Hello, thank you for wanting to learn more about me; I am a graphic designer located in the Twin Cities area. But, unlike popular belief, I am not just a Graphic Designer. I do have a personality and hobbies. Music is a big hobby of mine. I am heavily inspired by music when it comes to being creative. There is such a beautiful way artists can portray emotion through music. I like to think I listen to every genre, but here are my top three: rap/hip-hop, house, and disco. My current obsession is the record label Toy Tonics. Don’t get me talking about music, otherwise I will not shut up. I love going to concerts. The best one I went to recently was Ivri, such a good performance.
Besides music, I love to skateboard, play video games, and just be outside in general. I have two longboards that I use frequently. When in the cities, I like to go for trips around the lakes. If you see me, there is a good chance that I am dancing and lip-syncing while pushing along. My favorite video games right now are Peglin and FTL. I am also a sucker for Clash Royale, but don’t tell anyone. Being outside is so nice; it is so easy to get stuck inside all day and going outside is a refreshing break. I was an Eagle Scout in my teenage years. So, I will always have a soft spot for being outdoors. Ok, now back to my graphic design.
When it comes to designing, I love the process, from start to finish, everything excites me. Starting a project is a big step; don’t get me wrong, I love a mood board, wire-frame, and mind map. But my favorite way to ideate is to do quick meditations on my skateboard. While outside, I blast music in my headphones and cycle through thoughts in my head. Being outside is my escape; it’s my way to get in my head and really work through my ideas. I get my most creative perspective when I allow myself to free-flow through my mind.
Once I have an idea, I will get to work filling out a notebook with sketches and drawings. Not all of them fit within the vision, as I am a chronic doodler. But when I lock in, I can flesh out ideas. For each project, I like to learn something new about design or myself. Whether it’s a limit I have or a new tool I found, I love learning.
I started designing because of my love for coding. I took many classes in high school that developed my coding skills. So when I found out I could keep coding and also be creative, I was hooked. Not all my designs are code-based, but that’s my niche. Everything digital is built on code, so understanding code is understanding digital world.