Portfolio - Jacob Flores-Popčak, Spring 2023

Portfolio

Jacob Flores-Popcak MA, MA, LMHC

ABOUT THE ARTIST

My name is Jacob Flores-Popčak (he/him), and I am a concept illustrator and graphic designer within the themed entertainment space. I have been a freelance designer for five years, richly informed by my five years of simultaneous practice as a licensed psychotherapist. My love of design and desire to work within the themed entertainment industry drove me to pursue first a master’s degree in clinical psychology and then a second master’s degree in interdisciplinary design. I believed then that, to be the best designer I could be, I had to understand my audience on the deepest psychological level. My work since then has proven to me that I was correct.

Using my psychological and design experience, I’ve created work for everything from amusement parks and food trucks to social advocacy campaigns and children’s books (8 titles so far). My work has been recognized by the Walt Disney Company (D23 2015) and featured in galleries across the US, Mexico, and Ireland. I am well versed in both digital and traditional media and am just as comfortable free sketching at the beginning of a design process as I am rendering out a ready-for-print final artwork at the end of that process. I thrive in collaborative environments and with fast-paced turnarounds.

Concept Art, Pages 3-28

Graphic Design, Pages 29-40

Iustration,Pages 41-56

“(Jacob's art) completes our space and gives it a comfortable vibe. Jacob is a professional and a master at making guests say "wow!"

—Daniel Scott, Owner Energy Nightclub & Fishbowl at The Banks

“Jacob took the concepts about Kennywood Park’s Charitable Trust that I suggested and wove them into several intriguing designs. All re ected the work and spirit of the organization. I am impressed with his vision and abilities!”

—Matt Phillips, Sales and Marketing Coordinator Kennywood Park, Palace Entertainment

“...it is sometimes di cult to convey your branding goals to designers. Working with Jacob was completely di erent. He took the time to get me and the nuances of my brand.

—Paulette Still, Founder and CEO Lettie Toujours Design Atelier

“This amazing poster Jacob designed is clear proof that we can come together and be put on the same path to achieve a better world... ”

—Claudia Tello, Founder Escucha Mi Voz

“Jacob was immediately able to capture the emotion and energy of the text. Jacob is responsive and great to work with.”

—Beth

“Jacob captured the essence, the soul, the driving spirit of our mission and our purpose with his artwork. He comes highly recommended!”

McNamara, Associate Editor Word Among Us Press

—Alfred Belen, Founder Belen Aerospace Corporation

Dragonslayer Coaster

CONCEPT ART, IDENTITY PACKAGE

As a kid, I was obsessed with stories of knights and dragons, especially the 80s sword-and-sorcery films that depicted them so vividly. I’ve always wanted a ride that could capture that same thrill, and that desire served as the inspiration for this coaster.

Modeled after the steel-motorbike-meets-horse-riding concept seen in attractions like Pony Express at Knott’s Berry Farm and Steeplechase at Luna Park in Coney Island, this coaster casts riders as knights of old. Riding along on saddle-like seats and with innovative harnesses, riders would face off against a mighty dragon and simulate a joust by way of a sharp bank turn that has riders pass other ride vehicles coming and going.

The marquee design for this attraction tells a forensic story of a castle recently smashed by the dragon. In haste, the kingdom has erected tapestry signage atop jousting lances on their belltower in hopes of beckoning noble knights from near and far.

“End of the World“

CONCEPT ART

End of the World: An Antarctic Museum Adventure is a hypothetical immersive museum experience meant to educate and inspire families with the incredible story of Ernest Shackleton’s daring explorations of Antarctica. What could be depicted as a frigid story of survival is instead depicted as a colorful adventure, meant to inspire scientific curiosity in children even as it avoids the colonialism which tragically so often casts a shadow over the kinds of adventure stories traditionally aimed at kids (Antarctica has no native people).

