I recently worked on branding materials for Julio Fernandez, a Cuban-born/Hoboken-raised guitarist, composer and producer who’s fluent in multiple genres of music.
Creative process included: 1) image, music, and market research, 2) creation of mood boards, 3) the design of a logo, brand collateral, animation and social media banners.
Research/Mood boards. The research phase included listening to the artist’s music and surveying websites of his favorite contemporaries. For design and color inspiration, a combination of maps, vintage travel posters and jazz album covers were gathered and arranged on mood boards.
Logo Development. Several logos were explored to reflect the musician’s passionate playing style. The one selected functions as a monogram (composed of a “J” + a rotated “J” to form the “F” shape) that is reminiscent of a f-hole on a jazz guitar.
Application. The logo was applied to guitar picks, letterhead and business cards.
Social Media. Additionally, banners utilizing the new look and feel were created to promote a free summer concert under the stars and the following year, under the moonlight.
View Facebook Post 1
View Instagram Post A
View Instagram Post B
View Facebook Post 2
View Instagram Post C
Role: Concept + Design
Photography: Cover portrait by Annalee Van Kleeck; Blue night starry sky by Anton — stock.adobe.com; Moonlight above city by Sloan Schwartz
The U.S. midterm elections felt critical this year. Issues like the economy, climate crisis and reproductive rights were part of the political current. 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate were contested. To inspire voters to help turn the tide, I developed a non-partisan campaign.
Influence. During the 1950s, there was an irony of stability and turmoil in the United States which feels relevant today. For this reason, I chose to imbue the graphics with a mid-century flair. An optimism was reflected in the 50s playful patterns and saturated colors. Also, complex ideas were distilled into simple visual forms. There was a balance of clean lines, bold geometric shapes and white space.
Elements. In my design, I used rows of red, white and blue to create the patriotic waves. The repetition of top and bottom semi-circles helped to evoke an undulating movement similar to that of an ocean swell or waving flag.
Deliverables. The design elements were applied across a collection of assets.
View #whatsatstake animation
View #lastchance animation
Role: Concept + Design
Photography: Denim pocket: by Sloan Schwartz
T-shirt/model: by Alena Ozerova — stock.adobe.com
From January 2016 to June 2017, I worked as a graphic designer for BODUM®, a global housewares company. I collaborated with sales, marketing and retail managers to produce logos, advertisements, web banners, presentation material, store and event signage from design to delivery. Here’s a sampling of a few:
Cold Brew logo design. The directive was to create a logo with an American crafts feel and to highlight the popular “Cold Brew” process. I started with an existing product illustration and reduced it down to its simplest graphic form. The window of the product functioned as a staging area for the typography including the product name, brew time and coffee steps. The design was used as a window decal for BODUM® Café.
Below the chosen logo are alternate design proposals (“Ice Brew”, shaped like a vintage label, the circular option, “CB”, with crisscrossing straws reminiscent of hockey sticks and “Bean Ice”, in a simple coffee bean shaped configuration).
Hospitality brochure. This 64-page catalog focused on products for the hospitality market. It showcased coffee and tea makers, drinkware and table top collections, as well as outdoor and in room products. Slightly more luxurious in feel than the standard catalog, it was created in a 8" square format and printed on a quality, uncoated stock.
Placemat pattern. I was asked to design a geometric pattern for a silicone placemat which could fit inside one of BODUM®’s wooden serving trays. The chosen pattern (origami folds) and other proposed patterns (flutter, deconstructed pinwheels and honeycomb) are featured here.
Holiday pattern / Retail signage. For the 2016 holiday season, I was asked to create a pattern to apply to BODUM® products. The theme was “copper” to promote the BODUM® copper product line. I did an illustration of a BODUM® Barcelona spoon and repeated it in a circular pattern to create a snowflake. The snowflake was repeated and some were varied in size to create visual depth. The holiday pattern was applied to an array products (napkins, mugs, kitchen towel, apron, grill gloves) and was incorporated in ads, signage and web banners. This particular sign was created for Macy’s Herald Square.
