GRAPHIC DESIGN
SHOWCASE
These pieces feature my favorite and most original graphic designs, while still being inspired by and using official assets, published art, and fan art - all edited, layered, and compiled in Adobe Photoshop.
In all the designs featured in this portfolio, I seek to achieve a look, feel, and quality that would either meet or exceed that which you would see on store shelves, published works, or in official product marketing.
Take a look!
An amalgamation of layers featuring official character art assets, fan art, and Sheikah script designs, I sought to emulate the “epic” feel of Drew Struzan’s artwork for Star Wars and Indiana Jones in this custom design for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - a significant influence over my aesthetic. Featuring exceptional work by artists Jasqreate (@JAsqreate - “Old Man”) and Jeremy Fenske (@jandrew_art - “Link and the Temple Forest”).
Two designs were created for SequelMen: The Podcast - the “Tomorrow” episode teaser and the rough draft of our podcast logo inspired by the “Superman” comic logo and a neon nightlife vibe. The “Tomorrow” poster, based from the original “Batman Forever” teaser poster and created for our franchise wrap-up episode covering 90’s Batman cinema, combines logo elements from the first four Burton/Schumacher films and encompasses both eras in one comprehensive graphic - Batman’s iconic ‘89 bat crest, the Riddler’s emerald question mark, and Robin’s….. Robin.
Disappointed with the official poster reveal for The Rise of Skywalker, I endeavored to create my own in the classic style of Drew Struzan’s poster designs for the Star Wars Prequels, Original Trilogy Special Editions, Harry Potter, and Indiana Jones. I trimmed the original bezel to give it a “windowed” look, then layered elements to make it seem like the characters and other visual elements were popping out of the frame. Add in a couple of lens flares, some posterization effects, and viola! A classic Star Wars poster that wouldn’t look unnatural amongst its professional companions. The art works transplanted to an album cover as well.
COVER COLLECTIONS
STAR WARS: THE SKYWALKER SAGA COVER COLLECTION
These designs are slightly altered versions of the Episode III album art originally published in 2005, rendered as a coherent & complete collection. This design aesthetic - a mosaic of floating heads, color, and epic imagery evocative of the adventures they’re based on - has remained a favorite since I was young, inspiring all of my custom cover designs (as you’ve seen).
PREQUEL & ORIGINAL TRILOGIES - Original art by Drew Struzan (Designs are largely same as released, just slightly tweaked.
SEQUEL TRILOGY
THE FORCE AWAKENS - Original art by Blake Armstrong (Spaceboy Comics)
THE LAST JEDI & THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - Original art by Paul Shipper (Paul Shipper Studio), with additional lens flares (TROS). This TROS cover is an alternate design
Edited and composited in Adobe Photoshop
THE MIDDLE-EARTH COVER COLLECTION
These designs are evocative of Peter Jackson’s high-fantasy films, Howard Shore’s majestic, ethereal scores, and J.R.R. Tolkien’s genre-defining literature they’re based on, using the original, “leatherbound” aesthetic from WaterTower Music’s “The Hobbit” special edition album releases as a base to give them an “epic” feel. My favorite aspect of all of these designs - Struzan’s, Vanderstelt’s, Armstrong’s, and Shipper’s, and Nguyen’s - is that they serve as a visual culmination of the stories being expressed through the director’s vision and the orchestra’s music.
Original artwork by Jerry Vanderstelt
Edited and composited in Adobe Photoshop
THE HALO COVER COLLECTION
These designs take the icon cover artwork published with each release and rework them - adding color and using a consitent design language to create a cohesive compilation of album covers - not unlike something you may see from an official release. Notice how the Master Chief’s position changes from facing left turning right as the numbered entries continue, with Infinite re-orienting him center (aligning with the franchises “soft-reboot”? Not my design, but something cool to point out regardless!
Original artwork published by Microsoft, Bungie, 343 Industries, and Insight Editions (Halo 5).
Edited and composited in Adobe Photoshop
THE XENOBLADE CHRONICLES COVER COLLECTION
Inspired by the Star Wars album art from before, I resolved to create something similar for one of my favorite franchises of all time. The Xenoblade Chronicles music reflects the grand, philosophical, and ensemble “fellowship” scope you find within the games themselves - the art should reflect that. The character art is not layered by me but was published as such. The Trinity Box Collection - spanning 20 discs chronicling the music from all three releases - only features minor alterations by me: The illuminating core crystals (Ontos, Pneuma, and Logos), some color changes, and some classical font. Again, a cohesive collection using designs consistent with the brand’s visual language is the goal!
Original artwork and logos published by Nintendo, Monolith Soft, and PROCYON STUDIO
Design elements lifted from in-game screenshots (the core crystals in the “Trinity Box”)
Edited and composited in Adobe Photoshop
