This project was inspired by my time as a server and sushi chef at Cocoro Japanese Bistro in my home town of Stockton, CA. I have some friendships that have endured to this day because of bonding over a bottle of saké after (and many times during) a hellish nightmare of a shift. My job at Cocoro gave me the flexibility I needed to pursue a career in illustration and design, so the tradition of setting goals and making wishes surrounding daruma dolls made them a perfect candidate for a mascot/logo for this fictional saké brand.
If you’re looking for a monstrous high, look no further! This project was inspired by my love of old Japanese monster movies from the 60s/70s. Just like those campy rubber monster suits in those movies, there’s nothing scary about this design.
After binging a bunch of episodes of “Hot Ones”, I felt inspired to come up with my own hot sauce label and sketched out this character based on my love of mythological creatures and deities.
Hex character design, 3D mockup, prototype and end product for Pure Storage SKO 2022 event.
Cover and 3D mock I designed with author Rich Armstrong for Rocky Nook Publishing.
3D packaging design and final product of The Photography Trivia Deck for Rocky Nook Publishing.
Using a crush on a Pisces to inspire a logo combining our two astrological signs for a fictional product might have been the most Aquarius thing I’ve done in a while.
Like everyone else during the lockdowns, I was trying to make sense of what was going on and looking for light at the end of the tunnel. The pandemic was a sharp reminder that there isn’t anything more important than human connection.
Album cover, CD case and poster design for Dirty Pillows’ “Turn It Down”.