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Kotton Stickers ‘Not I’ Apparel
Not I is a brand that I created myself as I found myself wanting to inspire youths and other creatives to engage in more positive behaviors.
The idea came about after years of teaching and other freelance projects. Because our education system heavily relies on overworked faculty and often aged materials, I wondered how I could inspire students and other individuals to seek knowledge for themselves and participate in more fulfilling activities. After several sketches and conceptual drawings, the Not I brand was born. The character itself is a boy who emulates the aesthetic of many urban youths. On his T-shirt is the phrase ‘Not I,’ a declaration of self-investment and preservation. Not I is a refusal to participate in things or tasks that distract or serve ill-purpose to the wearer. It is a commitment to oneself, while also inspiring others to be who they truly are without group pressure.
So far, the Not I apparel has been sold in various states including California, Texas, Maryland, and Virginia with more prospective markets in the works. It’s core audience so far has been people of color as well as consumers in the age range of 16 - 34. It has sold particularly well online as well as at vendor markets and outdoor events.
My goal within the following years is to create variations to hit a larger consumer base while still maintaining the essence and messaging of the brand.
Shay Better Love LLC Betty Boop Redesign
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The client, who now has her own successful matchmaking and life coaching business, came to me to create Afro Betty Boop characters to use alongside her branding in 2022 (although she ultimately decided not to use them, the finalized work was approved by the franchise itself).
She wanted multiple versions of black Betty Boop graphics that were easily identifiable to the target audience. Belonging to the target demographic and also being a visual artist heavily influenced by black culture, this project was right-up my alley. It was easy for me to find aesthetic examples of what she wanted and then create sample sketches of each design. A few examples placed emphasis on contemporary black American experiences, particularly youths and working professionals.
Once completed, a total of eight deliverables were produced. This project was also done at a time where my illustration skills were just being translated into Adobe illustrator, and I hadn’t had much professional experience with the software. So it was an incredible feeling to have the project become a success.