My love for design is inspired by the infinite details in the vast array of beauty and creativity in the world around me. A life-long interest in fashion and interior design were doors through which I entered the graphic design program. While growing up in the Midwest much of my time was spent making books of colored-in clip art from our first desktop computer, crafting collages with cut-outs from my sister’s surf magazines, scrap-booking with my mom, and perfecting my self-portrait illustrations. In art I found a creative outlet I could thrive in at school, home, and with family and friends; it is the perfect way to share my passion for design.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 | DOUBLE BARREL 2 | IN HER HONOR 3 | PITCH 4 | GROWHOME 5 | MINI COOPER 6 | SHUCK OYSTER BAR 7 | COFFEE & TEA COLLECTIVE
Double Barrel Beer Co.
Project: Brewery Concept | Instructor: Min Choi Objective Double Barrel brand is influenced by the surf culture both Tijuana, Mexico and San Diego, California share. The design is as unique as their small batch craft beer. The targeted audience is beer enthusiasts between the ages of 20-40. With each purchase of the sand dipped bottle, a donation is made to the Surfrider Foundation to help protect and preserve our oceans. With a sand dipped texture no two bottles are the same. Solution Using matte black color on the bottle not only communicates surf art and craftsmanship but also prevents sunlight from altering the flavors of the beer. The vertical, thin labels tied with hemp string complement the tall, slender Grolsch-style swing cap bottle. I chose to use a bottle with a resealable cap encouraging the consumer to reuse and refill the bottle at the brewery. Like the surfers lining up outside the wake zone, a clean and open Unit Slab Pro coupled with the free spirited Pacific Northwest Letters are ready for the perfect wave.
| 0 6 | Chapter 1 |
Ball cap, t-shirt, wax-scraper bottle opener
| 09 | Chapter 1 |
In Her Honor
Project: Double-sided Poster | Instructor: Sean Bacon Objective In Her Honor is a non-profit company that raises awareness of domestic violence and works to support those who have been victimized. “Love Ain’t Enough� is a fundraising event which donates proceeds to In Her Honor. My intention is to show how someone can be hiding signs of domestic violence in what may appear to be a normal, happy home. Supporters, victims and activists who are fighting for this cause make up the target audience of this event. Solution The apron illustration I made represents the homemaker, with chains around the waist. The ball and chain signify the feelings of isolation and suffering the victim is experiencing. The polka dot pattern and canary yellow are used in the apron as symbols of hope, confidence and self worth. On the poster background I used purple for peace, honor and survival. The color for domestic violence awareness is purple.
| 14 | Chapter 2 |
Pitch Magazine
Project: Multipage Document | Instructor: Sean Bacon Objective As glamorous camping, known as glamping, is starting to trend, Pitch Magazine was created to stay on top of the latest glamping pioneers. It features light whimsical designs targeting a feminine audience from the ages of 25 to 37 who are DIY masters and outdoor decorators. Solution Framed by a delicate white space this magazine appeals to the sophisticated classy nature of the reader. Saturated jewel tones reflect those found in precious antiques that are used to elevate the camping experience. Josefin sans and slab come together in harmony like the rich patterns and lines of traditional tipis. I used a romantic, earthy palate of midnight stone and a muted pale gold hinting at the colors that cascade across the horizon at dusk in the vast wilderness.
| 18 | Chapter 3 |
Featured article spread, stack of covers
| 19 | Chapter 3 |
GrowHome
Project: Design DIY Kit | Instructor: Min Choi Objective GrowHome is an educational DIY kit created to share the ease and fun of growing your own vegetables. The kit provides locally sourced produce that can be freshly grown in your own home. It is primarily designed for the weekly farmers market consumer, most-likely female and between the ages of 33-55. Solution The kit packaging is a mason jar which is a widely reusable product that many moms and DIY-ers will enjoy. Inside are seeds, a growing guide and a branded farmers market bag for their next plastic-free shopping trip. The logo is handwritten and lino cut creating a stamp; a money saving method of branding the label and market bag. Sponsored by the local farmers market this kit encourages consumer awareness of the benefits of buying locally.