Focusing particularly on the 1915 loss of the ship Endurance and the subsequent incredible survival and teamwork of her crew, the 1,960-square foot circular exhibit would have projected onto its floor a map of Antarctica. This would enable guests to mimic the planned route of the crew even as they make their way from one end of the exhibit to another. Dividing the exhibit in half would be an “ice” wall. This would serve as a place to present exhibits, shown in shadowboxes fabricated to look like the ship’s cargo crates. Most importantly, though, it would support a quarter-scale model (36 feet) of the Endurance vessel herself.

End of the World

Mood board Phase

“End of the World”

COLLATERAL DESIGN

Since most guests will be unfamiliar with Sir Ernest Shackleton or the Endurance adventure, the brand, title, and accompanying logo for the exhibit avoids direct mention of him. Instead, the branding focuses on the dramatic nature of Antarctic exploration itself, identifying the frozen continent - as many in Shackleton’s day didas “the end of the world.”

Touch screens would be placed within precariously stacked crates, allowing opportunities for further interactivity. Atop these stacks could be placed simple animatronics of various Antarctic animals. These would serve not only as weenies to guide guests through the space, but also as exciting visual tools to educate guests about Antarctica’s diverse ecosystem, as documented in the writings of Sir Ernest Shackleton himself.

Finally, the logo evokes the types of swooping text seen in much of early-1900s signage. It utilizes an adapted version of the font VictoriaCat (by Peter Wiegel, inspired by font Victoria) and Alegreya (designed by Juan Pablo Del Peral for Huerta Tipográfica).

Tiki-Na i

CONCEPT ART & INSTALLATION

Tiki-Natti was an art installation I designed for Fishbowl at the Banks, a tiki-themed bar and nightclub in Cincinnati's popular Banks area. I was hands on from project start to finish: conceiving the idea, rendering the concept art, pitching the client, and fabricating the final piece through sanding and painting by hand.

Fishbowl at the Banks was expanding - an incredible achievement when so many bars were going out of business during the Spring of 2021 - and I wanted to design something cool for them to celebrate and set them apart. I drafted some concept art featuring the skyline of Cincinnati rendered out as tiki-style faces, and I sent them to bar-owner Daniel Scott (DJ SAB). Although we had never met prior to my contacting him for this project, he loved it right away! The Cinci-skyline-meets-tiki concept was perfect for a tropical nightclub mere feet away from the Cincinnati Reds stadium.

Once I refined the design, I worked with 3D mixed-media artist David Falter to CAD and CNC carve the piece. Then came the process of sanding, staining, painting, aging, and decorating with sea glass and various shells, all of which I did by hand over the course two weeks with considerable help from my incredible wife Jessica.

Scott loved the final product, saying: “This large piece of custom tiki art completes our space and gives it a comfortable vibe. Jacob is a professional and a master at making guests say ‘wow!’”

Campfire : Theatre in the Road

CONCEPT ART

Campfire: Theatre in the Round began as a hypothetical solution to the lack of nighttime entertainment at a Midwestern amusement park inspired by the theme of the great outdoors. The question that inspired the project was this: if the campfire is where the community gathers at night, then how many more could gather if we made the fire larger?

This sentiment of inclusivity prompted the designing of a gigantic campfire-inspired theatre in the round, the preliminary rough sketches for which can be seen here. I began with the shape of the campfire itself, wondering if the action of the traditional “storyteller” could be relocated from beside the fire to within the fire itself. From there, a tree stump became an aesthetically well-matched basis for a stage, with “log” seats being adapted for an outdoor amphitheater-style space.

Since the focus was on expanding and extrapolating the “campfire community experience“ to all, great care was taken in researching the kinds of traditional folktales and dances which could be featured on the stage. Among these influences was my own father-in-law, a traditional New Mexican Navajo folk dancer (”Northern-Style Fancy Dancing”). Another idea which made its way into the process was to include characters from Indigenous and Immigrant-American folklore by way of large scale puppets that could be seen from afar.

Campfire: Theatre in the Round

Mood board Phase

Campfire : Theatre in the Road

OUTDOOR AMPHITHEATER

After a period of rough sketching and inspired by an aesthetic mood board depicting elements of the classic American camp-out experience, the structure of Campfire: Theatre in the Round began to take shape.

