Hello, I'm Rachel Salazar, founder of Salazar Design Firm. Currently I am an in-house graphic designer at Click Design Studio, Island Sun Times Magazine and the Tropi Tan Tanning Salon franchise. I am a multi-award winning graphic designer that focuses on functional design and clarity of communication. I am skilled in all areas of graphic design, but I mostly enjoy hand typography, editorial, corporate branding, web & mobile user-interface designs, and vector illustrations. With a passion for learning and a devotion to design aesthetics, I solve visual problems while evoking a lyrical tone. I have over 6 years experience working with clients for both print and web design.
Reach
Created for an organization that shelters and redirects homeless or troubled youth. The reaching hands have a sense of movement and depth to illustrate their company in action. I chose a modern and smooth font that would appeal to a younger audience, while the hinted oval shape helps it to keep it looking
Professional and sleek.
Recognition: My project was chosen to be showcased in University of Michigan-Flint’s Annual
Student Show for May 2012
ReFresh
A class project where I was required to developed a logo and corporate branding for the pretend healthy beverage company “ReFresh” and create a packaging design for three various flavors.
Recognition: This design was awarded by the AAF-GF with a Silver Student ADDY Award for creative packaging conceptual design and logo design. This piece was also selected to be showcased in University of Michigan-Flint’s Annual Student Show May 2012.
Personal Brand
For those of you who are wondering, I hand drew the letterforms for my logo. I wanted to represent all aspects and passions I have, not only for design but all of the performing arts as well. The smooth sloping thick and thins of my letter- forms hint to my passion for vocal performance and the long underlining strings represent the silk ribbons of ballet pointe shoes. The looping under my first name is actually my hidden middle initial “L”.
State of MI
A stylized drawing of the mackinaw bridge symbolizes how an internship connects a student’s education to real world work experience. The swirl element shows two things, an abstract illustration of our proud Michigan Great Lakes as well as representing a path to future success.
Recognition:
This design was selected as the winning entry for the State of Michigan Internship Program Competition. I was awarded with an internship at the state of Michigan Civil Service Commission. This piece was also selected to be showcased in University of Michigan-Flint’s Annual Student Show May 2012.
Trinity
They needed a new image to help prevent a younger demographic from leaving, while still embracing their traditional ways. I designed a modern swooping triad so that at a first glance they appear fresh, in motion, and changing with the times. When examined at a deeper level, one will notice that each piece of the triad represents a different part of the holy trinity as I colored each piece symbolically.
Orchestrated
Taking abstract photographs of guitars that resembled each letter of the alphabet, I created a glossary of musical terminology. In this project I experimented with alternative binding techniques that matched the theme.
Recognition: Received a Silver Student ADDY Award from the AAF-GF for my editorial design and hand book binding and clever "typographic" photography. This piece was also selected to be showcased in UM-Flint’s Annual Student Show May 2011. Click the arrows below the image to see other pages
Taking abstract photographs of guitars that resembled each letter of the alphabet, I created a glossary of musical terminology. In this project I experimented with alternative binding techniques that matched the theme.
Recognition: Received a Silver Student ADDY Award from the AAF-GF for my editorial design and hand book binding and clever "typographic" photography. This piece was also selected to be showcased in UM-Flint’s Annual Student Show May 2011. Click the arrows below the image to see other pages
Taking abstract photographs of guitars that resembled each letter of the alphabet, I created a glossary of musical terminology. In this project I experimented with alternative binding techniques that matched the theme.
Recognition: Received a Silver Student ADDY Award from the AAF-GF for my editorial design and hand book binding and clever "typographic" photography. This piece was also selected to be showcased in UM-Flint’s Annual Student Show May 2011. Click the arrows below the image to see other pages
Taking abstract photographs of guitars that resembled each letter of the alphabet, I created a glossary of musical terminology. In this project I experimented with alternative binding techniques that matched the theme.
Recognition: Received a Silver Student ADDY Award from the AAF-GF for my editorial design and hand book binding and clever "typographic" photography. This piece was also selected to be showcased in UM-Flint’s Annual Student Show May 2011. Click the arrows below the image to see other pages
Taking abstract photographs of guitars that resembled each letter of the alphabet, I created a glossary of musical terminology. In this project I experimented with alternative binding techniques that matched the theme.
Recognition: Received a Silver Student ADDY Award from the AAF-GF for my editorial design and hand book binding and clever "typographic" photography. This piece was also selected to be showcased in UM-Flint’s Annual Student Show May 2011. Click the arrows below the image to see other pages
Taking abstract photographs of guitars that resembled each letter of the alphabet, I created a glossary of musical terminology. In this project I experimented with alternative binding techniques that matched the theme.
Recognition: Received a Silver Student ADDY Award from the AAF-GF for my editorial design and hand book binding and clever "typographic" photography. This piece was also selected to be showcased in UM-Flint’s Annual Student Show May 2011. Click the arrows below the image to see other pages
Qua Magazine
This was a class project to design a creative theme for the university’s biannual literary and Arts magazine. I created the layout and hand bound the magazine, as well as the cover photography. Since they were combining literature and art for the first time in this issue, I chose the theme “Express what you see through your eyes.”
Recognition: My project was chosen to be showcased in UM-Flint’s Annual Student Show May 2012.
Saucers
The objective of the assignment was to create a magazine that was an unusually dull subject and bring it to the public in a new light. I chose my love for tea, and wanted to express that the topic was not just for old people who live in England, but it could be the fresh and modern trend of the youthful.
Recognition:
I received a Silver Student ADDY Award from the American Advertising Federation-Greater Flint for my editorial design and hand binding a perfect bound style magazine. This piece was also selected to be showcased in the University of Michigan-Flint’s Annual Student Show, May 2012.
Elevator Studio
While working at Elevator Studio, University of Michigan-Flint’s Student lead design studio, I worked on a collaborative project. My peer designed a mock-up layout and I coded our site into existence. Click here to view live site.
Responsibility: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery Library
Sprout
During my time at Elevator Studio we worked with a non-profit organization SPROUT of Genesee county. This was a collaborative project in which my peer designed mock-up and after he left the studio I picked up the project completely. I worked with the client to recreate the site layout and organization and then I moved on to developing it. This complex site contains more than 64 pages of information for the community. visit at www.sproutgc.gov
Responsibility: Design, HTML, CSS, Javascript, jQuery Library
Hello Goodbye
Lab Rats