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LUIZA RUFEISEN'S PORTFOLIO
My Portfolio
A diverse range of graphic design projects with cultural influences.
Graphic Design
Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Adobe AfterEffects, Protools, Adobe Audition, Adobe Indesign, Adobe Fresco
Titan Beetle (Titanus giganteus)
In Brazil, I find myself being constantly amazed by how nature is present in everyday life. I recall traveling to a park with my family and seeing all sorts of insects I had never seen before. I researched more insects native to Brazil, and I found one that particularly interested me: the Titan Beetle. It is the largest known beetle species in Latin America, including north-central Brazil. Using Adobe Illustrator, I used bold colors, as well as a variety of shapes and lines. I drew inspiration from American abstract expressionist art as well as Brazilian concretism. This piece presented some challenges, as conceptually imagining an insect in this style was not easy. Insects contain an assortment of details that are difficult to capture with simple shapes. I am pleased that I could both recreate how I see the Titan Beetle and do so in a manner that showcases my culture.
My Identity
This piece is the companion to “Titan Beetle (Titanus giganteus)." For this piece, my self-portrait, I wanted to represent how my dual identity forms the person I am. I created myself out of shapes, lines, and colors using elements from my Brazilian and American heritage while using Adobe Illustrator. The choice of loud and vibrant colors reflects my personality, while the sharp edges symbolize my desire for precision and order. The inclusion of different shapes, such as squares, diamonds, circles, hearts, and rectangles, represents the diverse facets of my personality, all working together to make me who I am. From this design, I learned how to capture two contrasting identities by thinking conceptually.
Is This All You See?
This is a personal, provocative piece that comments on women's reproductive rights. It depicts a woman in a traditionally masculine stance but is ultimately overpowered by the features the government deems of value. The highlighted parts of her body are those the government chooses to 'see,' such as her breasts, uterus, and feminine shoes—parts that are commonly policed or regulated. There is an 'X' placed upon her mouth symbolizing her voice being silenced by these restrictions. I chose to use bright colors to symbolize the urgency of the message. I crafted this piece using Adobe Illustrator and drew inspiration from one of my favorite designers, Rokas Aleliūnas.
Stand Up
After completing the piece “Is This All You See?” I wanted to push myself to consider other issues I felt needed to be addressed. Throughout my life, I have always tried to debunk the myth that women are submissive and quiet. In this piece, I contrasted the stereotypes with an empowering image. Using Adobe Illustrator, I portrayed a woman standing up, using the restroom as a man does, while still wearing her feminine clothes. I deliberately chose this disconcerting image to highlight the assertiveness and dominance women have and to ultimately illustrate the message that a woman can do anything a man can. It was especially difficult to compose this piece. I had doubts that it was too crude, but my favorite type of art is a powerful image that sends a message, and that's what I wanted to do.
/risk/
In this personal piece, I wanted to showcase the outcome of taking risks: a rush. I visually portrayed what taking a risk feels like by showing a man colored red, in agony, expressing fear of the unknown. Furthermore, I conveyed the feeling of risk-taking conceptually by scribbling around his face, blinding the man with his fear. Risk-taking has been shown to increase the release of dopamine in the brain; the photograph in the background showcases the dopamine molecule. I used the molecule itself to show how risk-taking directly causes this “rush.” This piece showcases the action and reaction aspect of risk-taking through both the physical and emotional aspects of the action. I used Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator for this piece.
Luiza Rufeisen
Custom font with my name
Business cards - Triptych
Being an aspiring graphic designer, I have worked on a multitude of projects as both a volunteer and a paid designer. I aimed to create a business card to present to my clients. Using Adobe Illustrator, I utilized various shades of my favorite colors, teal and cream. I used symbols depicting an assortment of ways to contact me and the applications I am proficient in. I then used Adobe Photoshop to edit a realistic mock-up of the business cards.