Although this initial sketch implies the presence of four total logs, the ten story structure would ultimately be designed to resemble the tripod formation of three aging sequoia logs, a gigantic albeit basic campfire. In fact, these fiberglass “logs” - each coming in at 26 feet in diameter - would be hollow, allowing for the various technical equipment and access passages necessary for a state-of-the-art outdoor theater space. Nestled between the logs would be a large, 50 yard diameter round stage, fabricated to resemble an ancient stump complete with tree rings. Surrounding this stage would be arena-style seating for up to 1,100, each with a view of the timed pyrotechnics released from the theater's apex. Talk about a weenie roast!

Campfire: Theatre in the Round Rough Sketch Phase

Campfire: Theatre in the Round

Final Concept Art

The Crabwalk at Decapod Dunes

CONCEPT ART

For a course on 3D modeling for concept art taught by Luc Steadman of Steadman Design Studio, I designed this hypothetical theme park land as an imagined 1920’s Boardwalk built by the crabs, birds, and other small animals that reside by the seaside. The architecture is all sandcastle-based, shrinking guests down to hermit crab size to enjoy restaurants run by crabby mobsters, acts by performing sandpipers, a sea turtle nursery and more.

The land’s architecture combines gigantic shells and sea grass with oversized trash, ostensibly left by the humans. A particular favorite element featured in the elevation below is the seahorse “caroushell”. And of course, the fully rendered sandcastle would be a welcome weenie to any summer-minded guest. I went as far as to design signage for the attraction to give a sense of the kinds of in-world advertisements and businesses patrons could look forward to.

Using a combination of Blender, TwinMotion, and Photoshop painting, I worked my way through the process of creating this full land. It was a great opportunity to cut my teeth on a different side of the design process and expand what I can offer my clients.

Shi ering Solstice at Old Westbury Gardens

CONCEPT ART

Working as a contractor under Lightswitch and FractaVisual, I rendered three pieces of concept art representing a gorgeous holiday event hosted by the historic Long Island park. Each image depicts a separate space in the garden: the West Pond, adorned with floating lanterns; the Lily Pond, with magically-glowing water lilies; and the central promenade, with a canopy of spectral lights.

E Easterspedition Buny

CONCEPT ART

Combining springtime aesthetics with Italian Renaissance architecture (and a dash of Hobbiton for good measure), I designed this classic dark ride to take guests down into the burrow of the Easter Bunny. I decided to style the Easter Bunny as one of the Renaissance masters, painting frescos on eggs and carving masterpieces out of chocolate. Riding in Easter eggs, the guests would help him out with “quality control” and become honorary Easter bunnies by the attraction’s end.

The marquee-style logo for the attraction was particularly fun to design, as I was able to incorporate the stone carvings of the architectural period with the natural elements of a rabbit’s burrow to create a mark which I think perfectly encapsulates the attraction’s themes.

Bircus Brewing Co.

CONCEPT ART

Bircus Brewing Company is the brainchild of former Ringling Bros. clown Paul Miller and Flemish youth circus Circusplaneet’s Coördinator, Matthias Vermael. A circus/beer hall hybrid, it provides work and entertainment to the under-served area of Ludlow Kentucky, even while serving as a home to performers from 28 countries –Antigua to Australia, Ghana to Germany, and Indonesia to Israel.

Inspired both by the incredible concept and the important work being done by the venue, I created a spec series of concept arts representing what I could create for them in order to plus the theming of the space. The first two illustrations were answers to "problems" in the space: the exposed equipment (air conditioners, wiring, etc) and the presence of a large utility closet. The first problem I answered with the introduction of affordable, vintage-looking light fixtures and a proposed elephant shaped fixture which could be carved and applied over the air conditioners. The second I answered by proposing a large circus wagon-inspired facade. This would successfully camouflage the utility closet while leaning into the circus-warehouse inspired space.

