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Seize Victory.

Carpe Victoriam is the works of Charleston designer V Maxwell. I specialize in branding and logo design,

merchandise design, and layout. If you are looking for high-quality design work to take your business or

project to the next level, look no further.

Let's work together.

Illustration

Ranging from logo design to children’s book illustrations, illustrative pieces are an excellent way to make a lasting impression. Whether it be a new logo, a poster design for an event, or designing company branded merchandise for giveaways, I would love to work with you and create exactly what you need.

Click an image to view a larger version of the entire project.

Album Redesign

This piece was a redesign of the album “Fandom” by Waterparks. The album features many energetic and upbeat songs, which inspired the design style. The glitchy, distorted effects mirror those found in many of the songs on the album. The photography featured in this design was my own; it was taken at Waterparks’ show in Charleston, South Carolina. The colors that were most prominent on the original album cover design, green and orange, were used as they help symbolize the energy and vibrancy of Waterparks’ musical style.

"Rebel Red Carnation"

Inspired by the album “Trench” by Twenty One Pilots, this illustration features the band’s lead singer Tyler Joseph. The outfit Joseph wears in the illustration is one work in the music video for their single “Jumpsuit”. Warm, natural colors were used to match the visuals from the album and its music videos, and textured brushes and effects were used to compliment this style. The flower being held in the drawing is a red carnation, which is a reference to another lyric from the album, this time from the song “Chlorine”. This illustration was created in Autodesk Sketchbook.

Crywolf Illustration

Based on a photo of musician Justin Phillips, also known as Crywolf, this illustration was created on paper using pencil and ink. It was scanned and enhanced in Autodesk Sketchbook and Adobe Photoshop to add detail and texture in the background. Crywolf’s music is ethereal and gritty in nature, and that feeling was captured through the rough, textured style of this drawing. Featuring his signature wolf mask, this drawing captures the persona that is exemplified in Phillips’ musical works. Crosshatching and thick lineart were used to give the drawing texture and depth, and to add to the overall gritty feeling of the illustration.

Branding for TigerMarlin

I was approached by internet entertainer Marlon Duke, also known as TigerMarlin, to create a brand for his YouTube and Twitch.tv channels. Inspired by his username, I created a dynamic logo featuring a marlin with tiger stripes. The color palette, chosen for its bright and energetic feel, was inspired by the college he was currently attending, Clemson University. In addition to a logo, I also created two banners for use in social media. At a later date, Marlon returned to me and asked if I could design a mascot for his channel. This mascot was designed to be friendly, with bright eye-catching colors.

Pet Portrait

This portrait of a beloved pet and companion, Hercules, was drawn in Autodesk Sketchbook. Texture and detail was added in Adobe Photoshop. It was drawn with warm, soft colors and textured brushes. A watercolor effect was added to the background, and cool colors were used to add contrast. It was drawn as a Christmas gift for a close friend.

Ad Campaign

This series of advertisements was created to bring awareness to an important issue: the mistreatment of animals in zoos all across America. These advertisements were designed to show a contrast between the happiness and joy of zoo guests and the sadness and misery of the zoo animals. Bright, saturated colors were used to illustrate the zoo guests, and desaturated colors and grays used to illustrate the animals. This further expresses the disparity in mood, and adds depth to the images.

"The Heart and The Mind"

There is an old proverb which details a battle between two wolves in each person’s heart: one represents dark, and the other light. The proverb states that whichever wolf you feed will win the battle. These illustrations are a modern take on this proverb from a new perspective. Instead of darkness and light, these two wolves represent the heart and the mind. The heart represents raw emotion: it is passionate, rash, and always ready to spring to action. The mind represents thought and contemplation: it is calm, patient, and pragmatic.

Packaging Design

Little Moo fruit-flavored milk uses natural ingredients, making it a great choice for kids who want a healthy but sweet treat. This packaging design for Little Moo was designed to be attractive and interesting to those of a young age, featuring an adorable cow mascot and light, pastel colors. Rounded, handwritten fonts were used to add to the cute look of the packaging. The cow’s spots were used to create a pattern in the background and add interest and flair to the milk cartons’ design. The cow mascot illustration as well as the layout of the carton design were created using Adobe Illustrator.

Type Specimen Poster

This type specimen poster was created to showcase the font Quicksand, which was designed by Andrew Paglinawan and Thomas Jockin. The poster uses the typeface in a variety of ways, to represent the versatility and bold design of the font. Every character of the typeface is used on the poster in order to show its entire design, as well as a variety of weights ranging from light to extra bold. The design utilizes the strong, rounded features of the typeface, and exemplifies the use of negative space to strengthen the design.