Mughead's - Triptych
This piece is one that I worked very hard on, and I am proud of the outcome. This piece was an assignment for my design class; we were instructed to create a logo using Adobe Illustrator, then design a label for the logo, and then find three mockups to display our logo. As a Brazilian who drinks coffee every morning, I had to make a custom brand. I aimed to make a design different from the others I have previously made and challenge myself to use new design elements, colors, and shapes. I settled on making a retro-style logo utilizing a vintage font. For my main graphic, I wanted to make a whimsical coffee cup with cartoon-like features, and I ended up modifying the coffee cup's appearance until I was happy with the result. I wanted to show the versatility of the logo by editing it on a mug, a sweatshirt, and a coffee bag. From this piece, I learned how to work hard and revise until I create an outcome I am happy with.
Vote Poster - Diptych
Historically, the younger generations have had a lower voter turnout. With this piece, I hope to appeal to young voters and encourage them to vote. In this poster, I made two separate versions that correspond with one another, drawing inspiration from Shepard Fairey’s editorial works. I strived to highlight the importance of voting by including patriotic symbols such as the Statue of Liberty. Similarly, I wanted to appeal to the emotional impact of voting by putting a young woman as the subject to encourage younger voters to “see” themselves in the poster. I used geometric shapes and bright, saturated colors to highlight the urgency of the issue. I textured the background to emulate a paper ballot. I then included the color palette at the bottom as a stylistic choice. This is a political piece that addresses an important message about the value of voting, with the intended audience being the people who have just become eligible to vote.
Illustrator Project Choice
This project was one of my favorites in the unit. In this project, we had to opportunity to design anything we wanted using Adobe Illustrator and turn it into a physical object, I choose to print my design on a crewneck. I was very excited to start this project and I went through many different designs before I choose the one I liked the best. For my design, I choose to draw Amy Winehouse, the queen of British soul and an iconic songwriter and singer.
This project was one of my favorite projects I have done at Freestyle. I got to create a piece of clothing from my imagination into a physical form. For my design, I chose to go with one of my favorite singers of all time: Amy Winehouse. I made her in Adobe Illustrator and traced her iconic facial expression using the pen tool. I then added splashes and specks of graffiti-looking paint to make it look messy and grunge. I wrote two of my favorite song lyrics of hers on each of the sleeves in a graffiti font to match the back. On the front, I wrote her last name and a period to add some dramatics to it.
The process of actually putting the design on the fabric was so exciting. I had never done anything like this before so it was a really fun and nerve-wracking experience. Mr. Flo printed my file, and after that, I cut each section into its own piece, with a sheet of parchment paper that would fit on top of it. We went to the press and pressed on each section for 40 seconds which allowed the ink to transfer from the paper to the fabric. I am very happy with my final product and can’t wait to wear it!
This project was one of my favorite projects I have done at Freestyle. I got to create a piece of clothing from my imagination into a physical form. For my design, I chose to go with one of my favorite singers of all time: Amy Winehouse. I made her in Adobe Illustrator and traced her iconic facial expression using the pen tool. I then added splashes and specks of graffiti-looking paint to make it look messy and grunge. I wrote two of my favorite song lyrics of hers on each of the sleeves in a graffiti font to match the back. On the front, I wrote her last name and a period to add some dramatics to it.
The process of actually putting the design on the fabric was so exciting. I had never done anything like this before so it was a really fun and nerve-wracking experience. Mr. Flo printed my file, and after that, I cut each section into its own piece, with a sheet of parchment paper that would fit on top of it. We went to the press and pressed on each section for 40 seconds which allowed the ink to transfer from the paper to the fabric. I am very happy with my final product and can’t wait to wear it!
Rulu's Coffee and Tea - Polyptych
This piece was an assignment from a summer pre-college graphic design class and is one that I am very proud of. This is a coffee brand I made using Adobe Illustrator called “Rulu’s Coffee & Tea.” I made three different versions that utilize a warm and earthy color palette. Each different version is meant for a different coffee or tea flavor: black coffee, matcha, and latte. Each rendition has a whimsical-lighthearted feel to it. I printed out the versions and glued them on custom-made cups made from cardboard. I then did a photo shoot of the coffee and edited the photos using Adobe Photoshop.
Custom Mythical Creature
I wanted to create a creature out of five different animals to represent my sister. The first animal is a Russian blue, to show how sophisticated she is, the second animal is a bee, to show how hard-working and determined she is, the third animal is a chameleon, to show her insecurities and how she tries to blend, in the fourth animal is a flamingo, to show how expressive she is, and the last animal is a fish to show how adaptable she is. I am overall really happy with the outcome of my Creature and I’m excited to use Adobe Illustrator to create more projects such as this one.