My favorite concept, though, was one I sketched out for their stage, which often features live bands who perform in accompaniment with the acrobats center floor. Although this stage is currently a collection of pallets, it could easily be plussed with a round frame and an elephant-shaped shelf for holding the beer barrels. This elephant would be fabricated to appear to be made from rusting metal, uniting it with the warehouse aesthetic.

Cave of Camazotz CONCEPT ART

I conceived this hypothetical haunt attraction in part as a way to challenge myself to render concept art in different historical art styles; in this case, 1800s-inspired pen and ink.

I’ve always appreciated haunted attractions that 1) imply a larger world/lore and 2) actually give the guest an active role instead of reducing them to victims or onlookers.

Therefore, the attraction itself casts the guest as part of a search party, out looking for a lost expedition led by famed explorer (and original character) “Dr Deathingstone”. It is made clear to guests that Deathingstone (a not-so-subtle parody of “Dr Livingstone”) was a greedy, colonizing and virtueless explorer. As they make their way through the jungle, it is forensically implied that his lust to find the legendary temple to the Mayan bat god of death, Camazotz, ultimately led to his and his crew’s transformation into gigantic bat-like vampiric creatures via a terrible curse. Guests are confronted by several of these creatures along their path, until they are finally brought face to face with the now-transformed Dr Deathingstone himself, within the ruined cave temple he had sought out to find.

Every piece of concept art designed for the attraction was rendered in this historical style, including the breakdowns of the monsters. The vast majority of these would be actors in costume, but the “final boss” of Dr Deathingstone is an animatronic, the sketch for which I based upon a BBH Exhibits concept I viewed at the Florida State Fair (I adapted it quite a bit for the purposes of this project).

Logo Samples

KENNYWOOD CARES

The longstanding amusement park’s iconic “Kennywood arrow” logo is turned in on itself, literally representing the action of giving back, as a heart-shaped balloon floats upwards, representing the hopes of the children.

(More on page 26)

COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AUDIO

For this crowd-funded, cross-genre music initiative, a logo was needed which would couple a record store look with the symbolism of the company: here, four hands representing the four pillars of a successful musical economy literally come together to form a vinyl record, representing music itself.

(More on page 31)

LETTIE TOUJOURS

A simple shape created using the letters ‘L’ and ‘T’ can stand clean on its own or be used to form a window for complex illustrative elements, representing both sides of this lifestyle brand client’s creative aesthetic.

(More on page 32)

CATHOLIC COUNSELORS

This geometric logo for a faith-based psychotherapy group draws upon both religious and natural symbolism, combing the hopeful theme of the rising sun with the spiritual theme of helping others “carry their crosses”.

(More on page 30)

Logo Samples Cont.

CAMPFIRE THEATRE IN THE ROUND

The logo and accompanying brand for Campfire: Theatre in the Round were designed with a rustic and hand-crafted feel in mind. Since the overarching theme of the theater itself is to connect people with one another, with their cultural roots, and with nature, it was vital that a kind of organic quality be immediately discernible in the brand.

(More on page 11)

END OF THE WORLD

The logo evokes the types of swooping, illustrative text seen in many of the signs and logos of the early 1900s. It’s icy quality brings to mind a brisk spirit of adventure.

(More on page 3)

CAVE OF CAMAZOTZ

Matching the hand-drawn-in-the-field aesthetics of the concept art, the logo for this haunt project features incredible detailed sketches of Mayan architecture amidst the hand-done lettering.

(More on page 19)

BELEN AEROSPACE

This clean, mid-century modern-inspired logo composites a stylized capitol B with a star and a leaf, representing both the infinite cosmos and clean energy.

(More on page 27)

BELEN AEROSPACE

The logo incorporates rich symbolism alongside the turn-of-the-century ghost sign design traditions of the organization’s post-industrial neighborhood setting.

(More on page 23)

Known by CounselingNameServices

BRANDING PACKAGE

One of my favorite logos I've ever designed was for Known by Name Counseling, a private counseling practice based in Wheeling, West Virginia. I was inspired by founder (and my good friend) Tyler Kilbane’s mission to honor the addicts he serves as a name rather than a number, and also his personal old-world-aesthetic.

