Spirit packaging & branding
Stone Castle is a modern whiskey brand with historic roots. Named after the estate owned by the late Jacob Spears, an 18th century distiller (widely-recognized as the first to coin the term ‘bourbon whiskey’), Stone Castle brings a fresh, time-tested contender to the whiskey market.
Packaging Design
Mr. Good’s is a modern cannabis brand which brings fun to the forefront of the industry. In a society where weed is being widely-recognized and accepted for it’s recreational benefits, consuming cannabis should be a joyful, positive, and informed experience. There’s no guessing here, it’s all Good.
*Lil Note: In my research, I first looked at the California guidelines for the design and sale of cannabis products. I found that one of the top rules is that cannabis products cannot be attractive to children. Ergo, this project was created as more of an exploration into the visual possibilities for recreationally-based cannabis products.
Print publication, Bay Area lifestyle magazine
The Niantic is a Bay area lifestyle magazine. The publication is contemporary and worldly, yet relatable; treating type with clean finesse, and giving photography ample representation in the flow. The magazine covers the -ins and -outs of The Bay Area, through thoughtful, relatable storytelling. There are always bigger and better things afoot; seize every opportunity.
Mission Statement:
The Niantic was a whaling ship; one of the first vessels to bring gold seekers to San Francisco in 1849. Upon arrival to the Golden Coast, a majority of the ship’s crew deserted to participate in the gold rush, leaving The Niantic behind, later to be transformed into a store-front, and eventually a historic San Francisco landmark. We live on in the spirit of seizing the moment the same way those sailors did almost two-hundred years ago.
Poster Campaign/Design Intervention
When prompted to identify an existing problem in San Francisco, my response was simple:
Not enough people are smiling.
Everyday, I see person after person stoically walk past me, even when offered a friendly ‘how-do-ya-do’ nod of the head. Smiling is good, and good for ‘ya, scientifically proven to have real mental and physical health benefits.
Smile, SF aims to combat everyday gloom and grumble by inserting funny, surprising, or otherwise captivating facts into the city environment in an effort to lift a few spirits, and crack a few smiles.
Poster Campaign / BFA Thesis
Thesis Statement: The broad landscape of digital media constrains critical thinking & reflection, diverting attention away from the facts.
My poster-driven campaign worked to suggest different ways of perceiving information to its audience; in a time where so much false information is being taken in as fact. I typeset several main points from a FactCheck.org article “How to Spot Fake News” by Eugene Kiely & Lori Robertson, then hand-lettered/wrote the top 50 circulated fake news headlines in 2016, compiled by Buzzfeed, on top. Recontextualized onto posters, the headlines are meant to spark curiosity, provoke deeper research, and make facts great again.
FactCheck.org article:
https://www.factcheck.org/wp-content/cache/wp-rocket/www.factcheck.org/2016/11/how-to-spot-fake-news//index.html_gzip
BuzzFeed 50 Fake Headlines:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sTkRkHLvZp9XlJOynYMXGslKY9fuB_e-2mrxqgLwvZY/edit#gid=652144590
Book Design (Cover & Interior)
“From an author who climbed to the top of the corporate ladder before reaching age 40, this book takes the guesswork out of career success and breaks down what it takes to excel at your job. It covers the basics, like the universal requirements of every workplace—working with other people, making stellar presentations, communicating effectively over email. And it also goes into how to get promoted sooner, impress the people high up on the corporate ladder, and do it all while maintaining your personal life and without working crazy hours. With helpful tips and simple advice, this professional guidebook is just right for someone new to the workplace or for a mid-life career changer.”
#1960Now: Photographs of Civil Rights Activists and Black Lives Matter Protests
The fight for equality continues, from 1960 to now. Combining portraits of past and present social justice activists with documentary images from recent protests throughout the United States, #1960Now sheds light on the parallels between the 1960s Civil Rights Movement and the Black Lives Matter movement of today. Shelia Pree Bright’s striking black-and-white photographs capture the courage and conviction of ’60s elder statesmen and a new generation of activists, offering a powerful reminder that the fight for justice is far from over. #1960Now represents an important new contribution to American protest photography.
Cover design by Brooke Johnson
Interior design by Brooke & Myself
Vector illustration, enamel pin design
Pair of pin illustrations designed to match the existing brand’s pin style. I was humbled to add the late, ever great James Dewitt Yancey (J Dilla) to the hip-hop heads line, and an appropriate donut to the foods collection.
Craftsmanship is what attracted me to graphic design; where else do you find it more-so than in letterform construction. I took up calligraphy and lettering a few years ago while in school. I’m always looking for opportunities to utilize custom lettering or type-focused illustration in my design work; any chance to play with funky markers and paper. This is just a sample of some vectorized lettering, as well as a few painted works.