The Oracle - Triptych
This piece started as a volunteer project for my school's newspaper, “The Oracle.” I designed a backsplash banner for The Oracle's YouTube account through Adobe Illustrator. That project inspired me to experiment with designing their logo. I included the primary color that The Oracle uses, yellow; I wanted to make a whimsical but professional design, so I settled on a geometric and simplistic paper airplane. I then edited my custom logo on a hat and a T-shirt to showcase what the logo would look like on merchandise.
The Shining - Diptych
As a film director, my dad has raised me to love all types of movies from a young age, including horror. I grew up watching movies like “The Shining,” which inspired me to read the book. I wanted to challenge myself to redesign the cover using only typography to create an overwhelming sense of repetition, much like the story itself does. I took an iconic moment from the story and using the text tool in Adobe Illustrator, I individually colored each letter to match the correct value to create and replicate the iconic scene. I then used the font from the original movie poster and put it diagonally across the book cover, to instill a sense of discomfort. Finally, to see how my design would look on a book, I used Adobe Photoshop to recreate the cover of an existing book.
Meditação - Diptych
This piece was a school assignment that challenged us to create our own unique mandala using Adobe Illustrator. After the mandala was created, we would laser-engrave it on wood. I chose to create a 12-slice mandala. I began by creating a central motif of a sunflower in the middle of the mandala, which then transformed into making the whole mandala have a floral-like feel to it. I added a variety of dots, different widths of strokes, and petal-like shapes in order to mimic nature's haphazardness. This piece was heavily detailed and took me many hours; if I had to change anything about this piece, I would utilize the brush tool instead of the pen tool in order to create more organic shapes. From this piece, I learned the significance of repetition and how it can impact a final image.
Volunteer Project - Making Article cover for documentary project
Rockin' to the Apocalypse
Table of Contents for custom documentary book about the political implications of rock in the 1960s.
The Album Art: For Short Story
Story: She opened the heavy oak door to the massive conference room of Power Tech & Engineering INC. Ten chairs, ten men. Today was the day she wasn’t going to stay quiet or bring the same coffee no sugar, she was going to sit down in the chair (ironically belonging to her subordinate) and pitch her idea for the new client’s parking lot. She had planned it out the evening before. A long shirt so there would be no distractions, a long skirt, no room for slip-ups. Before leaving the house she tried on something out of the ordinary: dark red lipstick titled “Scarlet Assassin”. The Commercial was right, she did feel like Clinton. She sat down in the conference room, adjusted her ruffled shirt over her collarbones, and reapplied her lipstick. The moment her skirt hit the chair she felt like a monkey in a zoo. All the men were staring at her, then back at their empty cups, then back at her. One man even held his cup and turned it upside down in a passive-aggressive manner. She hobbled to the door to fill the request of the men when the boss finally came in, 15 minutes late, she had been marking each minute on her watch, they all awaited the dreaded parking lot presentation that became a weekly occurrence with the new picky client. As the boss began to talk, it was obvious he had done absolutely no preparation, his gestures were unsure and his voice was shaky. It took all her courage (and a reapplication of her lipstick) to get up and save the boss’s butt. She began pulling out statistics and graphs as if she and the boss planned it out weeks before, highlighting the importance of a concrete base or something or other. She was too exhilarated to remember half of her Oscar-worthy performance. The faces of the men looked insultingly impressed.
The next day she applied another coat of her favorite lipstick. She pushed open the same heavy oak door and sat right at the beautiful velvety seat at the edge of the table. Her stance exerted power. As she came into the room, she found the boss’s papers unorganized, and the project report that was due today had not even started. She stood up, she wanted to be taken seriously, she knew she worked the hardest in the entire building. The boss came in, making up an excuse as he usually did. She threw aside the plaque labeled “boss” at the end of the table and readjusted hers there. As the men poured in, they all carried mugs, this time filled with their own coffee no sugar.
