This project involved the design of a commemorative graphic t-shirt for the 31st Annual Hart Pow Wow, hosted by the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians (FTMBI). The garment was created to be screen-printed and worn during a living cultural gathering, requiring both visual impact and cultural responsibility.
The design process began with compositing a realistic apparel mockup in Adobe Photoshop to visualize scale, placement, and garment context. The final artwork was then fully illustrated live in Adobe Illustrator, allowing for clean vector output suitable for screen printing and reproduction.
Drawing from my lived experience as a Native designer, the graphic incorporates culturally competent and appropriate symbology that reflects Indigenous identity, continuity, and community without abstraction or dilution. Every visual element was approached with respect for ceremony, audience, and tradition—balancing contemporary graphic design language with cultural specificity.
This project reflects my approach to Indigenous-centered design work: intentional, respectful, and rooted in community context—where design functions not only as aesthetics, but as representation.
Tools: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
Deliverable: Screen-printed t-shirt graphic
Focus: Cultural design, illustration, apparel graphics
Deliverable: Screen-printed t-shirt graphic
Focus: Cultural design, illustration, apparel graphics
