In most of my pieces, I want to have some kind of handmade element, whether it's an ink drawing or a hand-carved stamp. I strive to incorporate illustration in my designs. I love to show duality in my work, such as a pink sparkly switchblade with hearts on the handle. I pull inspiration from the cartoons, games, and toys that I grew up with. The art styles I was most drawn to as a kid were cartoon characters with thick outlines and cute, small features with big eyes, so I wanted to replicate that in the characters that I create and in the other illustrations that I incorporate in my design work.
The primary intention I have when I create is to make something that brings joy to people in some way. In my opinion, the purpose of graphic design is to communicate a point to the observer as seamlessly as possible. I feel that using design as a tool to educate people about issues in the world could lead to more people getting involved in creating a better future for society as a whole. I want to make designs that are fun, creative, and share positive messages with the consumer.
There are many ways that graphic design can be used to educate people. Showing someone a visual representation of the information that you want to share will help the viewer retain that information more effectively than just reading or listening to it. I feel that when it comes to advertising and marketing, it is the designer's responsibility to educate the observer and to stray away from spreading misleading information.
When I started at LCAD, I didn’t have a clear direction; I wanted to be able to do it all. I still feel that way, but now I have developed my own style for creative problem-solving. I think the most influential experience was learning all the different styles and ways of creating, now I no longer confine myself to what I thought graphic design was supposed to look like.