The Pelican Painters refresh originated as an update of the company website. The owner, Scott, voiced his frustrations with the original lackluster site, as well as a desire to create more promotional items that could help attract business. 

During the design concept phase, I pitched the idea to redesign his existing logo to help build a cleaner brand identity. I explained how we could build a new logo and color palette that would be bold and eye-catching for prospective customers. He was hesitant to do a complete rebrand, but from our discussion felt comfortable letting me make adjustments to the existing design. 

I refreshed the logo by removing cluttered waves and dots, filled in negative space within the icons, and realigned the icons and text. The website redesign built on the existing black and orange color palette by adding in contrasting shades of blue and white to make his graphics pop. The client was incredibly happy with the sleek final logo and website, and decided to proceed with business cards and yard signs.

Pelican Painters was valuable experience into the revision process. The client was very vocal about his opinions on the designs, which resulted in several revisions and extensive collaboration. I was grateful for his honest feedback, as it allowed me to create a final product he was proud to use for his business.

A newly graduated hairstylist contacted me to help build her brand as she was starting to form her business. Starting with a blank slate, I worked with Hannah to select design aspects that fit her trendy brand, as well as a color palette that would be visually appealing for her followers. We settled on a checkerboard style that uses a fun, modern color palette of purple and neutral shades. 

I utilized these elements across her promotional items, carrying over the juxtaposition of soft colors and bold typeface into appointment reminder and loyalty cards. These products provided not only a functional purpose, but also served as an incentive for returning clients. 

Hannah’s new branding allowed her to stand out amongst her peers with a solid brand identity early on in her career. While it can be daunting to develop materials for an upcoming business, starting from scratch teaches you valuable lessons in collaboration to help the client find their identity. 

One of my favorite projects from my time at Sinclair was a fully conceptualized ad campaign for a fictitious exhibit at the Dayton Art Institute. I chose to feature Frank Llyod Wright, as I was inspired by his architectural style. His work often incorporates surrounding nature into his designs, and I decided to follow suit by utilizing an earthy, nature inspired color palette. I accented these shades with sharp, defined angles reminiscent of his work. 

The ad campaign focused on physical advertisements, such as printed mailers, billboards, and exhibit booklets. The mailers were sharp and striking, designed to grab recipients’ attention straight from their mailbox. Billboard ads showcased bold text seamlessly set in line with the angles in his architecture to catch the eye of any passerby. Exhibit booklets showcased images of his mid-century modern style with a color blocked, modern twist. 

This project highlights branding consistency throughout campaign materials. The stylistic choices made in every piece are carried out in each design. The result is a cohesive and captivating marketing suite perfect for attracting patrons to the exhibit.

TNTWCRAFT is a video game server run by local college students. I became involved as their designer when they reached out wanting a new brand identity. This client was outside of my usual wheelhouse, but I was eager to take on a new challenge. I began my process by researching their server to get a better idea of their image.

Their catalog of games was fun and creative, and they needed a brand to match. In my review, I took inspiration from the “TNT” in the server’s name and designed their main logo, a fist holding a stick of dynamite. The logo is clean and direct, designed with an iconic dynamite red. The logo is usable across all platforms at any size and still be readable. I also developed a friendly mascot, “Dyno-Mite”, for the server to use in its branding and advertisements. 

Over the years of our partnership, I have utilized the brand standards to create a myriad of icons for promotional use, including a merchandise campaign that has amassed over 100 sales and increased server attention by over 125 visits per month.

A local photographer reached out for help creating new business cards in preparation for her upcoming showcase. Previously she had only used online templates for her business materials and had never had experience working with a graphic designer. We discussed her vision for the product, and she emphasized how she wanted her new business cards to still feel “like herself”.

With this in mind, I drew inspiration from the urban landscapes shown in her work to build a cohesive brand. Her business card highlighted her most recent award winning image, complimented by a modern script typeface. In addition to her business cards, I suggested adding another branded item that she could pass out at her show for advertisement. We settled on a bookmark design that features close ups of the gritty, industrial textures found in her images. Lorna was pleased with the final designs, and the branded items brought new traffic to her social pages after her showcase. 

This project highlights the importance of drawing inspiration from any subject. Every client is unique, and the right design exists for them if you are able to understand their aesthetic and carve out a brand for them within their niche.

The capstone project for my associate’s degree was to create an identity system for a client of our choice. This project was the culmination of my design education. I started my mock design brief on the concept of a motorsport championship event in Dayton. The process began with moodboards and sketches to determine the artistic direction of the project. After finding inspiration for the materials, I proceeded with the logo, color palette, and typefaces. These elements are carried throughout the campaign. The resulting materials feature consistent design language over a wide variety of products, ranging from wayfinding iconography to business cards and vehicle wraps.

The in-depth level of design this project required was incredibly formative in my design education. It taught me immensely about dedication to seeing a design through from start to finish, despite the level of detail or revision required. I’ve carried these lessons throughout my future work, and it’s fueled the goals in my design career.