YAJA illustration & graphic design
2017-2018 PORTFOLIO
Digital Art & Illustration Personal Illustrations - A Study of Creativity Category: Digital Art & Illustration Design Goal: My illustrations are a personal study of color, patterns, form, and creativity. Inspiration: To gain inspiration, I follow other artists and observe their artwork. At times, even good music can generate an idea for my artwork. Research: Normally, I research reference photos via Unsplash, StockSnap, or any other Creative Commons photography site to get a general idea of what I wish to illustrate.
Process: Once I’ve gathered a good amount of references, I then decide to do thumbnail sketches and explore wordlists. I also explore several color palettes. After finishing, I choose the sketch that I like best and begin to develop it in Adobe Illustrator. Distinctions: I have been told that I have a unique style from other artists during one of my Artist of the Month showcases back in January 2018. People felt that my work told stories, which is something I’ve never even thought of.
Examples of my thumbnail sketch process for most of my illustrations
Artist of the Month Showcase JWU BRIDGE Center, Providence, RI January 2018
Dekor Designs
Developing a professional Interior Design logo Category: Logo Design, Branding Design Goal: My client wished to have a professional logo that best represents the style of their interior design company. Dekor Designs was my very first experience of Freelance work. Inspiration: My inspiration came from the vast amount of research I did, either on Dekor Designs themselves or other Interior Design companies. Research: I investigated many different examples of Interior Design companies and studied how they created their logos. Process: I sketched several variations of the Dekor Designs logo, using furniture. the client’s initials, shapes, etc. I noticed that the logo worked best in a typographic format with a symbol. Target Audience: My target audience were both interior designers and people looking for interior design services. Dekor Designs is a start-up company that focuses on creating inviting homes. Distinctions: From the first few of my drafts, my client didn’t know which one they loved most. They were impressed with all the different logos I tried and had to pick the best one. I had met the client a year later, and they have told me that the logo I designed has been “taking them places”.
Raw Concept Sketches
All digital concepts for Dekor Designs logo based off sketches
Queen Bee Queen Bee Indie Gaming Studio
Queen Bee
Queen
Bee
Queen Bee
Queen
Bee
Indie Gaming Studio
Indie Gaming Studio
Indie Gaming Studio
Queen
Indie Gaming Studio
Bee Queen
Indie Gaming Studio
Category: Logo Design & Branding Design Goal: A fictitious professional logo needed to be designed for an upcoming game development studio located in New York known as “Queen Bee”. Business cards also had to be developed for branding. Research: As a fan of gaming, I knew to base the logo around other gaming companies, such as Nintendo, SEGA, Xbox, and PlayStation. I saw that most of them had a unique symbol to them. Process: During my process, I created several different thumbnail sketches, developed a wordlist about gaming, and then brought everything into Adobe Illustrator. Constraints/Limitations: There were a lot of time restraints regarding this project, as it had to be done within a week. I
Indie Gaming Studio
Bee
Indie Gaming Studio
devoted most of my time to designing the logo itself until it was time to develop the business cards. Target Audience: My target audience were gamers, game designers, game developers, and people who are generally interested in video games. Inspiration: My inspiration came from the vast amount of research I did on several mainstream and independent gaming studios. Distinctions: I had done several iterations of this logo before I finally reached the correct branding for Queen Bee. The number of sketches that I did ended up being an entire book on their own.
Queen Bee Business Card - Front & Back Queen Bee Gaming Studio Coffee Mug Mockup
Queen Bee Business Card - Mockup Examples
Queen Bee Gaming Concept - Nintendo Switch
Queen Bee Design Studio Mockup Sign stationed outside
Raw concept sketches for Small Point Cafe Re-Brand
Small Point Cafe Re-Brand Category: Web Design, Web Development, and Branding Design Goal: Local café “Small Point” needed a re-brand design in terms of their website. The website needed to be catered towards a better demographic and attract more customers. Ths was a class project dedicated to re-branding a website for proper UI & UX design. Inspiration: I got most of my inspiration from a competitor café known as Dave’s Coffee. Research: I did research on Small Point and visited the café in person to get my design idea. Along with that, I also looked at other cafes around Providence to understand their aesthetics. Process: I sketched the landing page for Small Point in divided it into sections (header. article, nav, etc.) to get a distinct layout for the website. I also sketched the food icons for the menu and created them digitally in Illustrator. Target Audience: My target audience were college students looking for a place to hang out or relax after class when they’re not in the mood for college food. Distinctions: The best feedback I got was the appreciation for the original illustrations on the site. I wanted to showcase actual food items on the website while also sticking to the “hipster” look & feel of Small Point.
Full Desktop View
exhale.
Therapy Website for Mental Health Category: Web Design, Web Development, and Branding Design Goal: Exhale is a website/blog built specifically towards those dealing with anxiety, stress, or other forms of mental health issues.This project focused on UI & UX design, along with well-written content. Research: I studied a well-known anxiety & stress therapy website known as 7Cups. They provided live sessions with professional therapists and psychologists for those with mental health issues. Process: I wrote an extensive wordlist for the blog idea, separating it into categories for the blog theme (food, travel, writing, etc.) and then I developed a wordlist for the actual title of the blog. Target Audience: People that suffer from mental disabilities or form those disabilities over time would come to a website like Exhale. Distinctions: Exhale. could have the potential to become an actual website when it comes to providing a safe place for those who can’t find help anywhere else.
