OPPORTUNITY

Classic literature can be hard to relate to and difficult to understand, especially for high school students.  What if we paired history’s greatest writers with today’s popular story tellers?

SOLUTION

The Thug Lit series combines classic novels with artwork from iconic rap albums that share similar themes, opening the door for meaningful discussion in the classroom.

Do you identify with the angst of Kanye’s album The College Dropout? Try J.D. Salinger’s cynicism on for size. Or maybe you’re into Jay Z’s stories of money, fame, and romance? Try F. Scott Fitzgerald ‘s glittering tales of jazz-age opulence.

SKILLS

 Art Direction, Branding, Copywriting, Prototype Production

(Illustrations by Naomi Nakazato)

OPPORTUNITY

Tofu can be such  a diva. Once opened, the highly absorbent protein must be stored in a sealed container, refrigerated , and immersed in fresh water that needs to be changed daily.

Must all tofu packaging be so difficult to work with?

SOLUTION

Buddy Tofu allows tofu junkies and newbies alike to incorporate the soy protein more conveniently into their everyday cooking routine! Each cube of tofu is sealed separately in a small pool of water, allowing tofu lovers to peel back the seal for one serving at a time. No more special storage rituals and water changes!

SKILLS

Branding, Illustration, Custom Lettering , Prototype Production

OPPORTUNITY

Collect inspiration imagery over the course of three months and design a book to showcase it.

SOLUTION

Lost at Sea is a handbound children’s book that tells the story of a traveler who falls asleep on a beached boat and is pulled out to sea by the tide. He awakens in the open water and must face sea monsters and storms which are brought to life for the reader with elaborate pop-up illustrations and 3D effects.

This children’s book went on to win a National Gold ADDY in 2013 (as well as a Local Gold and Regional Gold ADDY.)

SKILLS

· Layout Design, Book Binding, Pop-up Design, Copywriting

OPPORTUNITY

Create a microsite that will bring young people to their local Mini Cooper dealership for a test drive.

SOLUTION

Enter your city into the GPS on screen and get ready to take a virtual test drive through this neo-nior style city while steering the car with your phone. At the end of the ride, you’ll be given the address your local Mini dealer  and an invitation to drop by for a test drive in real life.

This microsite game went on to win a “Judges Choice: Digital” Regional ADDY Award and Gold Regional ADDY in 2014.

SKILLS

Marketing Strategy, Web Design, Game Design, Video Production

OPPORTUNITY

Create DVD covers for a set of documentaries about the four innovator’s of post modern graphic design.

SOLUTION

How do you define a group of designers that refuse to be defined? Dip your head in white acrylic paint and get to work.

This tongue-in-cheek box set for Plexifilm includes four documentaries of post-modern visionaries who broke all the rules. Each cover is illustrated specifically for each designer with plenty of inside jokes for all you design history buffs. The outside details everything you can do with a DVD (other than actually watching it) while the inside disk has a surprise image to help drive the point home.

SKILLS

Photoshoot Direction, Custom Lettering, Layout Design, Copywriting, Prototype Production

OPPORTUNITY

Create a publication that educates young designer on the ideas and design principles celebrated by the mid-century modernists.

SOLUTION

Function 7 magazine highlights the seven designers who embodied the mid-century modernist spirit. Designed in the style of 1950s modernism with period specific type pairings and colors,  the magazine gives a historical overview of the movement, introduces each designer, describes their career, and showcases iconic samples of their work.

I lead a group of three other stellar designers to concept, design, and produce this publication which went on to win a National Gold ADDY in 2014.

SKILLS

Art Direction, Type Setting, Layout Design, Copywriting

OPPORTUNITY

Redesign Outdoor Photographer magazine. Create a new type pairing system, masthead, layout, and overall visual system of organization.

SOLUTION

Outdoor Photographer magazine needed a serious face lift. The layouts were a mess and the overall design didn’t appeal to the target audience.

The process began with researching the magazine’s target market. As it turns out, the magazine’s biggest fan base is made up of 25-40 year-olds who hold a nine-to-five day job during the week but love to plan adventures and shoot photos on the weekend. They are mostly self-taught and enjoy sharing tips and tricks about shooting locations, the latest gear, and how to get the best shot.  In order the cater to these weekend explorers, everything was redesigned to channel a more rugged yet classic and adventurous aesthetic.

SKILLS

Layout Design, Type Pairing, Branding

OPPORTUNITY

Create a visual identity for a family-owned health food company based in San Diego, CA.

SOLUTION

Starting with long hours of research, I soon became a master in the language of raw, non-GMO health food culture. I scribbled mile-long lists of keywords and phrases to begin the naming process, finally settling on the name Vivachi, a hybrid of the two words “Viva” (life) and “Chi” (energy).

After the name came dozens of logo sketches, taglines, color palettes, and type palettes . The final product includes product mockups, a website, and even a full brand standards manual to guide the good folks of Vivachi in using their brand consistently, (you know, little things like don’t change the logo color and don’t put it on a busy background that renders is illegible).

SKILLS

Branding, Custom Lettering, Logo Design, Layout Design