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Welcome to HALF MEASURE.
my name is ron totman.
I'm a DESIGNER, PHOTOGRAPHER AND CREATIVE hailing from salt lake city, utah. with over a decade of experience working in both the Arts & the music industry, my passion lies in helping artists and creatives CREATE BRIGHT NEW COLORS in an otherwise de-saturated world.
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ORIGINALLY from southern california, I moved to the breath-taking landscapes and desolate beauty of the desert at a young age, and since then have called utah my home. The natural grandeur and breathtaking colors of the red rocks & the snow capped mountains around my home have served as a massive inspiration in my approach to color, design, abstract & unorthodox approaches to aesthetics, and most importantly, the intangible & hard to describe emotion you feel behind art itself, whether it's music or a physical medium.
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half measure (stylized "hlf msr") has been my CODENAME for creative expression since 2021, when i formed a licensed business with the desire to create art and creative solutions for the bands & musicians that deeply inspired me growing up, and to further find my footing in the eclectic, fast-paced and unorthodox world of music.
Before founding half measure, I graduated from the university of utah with a bachelor's degree in music and made a living as a touring musician with canadian metalcore outfit "The parallel", & As a JUNIOR booking agent with artery global, now re-branded to dynamic talent international.
as a percussionist by trade, i actively taught high school level music & private percussion lessons at multiple high schools in the salt lake valley, including park city high school, payson high school, herriman high school, westlake high school, stansbury high school, & more, as well as a couple masterclasses at my alma mater, the university of utah.
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since forming four years ago, I have had the humbling experience of working alongside a wide array of talented artists & passionate businesses across the many genres of art & music.
My motto BECAME "ILLUMINATING ARTISTS" in Late 2024, AFTER A RANDOM EVENING STARING AT A BONFIRE FOR WHAT FELT LIKE HOURS - FOR WHATEVER UNPROMPTED REASON, THE METAPHORICAL LIGHT SWITCH CLICKED REGARDING HOW I WANTED TO IMPACT THE WORLD AND THOSE I COME INTO CONTACT WITH. FLAMES BURN BRIGHT IN THE DARKNESS, AND CAN BE BOTH DANGEROUS AND BEAUTIFUL AT THE SAME TIME. THEY CAN BE MULTIPLE VIBRANT COLORS, BUT DRAW THE ATTENTION OF ANYONE IN THE AREA. THEY ARE BOTH QUIET & LOUD AT THE SAME TIME. THEY ARE COMPLEX, BUT ALSO INCREDIBLY SIMPLE - THEY INSTILL SOMBERNESS AND REFLECTION. AND WHILE I ACKNOWLEDGE HOW CHEESY THAT SOUNDS, I BELIEVE THAT MY VIEW OF ART REFLECTS THAT SENTIMENT. THE TORCH BECAME MY LOGO FROM THEN ON.
The artist always comes first, and i strive to be a resource & friend to everyone who i do business with. MY PASSION IS FOR PEOPLE & ART, AND I CONSTANTLY STRIVE TO FIND AREAS TO HELP MY FELLOW CREATIVES IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.
i live by the mantra "Community over competition", as my friend Brian Morgante (Flesh & bone design) once told me. no one is too big or too small to work with. we're all on the same team here and we should all support each other. There's enough work to go around for everybody.
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In my free time, you can find me thrift shopping, drawing, taking photos, going for long walks through the city with a coffee in my hand, drumming, playing video games (i'm a massive geek, my personal favorite ip's include Nier/Drakengard, zelda, kingdom hearts, final fantasy, pokemon TO NAME A FEW). I also have a lot of personal passions for finance, aviation, oceanography & Fashion.
Whether you're an established act in the industry, a new act getting their footing, or you're just looking to work with someone as passionate as you are -
let's work together.
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EXPERIENCE
bachelor's degree in music from the university of utah, half a decade of touring experience, taught music & percussion masterclasses at the university of utah and multiple high schools in the salt lake valley. 5 years working as a freelance designer in multiple industry facets.
SKILLS & SERVICES
Merchandise design, print & layout design, Logo & wordmark design, marketing design, creative direction, branding consultation, admat design, PHOTOGRAPHY, project management, shopify builds/ re-skinS
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TESTIMONIALS
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“Ron is amazingly talented and his passion for his art radiates through his work. He is diligent and has an eye for detail and everything he has created, for my projects has been out of this world, and on top of that he is a one of a kind human being.”
—Dom Delfino, Nowhere Left
“HLF MSR has mile long rizz and dapped me up with sigma designs to keep us safe from the fanum tax”
—Luc Gaffwood, Calling All Captains
“Highly recommend, great art, great person, great communication!”
—Caleb Santagini, No Eye Has Seen
“Ron is one of the best at what he does.”
—Evan Middleton, Sink With Me
“Ron has taken my ideas and surpassed my expectations every time. I will continue to go back with any design inquiries because his dedication to innovation and excellence is never lost. Any chance I get to recommend Ron, I do.”
-Kaliopasi Vaitai, Langiola’s Son
“Ron HAS BEEN THE BEST & MOST RELIABLE GRAPHIC DESIGNER TO WORK WITH."
-FRANK PASCARELLA, VERTIGO CHILD