Word List for blog concepts
New England Aquarium Brochure Family-Friendly Brochure for NE Aquarium Category: Editorial Design, Print Design, and Branding Design Goal: New England Aquarium is such a beautiful, fun, and inviting aquarium that I just had to create the perfect brochure for it. The New England Aquarium brochure design should be fun & stylish, just like the aquarium itself. Families will enjoy something with a beautiful array of colors, a unique fold. As part of the class project, the brochure had to not only have a unique layout but also a creative edge. Process: I first needed to know the proper shape for the brochure, not just for design purposes but to also figure out where to place content. The Die Cut Z-Fold was perfect, as it sort of represented a subtle shape of a fish tank. Target Audience: My primary target was mostly families and children, as that was the highest demographic of customers who visit NEA. Distinctions: The design was fun, unique, and definitely appropiate for all audiences. It would make a welcoming brochure to see as soon as you enter the aquarium. Sketches of full aqaurium brochure
Sketches of sea creatures and underwater life
Sketches of brochure idea with design goal
Sketches of brochure layout for proper printing
NEA Brochure - Photo 1 - Outer Side
NEA Brochure - Photo 2 - Inner Side NEA Brochure Digital Concept - Part 1 - Outer Side
NEA Brochure - Front & Back Photography
NEA Brochure Digital Concept - Part 2 - Inner Side
Canvas Ma ga z i ne Fictional Graphic Design Magazine Category: Editorial Design & Print Design Design Goal: Canvas Magazine is a fictional magazine for Graphic Design, Art, and Digital Media. Inspiration: I was mostly inspired by a design magazine known as Juxtapoz, which featured work from many artists and designers within their community. Research: I looked at examples of other magazine companies and viewed independent magazines through Issuu. Process: After looking up the magazines that I found most inspiring, I sketched out different page layouts to figure out where my written content would be placed. After finishing the layouts, I then created a wordlist to develop the title for the magazine. Target Audience: Artists, Designers, and other individuals interested in the visual arts
TITLE
CONTENTS
HEADER HEADER SUB HEADER
HEADER
SUB HEADER
HEADER SUB HEADER
Sketches for cover and inside spread layouts
HEADER Digital Concepts for cover and inside spreads via Adobe Illustrator
Full realistic mockups for Canvas Magazine; Previewing all inside spreads, back cover ad, and front cover
AVANT GARDE Typebook Studying the anatomy of Avant Garde Category: Editorial Design & Print Design Design Goal: My typebook centered around the study of the geometric typeface Avant Garde. Process: I researched other type specimen books that also focused on geometric typefaces such as Avenir, Helvetica, and Futura. Target Audience: Typographers and Graphic Designers Distinctions: I chose a typeface that everyone disliked, despite its popularity. In my opinion, I found Avant Garde to be a very attractive and stylish font.
Avant Garde typebook physical sketches and digital concepts
Full Avant Garde Type Specimen book - Realistic Mockups
Diamond Vocal Coaching Studio
Category: Logo Design & Branding Design Goal: Brooklyn vocal studio “Diamond� relied heavily on a professional (and stylish!) logo for their company. My client, Monique Lesley, wanted the logo to incorporate both a diamond and a microphone for a flashy feel. Research: I investigated various music companies and studied their logos. Process: I tried two different versions of this logo: one as a microphone with a diamond head, and another as a woman with headphones with the diamond as the logo. I explored taking one of my original illustrations and adding a microphone to it. Target Audience: Musicians, Vocal Coaches, people generally interested in music Distinctions: Ms. Lesley stated that her logo was perfect for the vocal coaching studio. She is now on her way to developing business cards and the Diamond Vocal Coaching website.
Diamond Vocal Coaching Sketches I
Diamond Vocal Coaching Sketches II
First Digital Concepts - Microphone w/ diamond head
Second Digital Concepts - Headphones w/ diamond symbol
Women wearing headphones w/ DVC title
Diamond Vocal Coaching Branding Concept Woman representing Diamond Vocal Coaching - For T-shirts/ Apparel
Official Diamond Vocal Coaching logo
Category: Branding Design Goal: The Power Project is a comprehensive branding campaign for a fictitious non-profit organization. My campaign’s goal was to help offer support and further development to those who having trouble identifying their sex/gender within the LGBTQ+ community. Competiton: The main competitors, although I would like to work alongside them, were the Trevor Project & the UN Freedom Campaign. Process: I developed the logo solely based on the official gay flag. I needed the word “POWER” to be represented in big, bold letters through a heavy typeface. Everything from t-shirts to business cards were developed once the logo was fianlly done. Target Audience: Young adults (18-24 years old) within the LGBTQ+ community, Adults who wish to offer support, Parents/Family members who wish to offer support
Bisexual
POWER POWER
Bisexual
PRIDE
PRIDE
Bisexual
BISEXUAL
PRIDE
POWER
PRIDE
PROJECT
PROJECT
POWER POWER
PROJECT
PROJECT
Pansexual
Pansexual
PRIDE
PRIDE
Pansexual
Pansexual
PRIDE
PRIDE
PROJECT
PROJECT
POWER POWER
PROJECT
PROJECT
POWER
POWER POWER #E31E26
PROJECT
#F68C1F
PROJECT
#FDEC06
PROJECT The Power in Knowledge #0D8140
Power Project logo digital process
#F68C1F
#FDEC06
PROJECT
T-shirt and bag apparel ideasdigital process - “Bisexual Pride” & “Pansexual” Pride examples
T-Shirt Mockups - Bisexual & Pansexual Pride
T-Shirt & Packaging Mockup
Power Project Snapbacks Front-Views Packaging Mockups 1 & 2 - Power Project Goodie Bag & Goodie Box