The next day she applied another coat of her favorite lipstick. She pushed open the same heavy oak door and sat right at the beautiful velvety seat at the edge of the table. Her stance exerted power. As she came into the room, she found the boss’s papers unorganized, and the project report that was due today had not even started. She stood up, she wanted to be taken seriously, she knew she worked the hardest in the entire building. The boss came in, making up an excuse as he usually did. She threw aside the plaque labeled “boss” at the end of the table and readjusted hers there. As the men poured in, they all carried mugs, this time filled with their own coffee no sugar.
PSA
In this PSA, the Statue of Liberty is depicted three times in the foreground of the piece, using red, blue, and gray to represent the American flag. The top of the piece says, “Hot Girls Vote.” The background is textured to represent the paper ballots. This piece is a satirical piece about the importance of voting. My PSA is about the younger generations’ voting absence, incorporating the younger generations’ humor. I added a commonly used phrase and replaced the ending with “Vote.
Making this piece in Adobe Illustrator posed some challenges. I wanted to make it feel organic, which called for precise use of the pen tool. I utilized the rule of threes in this piece to make it more interesting by balancing negative and positive space while putting emphasis on the tagline. I also wanted to incorporate the use of contrast not only with color but with various uses of texture to emulate a voting ballet. Overall, this piece is successful and portrays the message I wanted
Making this piece in Adobe Illustrator posed some challenges. I wanted to make it feel organic, which called for precise use of the pen tool. I utilized the rule of threes in this piece to make it more interesting by balancing negative and positive space while putting emphasis on the tagline. I also wanted to incorporate the use of contrast not only with color but with various uses of texture to emulate a voting ballet. Overall, this piece is successful and portrays the message I wanted
Summer Collage
Photo Gallery
My Photography using DSLR Camera and Iphone Camera
Warmth
This photo I took is chosen to represent warmth. Me and my sister haven’t lived together in a while since she moved off to college, but since she got back we like to do very specific things together, such as go to coffee shops. The day I took this we both went to Red Rock Coffee Shop and she did her homework and I did mine.
Best Gift
The best gift I have ever gotten is my Cat, Blue. He is the best thing in the world and was a Christmas gift to me and my sister 8 years ago. We begged to get a cat for so long and finally visited him and fell in love. I put his favorite bow on him for this photo and made sure he was looking at me. I then edited the photo to brighten it up.
Aging
This Weeks theme was aging. I wanted to show childlike innocence in young adults with this photo. This photo has a beautiful story behind it. I was walking around school taking candids of people with my DSLR camera, when my friend ran into their friend and shared a genuine embrace. This photo was completely candid which makes me love it even more. Aging is forever changing however friendship and love is constant. I edited this photo using Photoshop to bring out the subject using saturation and curves.
Shadow
The theme this week was “shadow”. I chose to interpret this conceptually more than visually. While at universal studios, I was in awe of each section replicating a movie or show I grew up with such as Springfield from The Simpsons, and Hogwarts from Harry Potter. I thought this structure was so surreal and beautiful I photographed it from a lower angle to emphasize the sheer magnitude and power of this building. I thought it represented shadow well and uniquely because of the interesting shadows on each carving of the rocks, and the unseen shadows it caused on the thousands of people below it.
Reflections
In this photo, I wanted to show reflections in an unconventional way: through rain droplets. While in Washington D.C. I went on a tour of the important historical monuments and it started to rain and I took pictures and the raindrops reflected the monuments. I edited the photo to blur the background and bring out the raindrops in the foreground.
Serenity
The theme this week was serenity and I was immediately drawn to water. Ever since I was little I have always had a fascination with water, I think it’s because when I would visit my family in Brazil, my uncle would take me and my cousin to the beach, we would go deep in the water and duck under the waves, at first it scared me but my uncle made me close my eyes and lay down as the waves flowed below me and the experience was so therapeutic that it made me appreciate water in a different way. Every time I go to a warm Brazilian beach I feel at home, I feel serene. I took this photo impulsively when I saw it, it was a recycling bin filled with water in the middle of the quad at school. I thought it was weird and funny so I took a photo, then continued taking photos and realized I could manipulate the water to replicate the waves in Brazil. I edited this photo using Photoshop, I adjusted the curves, brightness and exposure to make the waves look surreal in a sense.
