentic old-time band.