01. Presentation Design
Task: Clients require assistance converting data from Excel files or notes into a PowerPoint presentation that clearly illustrates the information that needs to be communicated.
Strategy: Data is collected and reformatted to fit the client's and presentation's needs. Custom templates are created in PowerPointfor each client, matching colors and typefaces to the client's branding. Dynamic PowerPoint presentations are created to convey complex concepts and engage with audiences effectively.
02. Trade Show Design
Task: Trade show booths and printed signage were created for "Teacher Created Materials," a children's book publishing company out of Southern California.
Strategy: First, a 3D mockup was created in SketchUp. The team was provided a mockup with easy-to-follow directions for setting up the trade show booth area. The mock-up helped the team to know how much material could be displayed. Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator were used to design all printed materials for the trade show. The shapes selected were rounded and friendly, following the "TCM'' branding. The colors were solid and inviting. Bold and beautiful signage was used to communicate critical messages visually. Clear layouts were used to execute events efficiently and to direct traffic. Textures, typefaces, and images were gathered during development to ensure the message was clear. Having all the elements needed for development made the process much easier to be creative with the layout. The marketing team could critique the layout when the 3D mockup was presented. The trade show design attracted attention and created a comfortable atmosphere for vendors and potential customers.
03. Catalog Design
Task: Catalogs were created for Teacher Created Materials to market the latest teaching materials to educators and administrators throughout the United States.
Strategy: The catalog layout was created using Adobe InDesign. Textures were used to create patterns in the catalog border designs. The different patterns created a rhythm for the user to follow. The design process consisted of listing all the necessary items per page and showing them in a balanced format. With Adobe InDesign, the process of editing many pages was simplified. The marketing team assigned to a catalog could quickly request edits to any part of the design. The catalogs were rebalanced after every modification across multiple catalogs to keep the formatting consistent.
04. Sales Support Design
Task: Created sales support materials for multiple companies, which assisted sales personnel in acquiring customers and increasing business sales by providing product information to third-party vendors and in-house sales personnel.
Strategy: Adobe InDesign was used to create the sales support items because of its ability to format text and images quickly. Having colorful, informative material attracts and educates clients while increasing product sales. The color was also used to simplify the hierarchy throughout the pages. When sales materials were formatted for multiple businesses and brands, numerous branding guidelines and standards were followed. All sales materials met the team's needs and were printed and distributed.
05. Email Marketing
Task: Created email marketing materials for Teacher Created Materials to help them reach their target market cost-effectively and efficiently.
Strategy: Mailchimp software was used to distribute email marketing materials. Before creating the email designs, data limitations, image viewing capabilities, and spam blockers were considered. Email marketing was tracked for user interaction, such as what elements get clicked on most often. Market materials varied. Some materials were holiday themes; some were subject-specific. Both were incredibly creative and rewarding to conceptualize and bring to fruition. Other projects consisted of creating marketing for mobile phones and website banners. Legibility and consistency are critical when creating designs for mobile phone email marketing and online banners. They are necessary to attract prospective clients.
06. Menu Design
Task: Menus were created for multiple restaurants, including, The Tilted Kilt, Super Mex, and The Westin in the Los Angeles area.
Strategy: The menus were designed in Adobe InDesign, and images were edited in Adobe Photoshop. Texture and illustrations helped communicate the restaurant or bar's products and specials. A hierarchy was created with the size, placement, and color of elements on the menu. For each menu, a different style had to be used to meet the brand's feel. For example, a Tiki Bar menu will be a lot brighter in appearance than that of an Italian restaurant. The companies’ prior work samples were collected to help build a clear brand history and robust business menus.
07. Wine & Spirits
Task: Tabletop and poster wine & spirits marketing materials were created for companies Monkey Shoulder, Templeton Rye, The Macallan, and Jack Daniel's.
Strategy: Posters were designed in Adobe Photoshop. The color was used to pull aspects of the alcohol brand to use in other design parts. Typography was used to mimic the brand's look and feel. For example, on the mighty duck / Tilted Kilt poster design, I pulled the green color from the bottle of Tullamore and used it on the typography. The brainstorming process produced many different backgrounds for alcohol bottle mockup shots. Care was taken to ensure all the logos were up-to-date and high-quality. Before heading to the print shop, I incorporated the feedback and criticism received from the clients.
08. Illustration Book
Task: An illustration book was created to display my illustrations professionally. In addition to a physical bound book, a digital copy was provided through Issuu.com.
Strategy: The book combined the illustrations I worked on for five years. The cover design is a minimalist approach with no text and a simple picture of an eye looking at you. Likewise, the book's interior has no written text allowing the illustrations to speak for themselves. The book is sectioned by subject, and images that should be highlighted receive a whole page spread. A website dedicated to the illustrations was also created to accompany the book.
