Branding, Marketing, And Small Business

My boyfriend and I walked down the streets of Los Angeles, holding hands when a man inside his truck yelled “JOTOS (Faggots)!" at us. I wanted to use this experience as well as my deep interest in visual puns, metaphors, and wordplay to create a line of pins, which showcase cuteness with a wink.

Peens was created out of my investigation of gay slurs, such as the ones that were used on us. After investigating the origins of the word “Jotos," I began to learn about other slurs such as: “Mariposon” in Spanish, which translates to "Butterfly-Man". 

I took this opportunity to take these words and reclaim them as part of my own visual identity as a gay man. As result of this exploration, it led to creating many other “peens” that continue to embrace and reclaim slurs, stereotypes, sexuality, and stories I’ve experienced as well.

“Peens” are the cute, clever, and mischievous enamel pins that you’ll giggle at for that kinky mind of yours.

To purchase visit my Etsy store

Hypothetical branding for a fictional planet

At Proktodeum we want new and existing citizens to have the opportunity to find themselves through exploration, expression, and pleasure. We want our people to be able to adapt our values to seek their own individualistic identities. We want them to unleash their true nature. To ultimately be able to crystallize their newfound self-love they let it manifest throughout their being.

We want to find new ways to metamorphose the flora and flora on our planet. We want to use these extravagant resources to enhance and evolve humans. We aim to create new neurological ways to experience sexual euphoria, innovate new ways of flirting amongst peers through communication, engineer garments that don’t just change your outside appearance but inside emotions as well.

We also want to make clear that here at Proktodeum, we want to respect the natural source of where we obtain those materials. We do not want to abuse our planet’s nature for narcotics, power, and profit. We want to create an environment where people can dive and explore their ideas; without abusing the tools that we give them. We want to make that very clear.

We don’t want to rebuild the old repressed society which we escaped in fear of persecution, but be able to create a new utopia in which we are allowed to be the best versions of ourselves possible. Luckily, here in Proktodeum, the planet is gifting us with these new rich resources to use as tools to build and create a fresh start for us and you. We hope that with the values and resources at Proktodeum, one can create and contribute new moments to our rich, opulent history which we will be creating together.

Wordmark, Signage, and Book Design and Layout

Art History graduates Kimberly and Crystal approached my friend Erica and me to assist them in creating a catalog for their exhibition titled 'Frenemies: Art versus Commodity.' They desired the word mark, signage, and postcard to be concise, edgy, and infused with a touch of wit throughout the book.

Adhering to the visual language of capitalism, we explored the incorporation of a price tag as the title and date of the book, symbolizing the 'price' of the booklet. Additionally, we substituted the letter 'S' with a dollar sign within the book. Erica and I took charge of the layout, while I art directed the thematic elements throughout the book.

Poster design and typography

I designed this poster for an alumni lecture series “Role Model”. Using Hobo and Helvetica Italic I wanted to make a statement with the mix and overlay of type through light, shadow, and gradients.

Poster Design

Every year the School of Art at CSULB hosts a series of critiques inviting guest artists to come and give advice on MFA students’ work. Graduate advisor Rebecca Sittler asked me to design a poster for graduate critique week and this was the result.

Poster Design

Every spring the School of Art hosts an event called Insights, a student art show where students submit and the School of Art chooses the best of the best to showcase at their museum.

I am tasked with creating a poster for Insights every year. It’s always a challenge to keep it strictly type with no image and it’s a lot of fun doing so. Each poster needs to be striking, eye-catching and above all, FUN.

Re-Branding

One of the very first projects I did at CSULB was to re-brand the College of the Arts logo. I was asked to make the mark to be straight to the point, simple, and to make a bold visual statement with the use of the typography.

I used Brandon Grotesque, medium, and bold weights as well as Meta for the sub-header text. The combination of weights and fonts help create the modern, simple feel that the department was looking for. In addition, a thick yellow line was added to further emphasize the word mark identity and remind the viewer of their association with CSULB.

