January 9, 2021

Pilsen, Type Lettering

Looked at flourishes and color scheme from Mexican Western fashion and Day of the Dead floral candy skeleton patterns. I started with details from churches in Pilsen and hand painted signs in the neighborhood. I mixed free hand black typography then began to refine and vectorize details from murals. The Mexican Art Museum creeped into my mind as I thought of how to achieve a mesh of traditional Mexican art and the contemporary graffiti along 16th Street.

The gothic lettering is derived from traditional style; executed with angles and edges along the baseline that possess some gritty charm. The pattern work inside the letters are a representation of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) skeleton candy.

— Process

I wanted to convey a traditional Gothic script that also has details of Mexico Day of the Dead in the flourishes. You can find similar artwork and murals you find in contemporary graffiti along 16th Street or the Mexican Art Museum located at 1852 W 19th Street, Chicago, IL.

October 28, 2020

Designing the Book

New York in Quarantine, a photo book.

Created during New Yorker’s 2020 quarantine: persevering through a state of detention, all photographed from Josh Katz Bushwick rooftop.

Being cooped up in my Chicago apartment and living with my thoughts, I struggled to work when there has been so much turmoil happening around me. Luckily, I caught wind of a New York photographer releasing a book about his experience and I knew this was something I could get on board with. This is a photobook for charity, with 100% of profits directly to Doctors Without Borders.

I had the honor of working with Josh Katz and designing his latest book, “New York in Quarantine: Rooftop Culture Through Crisis”.

I published the full story of, "New York in Quarantine, a photo book" on my medium page.