This year, I got an early Christmas present: a wonderful color printer! I decided to utilize it in making Christmas present tags and envelopes. I designed a simple icon to put on the materials. I chose to use the words “Christmas Comfort” because that was my hope for the gifts that I gave this year—that they would bring comfort to the recipients. It has been a stressful year for my family, but we all still love each other. And we showed our love by exchanging gifts and simply by spending time together over the holidays.
Category: Latest Projects
Merry Christmas Cover Art
Merry Christmas my friends! I am so thankful that God has said to us, “I love you, but you have a problem: sin. This problem must be dealt with. But don’t worry, I have provided a way for you to receive salvation. I have given you the greatest gift of all, my son. He will take your sin upon himself so that I can have a relationship with you.” Thank you God for this gift of love and grace.
One of the ways I have celebrated the season is that I designed this festive cover for the December issue of the InRLA Newsletter at my internship. I created the illustration with ink and watercolor and then scanned it in. I was glad that my supervisor gave me the creative freedom to design the cover.
Why We Create – an Illustration
“We make in our measure and in our derivative mode, because we are made: and not only made, but made in the image and likeness of a Maker.”
― JRR Tolkien
The above quote by influential author, JRR Tolkien, encompasses what I believe about design. We, as human beings, have the need to be creative because our creativity is one part of God’s likeness that we reflect. Being creative, coming up with original ideas, making new things, is what fulfills us—whether we realize it or not.
My original concept for this illustration was to show the omnipotence of God side-by-side with the finite nature of humans, yet, to also show their similarities. That is why I chose to set the illustration in an open-aired galaxy, representing the spiritual, non-physical nature of the soul. Then the fleshly aspect of the body is brought in and signified symbolically by the rib cage—the heart being replaced by a glowing spatial body. This substitution of the heart illustrates how God has put a creative nature into humans, into their very souls.
The typography I used in my design is also significant. I created a unique drop-cap because I think it gives the appearance that the story being portrayed is a legendary narrative of old. The act of God’s creation is indeed the oldest account known to man.
This poster aims to provide viewers with a better understanding of why people exist in the way that they do. It displays a meaningful statement along with an inspiring illustration for visual learning.
I used Photoshop to create the digitally painted background and Illustrator for the typography.
Some Internship Work
Here is one of the many projects that I have worked on at my internship. It’s an event called Hospitality Leadership Day by the Indiana Restaurant and Lodging Association. I redesigned last year’s materials. I stuck with the same theme since the event is being held at the same location as it was last year (the Indiana State House). I just made it a little more modern and clean and I also made the invitation to be more cohesive with the save-the-date.
Save-the-date:
Invitation:
Above is last year’s folding invitation. Below is my redesign.
Printing a Catalog with HP Mag Cloud
I received my order of printed catalogs from HP Mag Cloud (http://www.magcloud.com) last week, and I am thrilled with how they turned out! The paper quality is amazing as is the quality of the printing. The price was great too! The price of one 32 page 8×8 inch catalog (with perfect binding) was only $8 (plus shipping). I will definitely be using HP Mag Cloud again for future printing needs.
This catalog is for a group project I’ve been working on—SEVEN Natural Hair Essentials. It’s a hypothetical company that sells seven all-natural hair products. This is the same project for which I took product photos in my bathroom (a couple of posts back). And look! I am the model on the opening spread for mousse. 🙂
Finally! My Illustrated Bahamas Poster
I posted back in June that I was making a poster to remember my Bahamas cruise. The trip was celebrating my and husband’s five year wedding anniversary. I was inspired by the work of DKNG (http://www.dkngstudios.com/) when I was designing this poster. I learned some of their techniques by taking their class on Skillshare.
The poster has elements that of things that I experienced on the cruise, and the layout is in the shape of the Bahamas flag. I used primarily Adobe Illustrator when creating it.
Farewell Poster
Organic Product Photo Shoot
Yesterday I turned my bathroom into a photo studio (I promise it’s not as bad as it sounds). I was doing a product photo shoot for a team project I’ve been working on. Our company is all about hair products with organic ingredients that are good for your hair AND good for the environment. I used the hardwood floor in my bathroom as the backdrop. A lot of stuff in these photos was stuff that I already had. I did have to purchase a coconut. It was a good thing that my husband was home to crack open the coconut, because I had no idea how to do that.
I like how the final pictures turned out. Here are some of them that I edited in Photoshop.


