Anonymous
The theme this week was titled Anonymous and we were to supposed to interpret it however we liked. I decided I wanted sort of a dark feel. I shot at an angle making the viewer slight unsettled as well as leaving the brightness low to create a scarier feel. I also highlighted the grain to give it a vintage look. I shot many shots similar to this one, but ultimately loved the blurry lights outside the window. It leaves the viewer questioning who took this photo? What’s behind and in front of the window?
Leading Lines
The theme this week was leading lines and how they represent infinity. I took a picture of this tree going to so many different directions with leaves behind it. In this it represents infinity because the branches trace your eyes everywhere in the image.
Center Frame Portraits
This weeks theme was Center Frame Portraits and to do this I wanted to take my lamp and go inside the outer ring and photograph and isolate the bulb in the center of the frame. I think this made the bulb look abstract, detailed, and more interesting. I reshot the shot many times and had to lower the shutter speed each time because the light was so overexposed. I then edited this piece on Photoshop to bring out the yellow hue and saturate the image more.
Weight or Mass
I took this photo while playing around for an assignment in design and I thought it fit the theme perfectly. The water and flower represent the light weight as the flowers float on the water that is perfectly filled to the brim.
Fill the Frame
The assignment for this week’s photo blog was to fill the frame with one color, I chose my favorite color: orange. I saw this beautiful flower while walking down a farmers market in Los Angeles. My dad and I had a competition about who could take the best picture of the flower and I think I won (he thinks he won). I utilized balanced symmetry and edited the photo to make the various hues of orange in the flower pop more.
Negative Space
For this weeks theme, the instructions were to find a picture that showcased negative space. While I was in Los Angeles for februrary break, we went to a mulitude of museums containing not only art and history, but also beautiful structures such as this one in this photo. It rose and desecnds with hundres of lamposts reapting in a row. I thought it was so beautiful and unique so I had to take a picture. I think the negative space in the night sky contrasts nicely with brightness and saturation from the lamp. To edit this photo, I adjusted the brightness, in order for it too not be over exposed to do the many lamps, I adjusted the saturation to make the sky pop, and I shot this structure from many angles to pick the most flattering and interesting photo, this one had the best leading lines, making your eyes move up and down the photo.
Balance in Holiday Traditions
Every single year for Christmas my family and I argue over which tree to get and decorate it for hours. Although this seems basic, we have had added twist to this tradition every year. My dad is a film maker, so every year when we do the tree he films it and places it in time lapse and creates a longer movie each year (we have been doing this for 12 years!). We get to see ourselves grow up each year and go through 700 different emotions while decorating a tree. I took this photo and used photoshop to brighten it up as well as bring out the lights in the reflection of the ornament
Geometry
This week’s theme was geometry and I wanted to take a photo that showed organic elements along with geometry elements. To compose this photo I lowered all lights in the room. and centered the camera to the main light, I placed my hand in various positions so that the light from the lamp would highlight my hand with different values, I then edited the photo so that the background was dark, juxtaposing my hand from the light. The contrast from the geometric circle to the organic hand I think perfectly resembled geometry in two different ways. The black background makes the two main elements stand out giving it a more clean and geometric feel.
Photoshop Blend Mode Editing Section
In this digital media assignment, we began getting comfortable with photoshop and using it to make our DSLR photos better. We tried multiple different tools that brightened, darkened, saturated, and desaturated our photos. Blend modes in photoshop taught me how to create more interesting photographs and now I can create better quality work.
Miniature Figure Photography and Photoshop Practice
For this assignment, we began learning to use photoshop in a creative realistic and realistic way. We also began experimenting with different photos and elements to start. We learned how to change the background, use the pen tool, saturation tool, how to add filters, how to select something, how to darken a figure, and how to copy a figure. Then we actually got to find 2 figures and how to compose them and edit their color, size, how many there are, etc. We went out and picked some figures to begin taking photos with. We then were assigned to edit them and create two figures and change one slightly.
Narrative Character Portrait
For my model, I chose my sister, a 22-year-old girl. I want to compose this shot in an interesting, elegant, and professional way. I first took 60 shots, with my model in several different positions. I played around with blue, red, and green lights, which all had a similarity of discomfort within them. I put my model in professional clothing, to represent her career, red lipstick to portray her femininity, and a computer with sticky notes spread across it in the background, to show how she was mid-task.
