Throughout various design projects, I've channeled creativity and strategy to deliver compelling visual solutions, from crafting wedding keepsakes to designing engaging card games and revitalizing the branding for the University of Rhode Island's Harrington School. My design approach consistently aims to tell stories, boost engagement, and unify visual identities across diverse media.
Creating the wedding designs was a heartfelt, creative endeavor. I began by creating a style guide that included hand-picking the color scheme and selecting the perfect font family. Using Adobe Illustrator, I carefully crafted every detail, from vintage-inspired keychains to elegant stationery, brought to life through CNC laser crafting. These playful elements, including personalized acrylic keychains and custom drink stirs with pet illustrations, added a unique and unforgettable touch to the special day. As seen on Green Wedding Shoes.
These keychains served as both place cards and fun wedding favors. Inspired by classic motel keys, they featured the wedding logo, date, table number, and guest's name. Handcrafted from iridescent clear and transparent blue acrylic, they added a playful touch.
For the wedding stationery, I continued the playful and colorful vibe. Starting with Adobe Illustrator, I designed the suite, which included the invites, menus, and table numbers. Each piece was hand-painted and featured vibrant elements and gold letter-pressed foiling in collaboration with DWRI Letterpress.
To add a touch of whimsy and personalization, we included custom drink stirs featuring adorable illustrations of our beloved pets. Working alongside an illustrator, Jaclyn Jutras, we designed clear acrylic stirs that not only made drinks fun but also appeared in various drink and bar signage.
"Garage Inventor" is an imaginative card game conceived by Ed Pisari, challenging 2-6 players to race and build inventive creations while navigating any hurdles. This engaging game, designed for ages ten and up, invites players to step into the shoes of amateur inventors striving to make it big, with sessions lasting 30-60 minutes.
The heart of the game lies in three types of cards: Invention cards, Component cards, and Action cards. Invention cards outline the specifications of each creation, specifying the required components. Component cards represent essential elements such as power supplies, inspiration, and materials, each contributing points towards completing inventions. Action cards introduce strategic twists to the game, providing opportunities to get ahead or disrupt the progress of fellow inventors. The game ends when a player reaches 10+ points.
In terms of design, "Garage Inventors" combines creativity with strategy. Handwritten typography and card backs inspired by graph paper provide a hand-crafted touch. The game's illustrations, created with Procreate, depict inventors in their garages. These hand-drawn artworks breathe life into inventions and materials, enhancing the game's storytelling. The box even resembles a detached garage with grass and weeds.
Before ending on the current design, I made a prototype using linen paper, CNC cutting, and laser-cut cardboard for the box, aiding gameplay testing and refining the game's mechanics.
I manage various URI Harrington School of Communication and Media design projects, spanning website development, print materials, graphics, and social media design. My primary goal is to breathe new life into the Harrington School's visual identity by introducing fresh, customized designs that depart from generic templates. This endeavor significantly improved social media engagement and audience, establishing a uniform and ADA-compliant brand image across all communication channels.
Learn more about my strategy.
I designed and updated the URI Harrington School website to create a visually appealing and user-friendly experience. This involved replacing stock images with custom photography and introducing graphic elements to make the site more engaging. Working within the existing WordPress theme, I created pages like Creative Spaces, Careers, and Alumni Stories and updated and redesigned the academic pages.
Within print design, I crafted postcards and mailers for campaigns and event promotion. These designs are built upon the university's branding and my Harrington School guidelines to create dynamic and engaging prints. Notably, I collaborated with a student on an interactive graduation and senior showcase invite, transforming a routine card into a fun paper craft that turned into a graduation cap.
Event promotional design includes everything from printed posters to social media posts and cover photos for virtual lectures. When virtual became the norm, I adjusted seamlessly and ensured our designs remained consistent across different platforms and broadcast studios. This, in turn, boosted attendance and gave our virtual events a professional edge.
Across multiple social media platforms, I orchestrated a cohesive design strategy driven by visual guidelines and social media best practices. This approach not only bolstered our brand presence but also facilitated accessibility. I also ensured ADA compliance by meticulously checking color contrast in each graphic, furthering our commitment to inclusivity.
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