During my undergraduate studies, we were given an assignment to design a series of posters for subsequent entry into a contest that represented George Mason University’s School of Art in its entirety. 

These are posters I designed. The concept occurred to me based on the one thing that all art forms have in common; light. The way we perceive an object is that we can see the visible light the object reflects; I utilized techniques to visually represent this concept.

I started with the idea of light refraction, then refined how I wanted to portray that idea with each poster. The first posters were more focused on literal shapes. As I thought about it and worked more, I began to represent light in a more natural form; waves. I illustrated a lion in vibrant eye-catching colors to show a different way that light can be perceived. Finally, I decided to simplify the poster to the basic essence of light, landing on the final design that simply depicts waves of color.

This series of posters were part of an ad campaign aimed to make minoring in Graphic Design appeal to other majors. 

My concept was to show how minoring in Graphic Design can supplement different majors perfectly. In each poster I used a box to show how a Graphic Design minor can help one chase their dreams and break out of their box. I pushed this concept further by showing the objects coming into color as they break the boundary of the white box. 

To help spark interest, I also designed a grip card that fits on a pica ruler. I wanted to create something that could be handed out during recruitment that would provide information on what the requirements are for the minor and spark curiosity in the viewer with the unfamiliar pica ruler.

The AbleGamers is a nonprofit charity organization that gives people with disabilities custom gaming setups that include modified controllers and special assistive devices. They use the power of video games to bring people together and improve the quality of life for the disabled with recreation and rehabilitation. 

With that information, I designed an ad campaign that embodied their ideas. I wanted to show how even if a person is disabled, they can be liberated through video games and help of the AbleGamers.

I provided a design for a backdrop that is 8ft(h) x 10ft(w) that incorporates the entire design. It is a large-scale design with an effective use of white space. The client stated that they wanted a backdrop that would be backlit with LED lights. This lighting will make the design that much more effective with the light shining through the white areas of the stars and line-drawn character. 

The next piece designed is a grip card. This is something that still incorporates the same design tweaked to fit a 4in x 9in card. On the front of the card, it has the charity name, the characters and the tagline. Having this side facing upward will be captivating enough to make someone want to pick it up. On the backside, there is information about the organization and how to contact them.

Next is the postcard. It is 4in x 6in for mailing purposes. I decided to do this piece to thank someone for their donation to the organization. I know that the charity is grateful for any donations that they get and thought it could be a nice touch to both show appreciation for their donation and to remain in contact with people involved with the charity. The back of the card is mostly white space to leave room for a handwritten, personal note.

In my senior level package design class, my professor assigned the class to "build a better box." Each individual was to pick an object and create packaging for it with useful and unique features incorporated into the box design.

I built individual cigar boxes that (when lined up) created a billboarding effect targeted to golfers. I envision the box itself displayed in a golf pro shop. The individual cigar boxes were designed to double as cigar holders. One side of the box is perforated with a hole in the top and the inside of the box is lined with foil. The concept is that once you tear the individual cigar box open, you can secure the box to the cart using a tee and tee holder provided in the cart. The foil was added to prevent any potential fires in case the cigar began to burn lower.

During my studies at George Mason, the university decided they wanted to sell their own wine. They reached out to my senior level advertising class and asked that we compete against each other to come up with a name, logo, and label for the wines. 

I came up with the name "Mason Varietals," which I thought provided a dual meaning. As applies to wine-making, “varietal” relates to the variety of grape used to make the wine (i.e. merlot, chardonnay, etc.).  As applied to the university, “varietal” showcases the pride George Mason University has in being one of the most diverse campuses in the nation. 

After deciding on a name, I designed the logo. I wanted to create something that was not quite understood at first glance but once it is seen, it can't be unseen. The logo is in the shape of a patriot hat to represent the school's mascot. Then to blend the school and the wine, I used the negative space to depict a wine glass. 

Next I designed the label. I used a printed background of parchment paper because it is the type of paper George Mason himself used when he signed the Declaration of Rights. I wanted to blend a modern feel with antique aesthetics so I hand sketched the Gunston mansion and scanned it into the background of the label. 

To supplement the wine label I also designed a magazine ad, business suite, and packaging. I tried to make the boxes look complete when they are sitting next to each other in hopes that it would entice the viewer to buy both bottles and boost sales.

Given a colossal mug that was purchased from the dollar store, I designed and built a box that would make the mug appear as a more expensive item. 

I created the fictional brewery name, "Mammoth Brewery," and began with a logo. I used the shape of a mammoth to drive home the name of the brewery and used the negative space between the trunk and front legs to depict a barrel used in breweries. I bastardized the bottom of the bold typeface to resemble the foot of a mammoth. 

After establishing a logo, I began working on the box itself. I wanted to create a box that would display the item without sacrificing sturdiness. This is my final design that has a sound structure, displays the item, and allows the viewer to hold the mug to experience the feel of it before purchasing. 

In order to graduate, each graphic design student was required to write, illustrate or photograph, and publish a book. At the time, I had recently become an uncle and I wanted to create something that would help my niece. 

I have an Associate Degree in Deaf Studies from Northern Virginia Community College. While taking classes centered around Deaf culture and American Sign Language (ASL) I learn a large amount about ASL and the benefits it can have on the cognitive development of children. Teaching a child to use baby sign language is a great way to boost the learning process and language acquisition. 

With that idea in mind I came up with the idea to create a book that would teach the basics of baby sign language and provide signs to get new parents started. I wanted to create something that would be a bit out of the ordinary because I wanted to keep the readers involved. That being said, the demographic I was targeting were the parents. The book explains the history of sign language and baby sign language, the benefits of signing, and how to get started. To add extended interest in the book, each person teaching a sign is a depiction of a famous actor. This way the readers can have fun trying to guess who is teaching the sign while learning how to teach it. 

This section contains blips from my book to show examples of the illustrations and the overall graphic design of the book. The last picture is an example of the 12in x 18in poster that was on display with my book.

In my package design class, the students were instructed to create a label for a can of pet food. We were assigned to come up with a name, logo, graphics, and design of the label. My design was a cat food named "Purrfurred Cat Food." The logo is meant to be easily understood while depicting a cat in its natural state, and the logo shows a cat on the prowl, as if it is hunting for this food.

Drawing is something that I've enjoyed doing my whole life. I wanted to add drawings here to show the different styles I enjoy. I use a wide variety of mediums including: graphite, charcoal, dipped ink pen, microns, thumbprints, and water color pencils. 

This is my first attempt at a Digital Painting. I decided to tackle this painting of my niece as a Christmas present to some of my family. I used Adobe Photoshop and a Wacom Tablet. It was an interesting experience with a huge learning curve, however, I am very pleased with the final result.