I choose the final photo for a multitude of reasons. I enjoyed how my model broke the fourth wall and reached through the picture almost as if her eyes were asking for help, or to be recognized. I composed this photo so my model lies in the right third of the piece, as the computer overwhelmed the rest, dragging your eyes across the picture. I decided on blue light to accentuate the melancholy and numbness of her expression, with a slight pink light to represent the unknown. In the background, I purposefully kept the computer black, to represent mystery and allow the audience to ask themselves why isn’t she looking at the computer? What is distracting her?
To edit this photo I used Adobe Photoshop. I first turned the exposure of the photo up, and I then edited the hue, vibrance, color, and curve. I used the selection tool and highlighted my subject and sharpened her features, I then selected the background and blurred it, to allow my subject to obtrude from the background. Lastly, I applied a vignette to frame the picture.
I choose the final photo for a multitude of reasons. I enjoyed how my model broke the fourth wall and reached through the picture almost as if her eyes were asking for help, or to be recognized. I composed this photo so my model lies in the right third of the piece, as the computer overwhelmed the rest, dragging your eyes across the picture. I decided on blue light to accentuate the melancholy and numbness of her expression, with a slight pink light to represent the unknown. In the background, I purposefully kept the computer black, to represent mystery and allow the audience to ask themselves why isn’t she looking at the computer? What is distracting her?
To edit this photo I used Adobe Photoshop. I first turned the exposure of the photo up, and I then edited the hue, vibrance, color, and curve. I used the selection tool and highlighted my subject and sharpened her features, I then selected the background and blurred it, to allow my subject to obtrude from the background. Lastly, I applied a vignette to frame the picture.
Name Art Using DSLR Camera
For this Design Assignment, we were assigned to take a pictures of objects that could be used to spell out our name. Ten photos for each object of your name. This assignment was so exciting because it was such a challenge to try and find objects for the letter Z. When the shooting process was done, we made a contact sheet, narrowed down our best shots, and finally edited them in black and white. We color corrected them to show good contrast, and finally made our photoshop sheet where we spaced the letters out evenly.
Conceptual Photography for Design
To extend the English and digital media assignment to Design, we were chosen to take CR2 pictures using our DSLR cameras, then make a contact sheet, choose the best photos, then edited them in photoshop (all using the same sentence from the previous projects). I did two different photoshoots, consisting of many ideas. My final idea was to have the flower portray the victim of bullying and the fire represents the act of bullying. I then went outside and chose a solid wood background to contrast the flower, took a lighter, and tried to get a fire going. I then edited it using photoshop and composed it to align with the rule of thirds.
Fine Art
Video Editing
After Effects Introduction Video
For Digital Media, we turned our documentary paper into a short video using Adobe Aftereffects. Since I am still learning video editing, I wanted to make my video straightforward while also being artistic. I began the piece with an archival video from Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” music video. I faded the title, source, and my name into the archival video. I then faded out to some pictures that accurately represented my paper, photos from the 1960s. I made the photos match the beat, used the Ken Burns effect to make the still photos move, and lowered the opacity to have them fade out delicately. I ended the video with the introduction paragraph of my paper and showcased videos from Woodstock. In the background, I put royalty-free 1960s surf-rock music. I am pretty proud of how this video turned out.
Cool Graphics and Video
AfterEffects Practice
AfterEffects Practice
In this unit, we did a deep dive into AfterEffects to edit, animate, and make our still images more interesting. We did a variety of videos to further engage with all the tools AfterEffects provided. I practiced Rotoscoping, Graphics and audio, and more effects that will help better my work.
Core Values
This video showcases the values that I hope to portray in my college essay. I first recorded all my values separately, normalized the clips, and edited them on Adobe Audition. I imported them in Adobe AfterEffects and edited them to be animated and have background music.
Haiku
For my first official project at freestyle, I got assigned a sentence to portray in a Haiku and an original photograph that I took to represent the Haiku. My sentence was: “the feeling of being overwhelmed through being bullied.” I then captured an up close leaf with tons of imperfections and edited it in Adobe Photoshop to reflect the mood of the poem. After the poem was finalized and revised, I used Premiere pro to create a video with sound, effects, and music. I value knowing how to now use Premiere Pro to create videos.
Illustrator Project Process
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