Retail display. I proposed shelf headers with messaging for a Meijer retail display. The goal was to emphasize the customer’s ability to craft coffee in their own kitchen. The selected design uses a weathered wood background to give it a craft feel and features the iconic Chambord French Press. I used an existing pattern of BODUM® products for the backdrop. The colors were adjusted so the pattern would function more as a texture and would compliment the colors present in the shelf header art.
Trade show signage. I created the BODUM® signage for the IHA International Home + Housewares Show at McCormick Place in Chicago. It included exterior booth posters, interior walls featuring 3D type with room for product placement, layouts for the interior light boxes and hanging textile banners for booth interior.
Role: Graphic Design
Supervisor: Alain Grossenbacher
To break free from reliance on the computer and on computer-generated fonts, I set out to fashion my own alphabet from found objects. Initially, I experimented with natural materials including acorns, twigs, honeysuckle flowers and rocks.
Once a letterform was created with foxtails, I experienced that “aha” moment. Both thick and thin line weights could be achieved by combining the plush spikelets with thin stems. The foxtails were so pliable and varied in color which made it a viable and visually interesting material to work with.
Phase 1 of the project involved shaping then photographing each form. In Phase 2, the photographed forms were translated into simplified letters. My end goal was to showcase the letters on a product.
In Phase 3, a product idea, FOXY anti-aging serum, was conceived. I selected a 3D rendering of an onyx bottle housed in faux wood box (© godesignz) to represent the earthy scent and ingredients of the imagined product. Then, I created a large gold foxtail ‘F’ with foil texture background (by i_fleurs) and superimposed it with ancillary copy on the layout to evoke a luxe look and feel.
Role: Alphabet – Concept, Design, Photography
Illustration: Shiny gold foil texture background by i_fleurs – stock.adobe.com; 3D render illustration of Packaging © godesignz – stock.adobe.com
In Spring of 2015, I created the branding and a marketing-focused landing page for LiquidLab, a concept cold-pressed juice bar. The project was a part of a Visual Design intensive at General Assembly.
Health-minded, urban professionals (mostly female in their early thirties to mid-forties) were defined as the target audience. The design needed to reflect a high-end, boutique experience. The landing page featured a customizable section so juice recommendations could be tailored to the taste preferences and health goals of each customer.
The campaign included mood boards, logo explorations, low- and high-fidelity comps. Three directions were explored; each identified by a flavor (mint, ginger, honey). The chosen direction was designed to work across three different breakpoints.
Role: Visual Design
Instructor: Ivan Freaner / General Assembly
Project: LiquidLab
Cohen’s is an eyewear retailer that was established in New York City in 1927. It has 100+ locations in six eastern seaboard states including New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Florida, plus Puerto Rico and offers on-premise eye exams with board-certified optometrists.
At CFO, I worked both independently and collaboratively to solve creative challenges involving all aspects of promotional campaigns. Following are some examples:
Print Collateral. I was tasked with refining the look of the business cards starting with that of the Chief Marketing Officer. The palette of the existing card was simplified to black and white, with accents of gold, ruby red and emerald green. Photographic, patterned and typographic directions were explored. I kept the style in line with the newly refreshed website and thought about how the design could be applied across other marketing materials for members within the organization as well as its external franchisees. The typographic direction was selected for the final.
Digital Banners. Multiple size banners were designed/ produced for their Danbury, CT location. The banners were tested using both a male and female image. The ones utilizing the female image rendered a slightly higher click-through rate.
Store Stanchions/ Email Templates. A look, featuring a fashiony portrait, bold typography and warm, pink background, was utilized for a ‘Buy One, Get Two Free’ special offered in Boca Raton and Broward County stores for Spring. It was applied to store signage and email templates.