Through the mind-mapping and mood-boarding process, I came upon the theme of the candle, which illuminates the dignity of all those in its light. This candle became the central game of the logo, hiding in the negative space the way human dignity is often hidden at first glance. I also liked, as an analogy for the counseling process, the idea of verdigris being cleaned and returned to its original copper. Finally, the typography itself was designed to mirror the counseling process, with what one is “KNOWN” for decreasing on the journey from left to right, even as one’s “NAME”/identity increases.

The final logo incorporates the mission on multiple levels while also drawing on the founder’s personal style and the turn-of-the-century ghost sign design traditions of the organization’s post-industrial neighborhood setting.

Other proposed logo options for Kennywood Cares included a letterform logo which played on a family motif and another based on Kennywood’s original mascot, Kenny the Kangaroo

Ke yw d Cares

RE-BRANDING

Kennywood Cares is Kennywood Park’s community outreach program, offering two initiatives aimed at entertaining and uplifting area underprivileged and or/disabled children. From the Kennywood website: “We strive to be a good neighbor and a good employer in various ways from Direct Ticket Donations (e.g., Tickets for Children's Charities program) and In-Kind Donations (e.g., Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank Donations and Trolley & Costumed Character Appearance) to playing a Supporting Role for Team Members and the Community.”

I was challenged with designing the logo for the organization’s rebranding. We developed several concepts, including one featuring their classic “Kenny the Kangaroo” character and another featuring an a parent/child motif with a capital letter K. In the final mark, though, the iconic “Kennywood arrow” logo is turned in on itself, literally representing the action of “giving back.” In the foreground, a heart-shaped balloon floats upwards, representing the rising hopes of the children that the logo - and the organization - represents.

Said Matt Phillips, Sales & Marketing Coordinator for Kennywood Park: “Jacob took the concepts about Kennywood Park’s Charitable Trust that I suggested and wove them into several intriguing designs. All reflected the work and spirit of the organization. I am impressed with his vision and abilities!”

Belen Aerospace

BRANDING PACKAGE

In 2021, Belen Aerospace was founded with the hopes of making new discoveries in the realm of space travel. Specifically, the organization seeks to find, cultivate, and promote breakthroughs in Internal Atmospheric Propulsion, a sustainable alternative to traditional chemical propulsion systems. To do this, Belen also hopes to inspire in the next generation a passionate interest in space exploration and its possibilities, driven not by fear but by hope. This inspirational and educational component is at the core of the Belen Aerospace brand.

The brand was based on a retro-futurist aesthetic, mirroring the brand’s hopeful mission. Anchoring the brand, the logo is made up of an uppercase letter B, the initial of Belen. However, this shape not-coincidentally references the rough shape of the Internal Atmospheric Propulsion system which Belen seeks to promote. The ecologically-savvy sustainability of this system is further symbolized in the leaf in the upper right hand corner of the shape. This leaf is made possible by the negative space left by a mid-century modern Star of Bethlehem. This references not only the name “Belen” (Spanish for “Bethlehem”) but the wonder and hope of looking towards the stars for inspiration. Furthermore, the star is made up of 4 asymptotes approaching but never reaching the x or y axis; in analytic geometry, an asymptote of a curve is a line such that the distance between the curve and the line approaches zero as one or both of the x or y coordinates tends to infinity. This represents the infinite possibilities still held in the cosmos.

Catholic Counselors

RE-BRANDING

As Catholic Counselors celebrated its 20th anniversary of providing thousands of hours of telephone-based psychotherapy to Christians around the globe, I knew it was time to take the brand in a dynamically different direction. Having watched the growth of the company from the inside (my dad founded the company when I was 6), and having begun working for Catholic Counselors as a licensed psychotherapist in 2018, this project was exceedingly important to me.