| 24 | Chapter 4 |
Mason jar growing kit, market bag
| 27 | Chapter 4 |
| 31 |
Chapter 5 |
Mini Cooper
Project: Website Redesign | Instructor: Paul Drohan Objective T his web page is a single page campaign site created to help potential customers find their Mini Cooper match. The target clientele would be individuals around the ages of 20-35 who are in the market for a unique car to reflect each individual style. Mini Cooper offers 10,000 ways to personalize your Mini. While exciting, it can be overwhelming to have so many options. The purpose of the site is to narrow those choices to a few interesting options and ultimately prompt clients to find and purchase their new car from the local Mini dealership. S olution Three playful Mini personas were created as possible matches for an inquiring client. Each has custom features that will excite and inspire the driver. After selecting a persona, the user is lead into a detailed section describing the vehicle’s features. The user then has the option to select that persona’s car as a match and can share it on social media or contact a local dealership to proceed with purchasing their dream car. Keeping close to the Mini brand I used lots of black in the background with yellow, blue or white for the copy and links.
| 41 | Chapter 6 |
Shuck Oyster Bar
Project: Restaurant Menu Design | Instructor: Sean Bacon Objective The inspirations for Shuck Oyster Bar came from the diverse seasonal selection of East and West Coast oysters. Their audience is made up of locals, tourists and foodies in Southern California. The friendly and causal atmosphere invites all walks of life. Shuck Oyster Bar is cozy with an ocean-front view, perfectly complementing the culturally influenced seaside cuisine. Solution I created a limited menu which focuses on oysters and specialty dishes. Oil board and watercolor paper give the menu texture inviting exploration. Neutral colors put emphasis on the calming nature of the mint green details. The logo has a heavily modified AR Christy giving it curvaceousness and flow. An illustrated amorphous oyster shell is situated in between the ascenders of the h and the k.
Oyster labels, menu, water pitcher, coater
| 45 | Chapter 7 |
| 49 | Chapter 8 |
Coffee & Tea Collective
Project: Website Redesign | Instructor: Paul Drohan Objective Coffee & Tea Collective is a small batch artisan coffee roaster and tea aficionado spot. With a location in East Village and one in North Park, they are dominating the craft coffee scene in San Diego. The minimal design speaks to their priority for a quality product. Since the focus is on passion for the perfect cup, they sell limited products. The purpose was to revamp their web page creating cohesion and unity, while informing the community of upcoming events. Solution Using a simple structure and limited color palate, the design reflects the stark style of Coffee & Tea Collective. Layering typography and photographs easily guides the user smoothly from the landing page to the e-commerce end destination. I also designed an experience page as an interactive way for the user to view each locations’ interior by tilt, a technique that is based on the individuals device orientation. The aesthetic of the website stays true to the existing C&TC brand across multiple devices.
Webpage in desktop, mobile application
| 52 | Chapter 8 |
SHUCK OYSTER BAR DOUBLE BARREL BEER CO. KOHOLA CULTURE AND ARTS CENTER GROWHOME KIT HOPARA GROUP TRAVEL AGENCY PITCH GLAMPING MAGAZINE
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Designer Emile Smith emilensmith@gmail.com Bindery Emile Smith Photographer Emile Smith Printer Canon Pixima Pro-100 Software Adobe CC 2015
Typefaces FreightSans Pro FreightMicro Pro FreightText Pro Paper Red River 45lb Zeppelin SemiGloss
Copyright Copyright 2016, Emile Smith. All rights reserved. Some of the photography and icons on teasers are for inspirations only. No portion of this book may be reproduced without written permission from Emile Smith.
A big thank you to my professor Sean Bacon for your motivation and guidance. Thank you to Andrea Singer, your kindness, fashion and teaching style have inspired and encouraged me so much throughout the entire program. Thank you for spending extra time with me work on my binding. I am very grateful to all the wonderful Graphic Design teachers at City College, I could not have finished my portfolio without your help. Thank you to Isaac Howe, for your patience and support when the struggle was very real. A special thank you to Michelle Iverson for being so sweet and providing me with both photography and bookbinding supplies when I needed them desperately. Thank you to all of my talented classmates for your feedback during critiques. To my wonderful sister who loaned me her Nikon for the entire semester. You are so awesome. And to both of my parents, thank you for always being there for me with open arms.