Proposed Store Windows. CFO was interested in creating a seasonal window display to highlight the brand’s personality, turn the heads of passersby and draw in more foot traffic. In this proposed direction, the tone was masculine and slick (Hugo Boss meets Ray Ban). The messaging, arranged in an eye chart configuration, would be applied onto the window exterior. This messaging could vary slightly from store locations (‘Be Cool’ featured here, ‘Be Hip’/’Be Bold’ were alt options). Tinted film would be applied to the interior side of the windows to mimic the film on sunglasses (teal featured here, also available in orange and yellow). Oversized photography, mounted on light-weight foam core, would be suspended from the ceiling with beaded, silver chains. Featured products would be displayed at the front of the store on simple, ebony shelving with spot lighting.
Role: Design
Art Director: Asya Blue
Copywriter: Mary DiMarco
In December of 2014, I did the branding for the Wertheimer Center for Functional Medicine. David Wertheimer is a Board Certified Cardiologist / Internist, FACC, FACP who uses a functional and integrative approach to find and treat the cause of disease rather than just its symptoms.
The campaign included development of a logo (both a stand alone mark and a mark with a type lockup), social media banners, business cards, letterhead, envelopes and proposed holiday card. Initially, the campaign was designed with changeable photography and color palette to represent the four seasons.
The logo incorporates a “W” for “Wertheimer” which is repeated to represent the doctor's 360 degree approach to diagnosis and treatment. These “W”s connect and form a star shape in the center. Stars represent light in darkness, navigation, wishes coming true, success and good health.
Alternate logos were also explored. One represented balance. The others were simple, typographic solutions.
Role: Design / Photography
Client: David Wertheimer / MD, FACC, FACP
I worked in collaboration with the Creative Director at Sundberg + Associates to produce an Absolut promotional piece: Absolut Photography. The piece featured a collection of photography shot by Helmut Newton, Herb Ritts and Lee Strickland. The outside holder was designed in a simple matchbook-like configuration. It was adorned with oversized letters. The letters formed sentences that described the enclosed collection. Each photographer’s work was showcased on its own mini-accordian folded brochure. The images were shot around the world. They captured the unique style of the photographer and glamorized the Absolut brand. The three brochures folded to fit neatly into the holder to make it a compact give-away piece.
Role: Design
Creative Director: Doug Banquer / Sundberg + Associates
Photography: Helmut Newton, Herb Ritts, Lee Strickland
Thumbnail Image: Helmut Newton
In August of 2015, I was tasked with the redesign of infographics for a client presentation deck. The client is a luxury PR firm that specializes in travel, hospitality and lifestyle sectors. The first proposed graphic was “Client Retention”. The cross section of a tree log was the inspiration. Trees are a metaphor for growth and longevity. The rings in the cross section of a tree represent age; each ring represents a year.
The second proposed graphic was the “Campaign Release”. A hexagon shape was used to illustrate the multiple facets involved in crafting a strategy. Three sections were highlighted to represent each phase of the release.
Alternate designs were explored for both. The original titles, numbers and color palette have been adjusted for web viewing.
Role: Design
Client: Luxury PR
In addition to assets for Bodum’s coffee products, deliverables for their tea line were also created.
Pure Tea logo design. The directive was to create a logo with an American crafts feel to echo the style of the “Cold Brew” logo. I started with an existing product illustration, reduced it down to its simplest graphic form and rounded some of its square edges. The window of the product functioned as a staging area for the typography including the product name, brew time and tea steps. The final design was used as a window decal for BODUM® Café.
Tea labels. I was tasked with the refresh of BODUM® 2016 Christmas tea labels: Orange Spice and Candied Almond. The graphics needed to stylistically fit in with the existing tea line (including Tropical, Morning, Savanne featured below). I wanted the new color palettes and illustration styles to be unique yet look good in combination. The two selected patterns were applied to the final packaging. Below the chosen patterns are the initial sketches. The top row is the almond tea designs: a pattern of almond blossoms (composed of almond shaped petals), almond blossoms with branches, almond blossoms with almonds, and lone almonds. The lower row is the orange tea designs: patterns of orange segments, orange slices, and rooibos needle-like leaves with dots to represent full oranges.