After significant contemplation, I developed a new logo combining two symbols that create one unified mark: the rising sun and the silhouettes of Jesus with Simon of Cyrene. The sun, depicted as cresting over the horizon, gives the impression of hope--no matter how dark the night may seem, the sun will always rise. The religious imagery, on the other hand, is inspired by the Fifth Station of the Cross (when Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry his cross) as depicted in the Chapel of Simon of Cyrene on the Via Dolorosa, a processional route in the Old City of Jerusalem. The presence of these figures represent not only the faith-filled orientation of the company, but also the manner by which they serve their clients: by helping them carry the crosses of life, one step at a time, towards the hope Christ offers.

The primary colors—gold and a deep teal—are inspired by the aforementioned sun themes and the colors of natural growth, botanicals and water. Similarly, the central pattern and associated illustrative details hint at the psychological as well as the religious.

Co unity Su orted Audio

BRANDING PACKAGE

I was challenged to create a mark for CSA (Community Supported Audio), a group seeking to connect listeners with the many genres of music within their specific city. The business was test piloting in Pittsburgh, and required branding that would reflect this but which could also be adapted for other markets.

Challenges included: creating a mark that could represent and be respected by musicians of many different genres, from classical to blues to rock and metal; creating a mark that would speak to the target audience, ie, middle class boomers with expendable income and discerning musical tastes; and creating a mark that could be recognizable no matter where one was in the country, but which nevertheless could be changed slightly depending on region.

Ultimately, one was designed which drew from the vinyl record motif and which incorporated two “handshakes” to represent both the coming together of a community and the four pillars of the musical economy. This mark inspired the rest of the branding and was recognized at AIGA Pittsburgh’s PGH365 Award Show.

Although the main logo for Lettie Toujours is clean and simple, the brand also includes three illustrative sub-marks. Each sub-logo represents one of the three tiers of the business.

Le ie Toujour

BRANDING PACKAGE

Lettie Toujours is a lifestyle brand featuring space and event designing services. However, the business originally grew out of the success of its founder’s floral shop, Posy PGH. As the company transitioned from strictly floral to broader lifestyle and design, a total rebranding was needed.

Drawing from a moody color palette of black, dark green, and eggplant, the final design was inspired by the hand carved block prints, rigid geometry, and swooping botanicals found in both the bohemian and Victorian design aesthetics sought after by the client. The main logo is a crisp and clean combination of a stylized “L” and “T” which creates a window at its center.

Three sub-marks were also designed, each of which used illustrative elements to break the window of the main logo in order to symbolize the company’s tendency to break with norms and expectations. These marks would allow for diverse applicationfrom business cards to window decals - while the main mark stands memorably on its own.

Suncoast Primate Santuary

MURAL

I was connected with the new ownership of SunCoast Primate Sanctuary, who have been working to refurbish the exhibits of several of their resident chimpanzees. They asked me to create a mural for one chimp in particular, named Bobby.

When designing anything, I always take into account the psychology of the intended audience. In this case, that meant learning more about Bobby! I did a lot of research into how chimps perceive and engage with color, and drew particular inspiration from a study by Wells, McDonald, and Ringland, as well as another study by Pene, Maramatzu and Matsuzawa. I also interviewed Bobby's caregivers, who helped me better understand Bobby's habits and preferences.

Ultimately, this research became a fruit-salad inspired mural favoring Bobby's favorite snacks as well as colors scientifically observed to stimulate chimpanzees. By using brighter colors in key places where Bobby tends to nap, I was also able to ensure maximum guest visibility without invading Bobby’s privacy.

B k Iustrations

CREATED BOOK

Likeable Art, 2017

I contributed two illustrations and an essay to this gorgeous coffee table book,

PENNY PENGUIN FINDS HER WAY HOME Independent (KDP), 2018

I illustrated this book to benefit local Pittsburgh children’s charities.

PAUL AND HIS FRIENDS

Paraclete Press, 2018

I reinvented various Biblical figures as anthropomorphic animals for this kids book.

GOD THE FATHER AND THE BEST DAY EVER

OSV Press, 2020

Taking a bohemian, non-traditional approach, I illustrated this story about God making creation.