Thank-you Note

This simple thank-you card was created to show gratitude to those around me. It is printed on natural paper and uses a minimalist gold honeycomb design, as well as hand-lettered and serif fonts. The other side of the card is lined so that a message can be written to the recipent. It is postcard-sized, making it a convenient way to let a friend or relative know how much they are loved and appreciated, especially after an event such as a graduation or birthday.

Menu Design

This menu design was made for the fictional cafe and eatery, Melt, which specializes in gourmet grilled cheeses and homemade soup. Warm colors were used to depict the warmth of a grilled cheese sandwich. A kraft paper texture was used for the outside of the menu in order to represent the all-natural ingredients. These are also represented by colorful illustrations that adorn the headings of the menu, reminding customers that their food is always made from high quality, fresh ingredients. The menu was designed in Adobe Indesign, and the illustrative accents were created in Illustrator.

CSU Senior Portfolio Show Poster

Designed for Charleston Southern University’s 2018 Senior Portfolio Show, the original art was painted on canvas using acrylic paint. It was then scanned, edited in Photoshop, and accents were added in Illustrator to bring contrast to the design. A geometric design was used in order to represent the idea of “breaking away” and making one’s own way in the world, as the Senior Portfolio Show is often one of the last events graphic design students attend at CSU, and it plays a great part in the transition from college to career. Blue and yellow were also used to represent Charleston Southern, with magenta being added as an accent color to add vibrancy.

Magazine Design

This magazine layout design, an alternative music magazine titled “Trebled Times”, utilizes bright colors and heavy sans-serif fonts to appeal to the bold nature of music fans. The magazine features an article about popular alternative band Twenty One Pilots, and features concert photography to add visual intrigue. The magazine layout was designed using Adobe Indesign, and the photos featured were shot by me and edited in Photoshop. The article used in this design was written by Jack Rogers for Rock Sound magazine. The merchandise photos in the advertisement page are from the official Twenty One Pilots webstore
(store.twentyonepilots.com).

Merchandise Design

I was asked to create a logo and a handful of merchandise designs for Twitch streamer and YouTuber Vizionary Null. The logo features an aperture in order to symbolize the idea of vision, and the branding colors of black, white, and a lively neon red were used throughout. A futuristic, modern design style was used in all of his branding.

Layout

Need a great layout for a magazine, menu, invitation or flyer? I’ve got you covered. A visually intriguing layout can make a great impression for your business or project. I will work with you to create whatever your project requires, and ensure the design is bold and eye-catching.

Click an image to view a larger version of the entire project.

Photography

Product photography, portraits, landscape photography: all are great ways to elevate your project or business and make them stand out from the crowd. Whatever your need may be, we can work together to get the perfect photos.

Click an image to view a larger version of the entire project.

"The Things That Weigh Us Down"

This conceptual photo series was meant to visually represent common mental issues: the things that weigh us down. Each of the models was spoken to about their personal lives prior to the photoshoot, and was asked to identify a few prominent things in their lives that were stressing them out, worrying them, or otherwise weighing upon them. The models were photographed holding a box covered in black fabric, which was edited out. The books were photographed in the same lighting, and the “titles” edited on were the things that the models identified as weighing them down. The books were then edited dramatically larger so that they would seem to be physically placing a burden upon the models.

Portrait Photography

These photos were taken of a close friend, Erin Faile, and were used as headshots for projects like her portfolio. They were taken outdoors on the Charleston Southern University campus, and locations were chosen that would be aesthetically pleasing. A low aperture value was used to put emphasis on the subject. Minimal editing and touchups were done in Adobe Photoshop.

Ad Campaign

This ad campaign was created to market Post-Its to a specific audience, parents of young children or babies. The advertisements tell a narrative: a thoughtful mother leaves notes for her husband, reminding him of the important “little things” that are required to care for their newborn. Warm natural lighting and soft colors were used to add a whimsical aspect to these advertisements. The photography was done by me, then edited in Photoshop to enhance details and bring focus to more important areas. The text and logo were added in InDesign.

Concert Photography

There phots were taken at Twenty One Pilots’ show in Greenville, South Carolina at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. It was one stop on their worldwide “Bandito Tour”. The photos were taken from the general admission area, and feature the band’s lead singer, Tyler Joseph. The photos were edited in Adobe Photoshop to showcase the energetic, gritty experience of Twenty One Pilots’ performances. The grainy, high contrast images convey the spirit of the duo’s latest album, “Trench”, which was the main source of inspiration for the visuals and atmosphere during the Bandito Tour.

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