About

About / Hello / Who

Blacktip is managed by me, Markus Norsted. I'm a mechanical engineer who got an HND (Higher National Diploma) in technical illustration whilst studying in Bournemouth, England. I ended up working as a combination of UX designer + visual design artist, + content creator – all depending on the project & task.

I've been employed by a wide variety of employers, including advertising agencies, web bureaus, design studios, and consultant agencies. In 2011, I went freelance, helping various clients with all sorts of UX and digital design work. In early 2018, I got employed as a design consultant and learned all about working directly inside and together with a client's own organization.

In 2021 I came to the conclusion that I needed to go back to be on my own again. So, I revived Blacktip. Back in black. Ready to steer onward into the unknown.

I try to stay at the top of the game most of the time, but – I have no problems saying, "I don't know," or "Others can do that better than I can." On the flip side, I do occasionally say, "Yes, I can do that. Better."

Btw, I'm the bearded person to the left in the photo. The other person is my son, one of my two children. I have a wife, too.

Download CV

What role does Blacktip prefer to have in a project?

I am primarily a visual designer who enjoys creating new visual concepts or working with existing visual identities. I also have knowledge of UX (user experience) and can work as a UX designer, creating wireframes, conducting user interviews, and more. However, given the choice, I prefer to collaborate with dedicated UX designers rather than taking on that role myself.

What can I expect from hiring Blacktip?

You could (and should) expect clear communication throughout the project phases, as well as on-time deliveries and – if the stars are aligned – some included extra sparkle on top. You also might hear a few anecdotes from 'how things were back in the mid-nineties'.

Do you code?

Nope. Never did. Never will.

Can you design & build a small website for me?

Of course, I'm comfortable working on simple informational websites with static content using WordPress and the Semplice add-on. However, for more complex projects like e-commerce sites or intranets for large organizations, I specialize in UX/UI design, but I don't handle other aspects of development.

What's up with all these 3D-renders?

Thanks for asking. It's just something I enjoy doing in my free time. I know I'll never be skilled enough to make a living by creating 3D renders, animations, etc., but learning new things is fun.

Do you name your layers?

Yes.

Moar nfo

Illustrations

Apart from the day to day work, shuffling flat squares and text into various GUI:s, I do love to make illustrations. Everything from trying to get better at 3D-modelling, to exploring vector bending in Figma. I don't use my airbrush, Rothring pens or paintbrushes any longer, but had fun with them back in the days too.

View illustrations

Here's a link

Audio production

Just as all other creatives out there, I also dabble with music from time to time. Sometimes it's an obscure Commodore 64-remix, but the occational self-composed material also reach the interwebs.

Should these examples tickle the interest to hear more, head over to this website, where I collect some of the results of various evening audio dabbling.

Contact

Phone: +46 735 166610
Email: markus@blacktip.se
LinkedIn / Twitter / Dribbble / Figma /

👋🏻 ttyl