THE LOVE OF NESSA AND KELET Independent (KDP), 2018

I contributed two fantasy-style maps to this self-published book by author GM Dantes.

UNWORRIED

OSV Press, 2018

I contributed 13 “Rorschach test”-inspired illustrations to this self-help text.

PARENTING WITH GRACE, 3rd Edition

OSV Press, 2021

I designed 13-stained glass-inspired illustrations to this parenting guide.

YES, THERE IS A GOD Word Among Us Press, 2017

I created over 25 doodles for this “Diary of a

D23 Design Chaenge

ILLUSTRATION

To mark the 60th birthday of the Disneyland Resort, D23 - the official fan club of the Walt Disney Company - launched a major art competition. Artists from all over the country were encouraged to submit inventive re-designs of the Disneyland Resort's iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle.

I created a large-scale, hand-painted acrylic illustration. It anthropomorphized and mechanized the castle into a kind of friendly giant. This was symbolic of the gigantic Walt Disney Company itself. The giant was also pictured handing a balloon to a small child. This represented the ways in which the massive company works to make individual and personal dreams come true on a daily basis.

I was awarded the status of finalist/runner-up in the landmark Disney competition. My artwork was subsequently featured at the D23 Design Expo Challenge in Anaheim, CA.

Eschucha Mi Voz

ILLUSTRATION

Escucha Mi Voz is a group which promotes art through competition and education in order to raise awareness about major issues of human rights. The theme of their 2016 competition, “We Are All Migrants,” worked to promote an understanding of the migrant experience. My winning artwork was featured in a number of galleries in Mexico, Ireland and the US. It was also reprinted as post cards which were sent to politicians in both the US and Mexico.

My design, which is a combination of acrylic paint and digital manipulation, features a bindle (commonly referred to in English as a "hobo sack"), an internationally recognizable symbol for those who are forced to live "on the move". The bindle resembles the Earth, representing the competition's theme: that, at some point in history, we have all been migrants; that the migrant experience and the human experience are one in the same.

American Icon ILLUSTRATION

Every year the Sausalito Art Festival’s American Icon Art Competition asks artists throughout the world to submit their interpretation of iconic American imagery. For the 2018 theme ‘Americans at Work,’ I paid homage to the original icons of the American workers: the legendary figures told about in stories by the workers themselves.

The final art piece is actually a combination of four 11x17 prints, each of which can be organized in any order. The pieces feature: Paul Bunyan, who felled the northern forests with his ax; John Henry, who worked the railroads and ultimately gave his life for the rights of his fellow workers; Molly Pitcher, who defied the sexist expectations of the American Revolution to take her place on the cannon line; and Johnny Appleseed, whose work paved the way for farmers for ages to come.

Each figure is seen using their respective labors to form a version of the American flag, and this motif is continued and expanded upon when the pieces are combined into a single unit.

The River Giver

ILLUSTRATION AND WRAP

Each year, the Regional Storm Water Collaborative of South West Ohio and Northern Kentucky partners with the Cincinnati Zoo to raise money and awareness for the care of watersheds in the Ohio River Valley. In 2020, I contributed a custom-designed rain barrel to support this project.

For the design, I conceived the character of “The River Giver” as a kind of folksy, Midwestern answer to the Loch Ness Monster. The spirit of the river itself, she frolics among the creatures that depend upon her. And whenever we take care of our waters, we take care of her.

The design was completed using digital illustration and applied to the barrel with a vinyl wrap.

Angelus Magazine

EDITORIAL/COVER ILLUSTRATION

I have always enjoyed my relationship with Angelus, a prestigious regional magazine published in Los Angeles, California with a readership of 175,000 people each week. Their creative direction under senior editor Pablo Kay has consistently invited very creative covers, thereby solidifying a relationship between myself and the sign team that has yielded several rewarding collaborations to date.