Magazine ad. This was one of three ad insertions in the 2017 June Edition of Fresh Cup Magazine. The ad showcased BODUM®’s double wall glasses and the headline highlighted a key benefit of the design. It also advertised BODUM®’s location at the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas to drive traffic to their booth.
Role: Graphic Design
Supervisor: Alain Grossenbacher
During 2020’s critical election season, I wrote letters to registered voters in key swing states to encourage them to vote. After the letters were mailed, I felt compelled to do more so I designed the following campaign.
Colors. The message was intended to be non-partisan, so purple was selected to represent the mix of ‘red’ and ‘blue’ parties. To pay homage to the 100 year anniversary of the women’s suffrage movement, its palette (purple, yellow and white) was also incorporated.
Elements. Bold, angular lines similar to those on police barricade tape were used to signal the ‘urgency’ of this election and emphasize the importance of voting. Elements of the American flag were leveraged to represent ‘patriotism’.
Logos. Two logos were developed for the campaign. The main logo consisted of two solid stripes and a row of delicate stars to form a capital ‘V’ for ‘Vote’. The secondary logo functioned as the call to action, spelling out the word ‘Vote’ in its entirety. The ‘O’ was swapped out with a single, large star.
Deliverables. To inspire civic participation, the design elements were applied across a collection of deliverables including postcards, bumper stickers, pins, posters and an animated banner.
View #projectvote animation
Role: Concept + Design
Postage Stamp: Voices of the Harlem Renaissance: Artist: Gary Kelley;
Art director: Greg Breeding
Photography: Denim, Lady Liberty/clouds: Sloan Schwartz; Escalator/poster case: © PrimeMockup – stock.adobe.com
Guitar: Julio Fernandez Music/Instagram Post
Social Imperium is a New York / Palm Beach-based integrated marketing communications firm. They recently changed their name to Partnered With Purpose to highlight their dedication to linking their clients to positive, social causes.
They tasked me with the redesign of their logo, print collateral, event t-shirt, social media and website banners. Following is an outline of the rebranding process:
Research. I first gathered and presented the logos, social media and website landing pages of their top aspirational competitors and compared these to components of their existing brand. The client and I reviewed both the visuals and tone of the messaging for each. Featured here is the competitive overview page from my initial presentation.
Mood Boards. Next, I created mood boards to depict the ideal look and feel for the brand. Color, type and photography were explored to determine what would resonate the most with the client. Featured is the chosen direction (mood board titled Circles).
Logo Development. The logo for Social Imperium was illustrative and resembled a coat of arms. The client wanted a more modern, approachable logo for Partnered With Purpose. I explored several directions to visually represent the new name including a target, interlocking letters, simplified puzzle pieces, a handwritten monogram and a graphic letter lock-up. Both positive and negative / black and white options were presented. The graphic letter lock-up was selected and color variations and logo formats were created.
Print Collateral. Business cards, envelopes, stationary with a second sheet and an editable business proposal template were designed with the approved logo.
Event T-shirt. A simple t-shirt was designed for PWP events. The message “Creating positive change one project at a time” was placed on the t-shirt front and a large PWP logo was placed on back. @PartneredWithPurpose appeared below the logo.
Social Media and Website Banners. Banners were created for the multiple social media channels. Featured here are ones for Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Photography was supplied for the first 12 Instagram squares with recommended content. The main banner for the website introduced the new company name and logo and indicated that the company services remain the same.
Photo Style. The PWP photo style was fresh, clean and modern. It reflected the company offerings (brand, business, + event management) and culture in a more conceptual way. Whenever possible, the client incorporated the brand colors in the photos.
Brand Voice. The PWP brand voice was confident, passionate, forward-thinking and approachable. The voice represented the collective team and is an extension of the bold, refreshed look and feel.
Brand Guidelines. Upon completion of the project, a concise set of guidelines was provided to ensure consistency across future deliverables.
