Hello,
My name is David Hicka and I am a multimedia designer and programmer. This website is intended to be a showcase of my work. I'd like to briefly tell you a bit about myself.

After high school I decided to join the military and spent five years in the US Air Force. were I was fortunate enough to recieve training as a Visual Information Specialist. This is a military term for multimedia specialist.

I was sent to the Defense Information School (DINFOS) at Ft. Meade Maryland for my initial training. There I was taught fundamentals of both fine art and digital art. Click here to see a before and after of two self portraits I made during my training at DINFOS. After the fine art portion I was trained to use all the latest multimedia software, such as Premiere,Photoshop,Director,Illustrator, and Dreamweaver.

After completing DINFOS I was sent to Vandenberg Air Force Base in central California. I learned a great deal from the years that I spent there. I worked with some very talented individuals. One of the best things about the military was the diverse range of experience I was able to gain. I worked in a building called the 30th Communications Squadron. The section I was in had dozens of specialists working in graphics, photography,and videography.

Although I did get a diverse amount of experience in other fields, the majority of my time in the Air Force was spent producing interactive CD-ROMs and websites for the New Media section of the 30th Communication Squadron. During this time I was able to immerse myself in all the latest multimedia tools.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was also very fortunate to receive a good amount of other training while in the Air Force. I was sent to UCSB for Flash classes. After I learned the basics of Flash I was sent to the Lynda Weinman Digital Arts Center in Ojai California for intermediate and advanced Flash training. I then attended a Director/Lingo scripting workshop in Los Angeles, California. I also attended workshops in Dreamweaver and Fireworks through Macromedia authorized training programs. The Air Force then sent me back to the Defense Information School at Ft. Meade, Maryland. There I receive several months of advanced training in multimedia design and development. Due to all my training in Flash, I was able to work as a teaching aid for intermediate Flash classes at the University of California Santa Barbara, School of Digital Arts.

 

I worked very diligently during the five years I spent in the Air Force. I did everything I could to learn and produce as much as possible. I was also very lucky to have a great supervisor named Sgt Krafchak who spent a great deal of his time mentoring me. In 2001 I received USAF Communication and Visual Information 'Professional of the Year'. I also received an achievement medal for my work with a large Air Force event called Guardian Challenge

 

 

 

In 2003 I left the military and decided to try civilian life. Today I work as a graphic artist for a company called L-3 D.P. Associates Inc. . I am currently assigned to the V-22 contract among others. You can see an image of the V-22 aircraft to the right. I help produce interactive courseware that helps pilots fly and maintain this aircraft.

Working for DPA has been a great experience for me. DPA has helped take me to the next level in regards to my design, programming, and ovarall management skills. I have received certifications as a Flash MX 2004 designer and developer while with DPA, and I am the point of contact for the company regarding most Flash issues. While working with the company I have also been persuing a degree in computer science.

If you would like a more entertaining version of my early background you can watch this animation I made some time ago. Simply click on the image.