So far, I’ve illustrated nearly a dozen covers for the print and digital editions of the magazine. Two of these have won First Place for Best Illustration with Graphic Design or Art at the Catholic Press Association (CPA) Awards in 2019 and 2021 respectively. Through my work with Angelus, I’ve recurrently been able to explore different artistic styles, from homaging Thomas Nast for their election special issue to riffing on classic travel posters with their issue on the history of the California Missions.

Ekernay Yours

VEHICLE WRAP

In my previous job as a graphic and exhibit designer for Xhibit Solutions, I designed vehicle wraps, trade show exhibits, and large scale signage for brand around the world. Most of these designs were quite corporate and often for engineering companies, but a few of them were fun enough to design that they’ve earned a place in my portfolio.

One of the many vehicles I designed as part of my work with Xhibit Solutions, this full vehicle wrap for the Ekernally Yours Popcorn Company provided more challenges than the relatively simple design might otherwise indicate: no branding identity existed for the company prior to my receiving the truck for design, save for the logo. Therefore, I was tasked with creating a vehicle that would simultaneously show off a new design, while nevertheless appearing visually similar to what had already been established on the company’s other media (web, etc.)

Ultimately, I chose to fully illustrate the entire trailer, rather than rely upon photo imagery. This allowed for a bright and slightly vintage feel that would nevertheless be attractive to the company’s primary audience: kids.

Wombat Security

TRADE SHOW EXHIBIT

This trade show booth for the Wombat Security company is a great example of the kinds of exhibits I’ve designed for the trade show world. Built around a comic book theme, the Wombat Security booth makes grand use of its 20’ x 20’ space on the exhibit show floor. In part, this choice comes from a design perspective: the pillars and bridges lay out the story of the comic book - a real version of which was printed and presented to guests when they visited the booth - while the background (two separate back walls stepped at different heights to give the impression of a city skyline and a sky respectively) gives the impression that one has stepped into the comic book.

Practically, the Wombat company had significant need for storage at their show. For this reason, I designed the pillars and back wall area with the intention that they would house Wombat’s many boxes of promotional material. Designed using both Adobe Illustrator and Vectorworks and combining a combination of agency-provided graphics and my own original work, this practical and aesthetically pleasing exhibit truly packs a punch on the show floor.

Spaghe i Western PACKAGE

DESIGN

I’m a huge fan of dynamic package design, and one of my favorite projects in this regard was a concept I created while exploring the subject in my graduate studies. The Spaghetti Western pasta brand was designed as part of an academic project to create an original brand entirely from scratch, including logos, branding elements, and packaging.

Based on Hollywood western motifs, the Spaghetti Western pasta brand was designed with two audiences in mind: young kids, for whom the bright colors and characters would be attractive, and the 18-35 market, who look for cheap and filling products but are also willing to spend a little more for packaging which they find visually appealing.

The packaging itself builds on two games: first, the use of the reveal window as the setting sun over a western landscape; second, telling a visual story around the box. In the case of the former, the yellow hues of the pasta creates the perfect tone for the die cut sun. In the case of the latter, consumers can see the cowboy and his trusty horse “arrive” on the front of the box at sunset, but if they turn the box around, they find that same duo having made camp for the night, presumably enjoying a helping of Spaghetti Western pasta cooked over a fire.

The Ol' Factory

PACKAGE DESIGN

Like the Spaghetti Western pasta brand, “The Ol’ Factory” was a soap line designed in response to an academic challenge: to create an new product line from scratch with entirely sustainable packaging. “The Ol’ Factory” aims to fill the void in artisan soaps for men.

The scents and titles themselves are each based on a romanticized, stereotypically masculine profession which a consumer’s romantic partner might find attractive. These variants are represented on the packaging by the same “mascot” figure appearing as the vocation in question, with titles like “woodsman” and “pirate” bringing to mind the kinds of harlequin romance ideals a man might normally feel inclined to compete with.

To meet the goals for sustainability, the packaging is reduced to a simple wrap-around label, printed on recycled soap paper with single color soap dye. The soap paper - made by combining recycled paper with the refuse of the soap making process - dissolves in water when the soap is used, meaning there are no leftovers in either the original manufacturing or the use of the product.