Role: Design
Client: Jewel Clarke
Photography:
Proposal Template: Boat details_pg 1: Photo by Bobby Burch on Unsplash; Wave_pg 2: Photo by Nikldn on Unsplash; Aerial boat_pg 3: Photo by Mourad Saadi on Unsplash; Leap_pg 4: Photo by Oliver Sjostrom on Unsplash
City/T-Shirt Shot: © foxyburrow – stock.adobe.com
Social Media: Facebook: WE LIKE YOU TOO billboard: Photo by Adam Jang on Unsplash; LinkedIn: Tiles: Photo by Dmitri Popov on Unsplash; Twitter: Hummingbird: Photo by Nicman on Pixabay / Domenic Hoffmann
I worked with Green Zones Productions to develop the event branding for Earth Day San Francisco. “One Green Voice” was the event theme we developed. We worked with a local photographer to create a library of shots of San Francisco natives diverse in age, ethnicity and personality to represent the collective “green” voice. I designed the logo (both a stacked and single line version), banners for the main website and Facebook page, posters (in English, Spanish and Mandarin), handbills, ads and t-shirts. The design was inspired by the Russian Constructivist posters of the 1920s to 40s.
I also proposed two alternate directions – Shades of Green and Moving in the Green Direction.
Role: Art Direction / Design
EDSF Executive Producer: Douglas Kolberg / Green Zone Productions
Photography: Karen Doolittle
Translation: Jin Yang / Mandarin; Sandra Hanns / Spanish
Spending weeks watching media coverage of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict was heartbreaking. In response, I developed a campaign to demonstrate my support for the people of Ukraine.
Colors. The colors reflect the vibrant blue and yellow of their flag.
Elements. The main visual combines a simple heart shape with a warm message. Additionally, a map of Eastern Europe pinpoints this region of the world and a scratched texture evokes a war-torn feel.
Logos. The primary logo is a two-tone heart enclosed in a gray circle. Alternate logos include an inverse of the primary mark with a single-tone heart and a sunflower design composed of multiple hearts. The sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine and is a symbol of hope and resilience.
Deliverables. The design elements were applied across a collection of pins, posters and animated banners.
View #float animation
View #bloom animation
Role: Concept + Design
Photography: Globe and denim by Sloan Schwartz; Scratched texture by Jakkapan – stock.adobe.com; Poster holder by vitalliy – stock.adobe.com
In May of 2015, I worked with Eddy Out Productions to help them raise awareness and funds for the production of a documentary about the conservation of this globally important Amazon basin. I designed the project’s visuals including the campaign logo, proposed t-shirt design and infographic. Additionally, I offered input on strategy and content for their Indiegogo campaign and Facebook page.
Graphics. The campaign graphics were inspired by the bright colors and bold patterns of Peruvian textiles. In the infographic, the fundraising goals were represented by white water classifications. The higher the goal, the larger the wave size became. As each goal was attained, its corresponding ‘class’ wave was grayed out.
Results. The Indiegogo campaign reached its base goal of 3K in one month. The number of ‘likes’ on the Facebook page increased from 9 to 529 within a few weeks.
View Indiegogo Campaign
View Facebook Page
Company Logo. Next, I was tasked with the creation of a logo for Eddy Out Productions. The client has an ongoing passion for water which is a common theme in her work so wave imagery was an obvious choice. Dark and light shades of blue were used to help create depth. The company name was set in ‘American Typewriter’ to reinforce the storytelling aspect of her creative process.
Business Cards. Lastly, two cards were created. One to represent the client’s role behind the camera; the other, her role in front of the camera. The background color of each card adapted one of the hues from the ‘Eddy Out’ wave.
Role: Design
Founder/Director: Krista De Mille, Eddy Out Productions
Video Producer/Social Media Advisor: Robert Douthat
Copy Editor: Howard Miller
Photography: Rocky Contos (thumbnail image: landscape shot); Pedro Peña (Indiegogo page: rafting shot); Rocky Contos (FB banner: landscape shot); Pedro Peña (FB banner: rafting shot); Krista De Miller (FB banner: selfie); Jake Risch (FB banner: behind-the-scenes).