Product, production, and packaging design

Zoolers* is a collaboration with designer/illustrator Huan Nguyen

It started out with a thought, "Let's make rulers more fun so that adults and kids can enjoy using them!"

We created a series of rulers shaped like zoo animals with colorful patterns and designs. There are 5 in total - a giraffe, a crocodile, an octopus, a snail, and an elephant - with a possibility of expansion to other animals for future designs. They are die-cut from plastic then silkscreened with the designs on top. 

We decided to name the products Zoolers, give each animal a name and a backstory, then create a packaging system for them. 

Special thanks to Connor Rouse, Bobby Ngo & Matias Ocana in the production of this project.

Branding and Creative Direction

I had the pleasure of working alongside Jordan Carr on the rebrand for Good Time Coffee in Long Beach California. Jordan spearheaded the initial conversation of what Joey, Co-Owner of Good Time wanted. They wanted something that was reminiscent of 70’s style design, something fun, but not too crazy and laid back. We choose Copper Black as the typeface for the mark and personified the letter “O’s” as the eyes seeking for, no pun intended, a good time.

Branding

My friend Brian asked me about creating a logo for his wife Rosemery. She is starting her own real estate business and needed a mark that felt fresh, welcoming, and referenced mid-century modern aesthetics with a slight hint of Deco.

We made a logo embodying those traits; a variety of houses, tailored to your hopes of a dream home, paired with Rosemery Portillo Real Estate set with typefaces that reflect an approachable, modern feel.

Gift Wrap Design and Typography

Every year, we create a gift to send to our donors at CSULB College of the Arts. For this particular festivity, we wanted to make something special, unique, and novel for our patrons. Using the words 'Peace,' 'Harmony,' and 'Inspiration,' I incorporated these words into a design that represents movement, personifying ribbons, trees, and snowflakes. I utilized Meta Normal weight as the base for these patterned giftware designs.

Poster series and marketing collateral

Series of posters for CSULB California Repertory Fall 2019 theatrical plays with social themes.

The idea was to photograph objects that are iconic in each of these plays. To further push that idea, the objects were altered in a way that paralleled the story told in each play.

Poster series and marketing collateral

Series of posters for CSULB California Repertory Fall 2018 theatrical plays with political and social themes.

The inspiration for the posters came from Russian constructivism and Bauhaus typography compositions. The goal was to create designs that are bold, impactful, and able to catch the viewer's attention.

Poster Design

The Film and Electronic Arts department asked me to design a poster to advertise for their student film showcase. Using the idea of spotlights, lighting, and shadows, I wanted to embody that in the type as it started off sharp in its contrast, to then blur away as the light dissipated out into the darkness.

Poster Design

For this series, the Theatre Department desired a collection of posters that exuded austerity in terms of color, dry humor, and a sense of cynicism. Although I'm naturally drawn to vibrant colors, this presented a unique challenge for me.

I was determined to utilize typefaces to narrate the story within the posters. To begin, I employed a display version of Chentelham and started laying out the text, carefully combining it with the chosen imagery for each poster.

Product Design

I was invited by the host, speaker, and graphic designer Andrew Byrom, to create a series of clipboards based on the designers that were coming in to speak at the Y20 AIGA Conference in San Diego. Among the speakers were Michael Beirut, Gail Anderson and Jorge Gutierrez among others.

Branding

CalRep, short for California Repertory and formerly known as the Theatre Department, required an identity system that would establish their presence and representation as CalRep or California Repertory to both the University and the broader theatre audience.

They desired a logo that was clear, simple, and colorful, capable of complementing their photography. Additionally, they sought a versatile color palette that could adapt to different seasons. To achieve this, I employed Din Heavy weight and contrasted it with Din Regular weight, while the subheader was set in Helvetica Normal weight to provide a solid foundation.