Graphic Designer & Illustrator

◇VANESA ARENAS-RUBIO◇

welcome to

my portfolio

a taste of my work

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LIKE WHAT I DO?

You can support me by buying me a coffee on my Ko-fi! Not obligatory but highly appreciated.

Art Portfolio

Welcome to the portfolio menu! All of my work is sorted into 3 separate categories based on the type of purpose, then by the materials used to create them. Unlike the home page, each one of these pieces gives a more in-depth description. If you're interested in commissioning me, you can look through my previous projects to see the work I've done for other clients!

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◇illustrations◇

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◇branding◇

◇branding◇

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PREVIOUS
◇PROJECTS◇

A View I Once Dreamt Of

digital | 2020 | Personal

This is a city skyline from a balcony view, with some cherry blossom petals flying in the wind.

Inspirational Poster

digital | 2021 | Elmhurst Uni. Intro to Art Software

This project was to design an 11 x 17 poster that promotes the message of finding one's path, which I support.

A Walk of Warmth

digital | 2021 | Personal

Personal art, mainly an experiment in making sunsets.

Until We
Meet Again

digital | 2021 | Personal

Personal art, mainly made to experiment with lighting and monochrome palette.

Kachi-kachi Yama

digital | 2023 | Asian Club of Elmhurst Uni.

This was my entry to the art competition, hosted by the Asian Club of Elmhurst University. The theme for 2023 was Mythical Creatures & Folklore, and I decided to choose the folkstory Kachi-Kachi Yama.Kachi-Kachi Yama, or "The Farmer and the Badger," is a Japanese folk tale. The iconic scene from the story is depicted at the bottom of my piece: the vengeful Rabbit setting fire to the mischievous Badger's gathered pile of grass. It’s seemingly a small and random act at first glance, which raises the question of why this act was done. Moving upwards, a whole story begins to unfold. Depending on the interpretation, the Badger tricked the farmer's wife into letting him go from the ropes, killed her, and turned her into soup - represented in my piece by the bowl and the ghostly, bloody hand. Only after tricking the farmer and feeding him the soup while posing as his wife was the truth exposed. After learning what had happened from the distraught old man, Rabbit vowed to exact revenge for him and made every effort to make Badger's life as miserable as possible, which is why he lit the grass. He eventually challenged Badger to a boat race, with Rabbit taking the wooden boat and Badger taking the clay boat. As Badger's boat sank, Rabbit beat him with an oar until he drowned, as depicted near the top. Rabbit then returned to the elderly man and told him that the deed had been completed and justice had been served. All of this is my interpretation of how a single action could spiral into a series of impacts, and how vengeance can be mistaken for justice.

With My Hands

digital | 2023 | Personal

The original was a marble design using ink, water, and paper. This is a redesign, digitalized with my colors.

BOW - Homophone/ Homograph Poster

digital | 2023 | Elmhurst Uni. intro to graphic design

This exercise required the individual designers to work with the visual/verbal wordplay juxtaposition technique utilizing homophones and homographs, by combining the word and the multiple or collaged images to increase their understanding of the multiple meanings of the "word" resulting from the contrast of two or more images.
The word I chose was "bow", a word with multiple definitions.

Lamp - iteration poster

digital | 2023 | Elmhurst Uni. intro to graphic design

Using the illustrated object iterations generated during the in-class exercise as building blocks, each designer has to develop 3 posters in Illustrator to communicate 3 different design principles.
The object I used for the iterations was a desk lamp. I also chose "scale", "contract", and "radial balance". The goal of the project was to:

  • Show "scale" in a monochromatic color palette

  • Show "contrast" in a complementary color palette

  • Show "radial balance" in an analogous color palette

Exercise 1: Circles

INK | 2022 | Elmhurst Uni. DESIGN Studio

This project required designers to create 8 different designs only using circles.

Exercise 2: Lines

INK | 2022 | Elmhurst Uni. DESIGN Studio

This project required designers to create 4 different designs only using lines. The lines could be straight, curved, dotted, and put on an angle.

Exercise 3: Planes

INK | 2022 | Elmhurst Uni. DESIGN Studio

This project required designers to create 4 different designs only using planes. Planes are defined as a closed shape with 4 straight edges.

Exercise 4: Circles, Lines & Planes

INK | 2022 | Elmhurst Uni. DESIGN Studio

This project required designers to create 2 different designs using circles, lines, and planes.The lines could be straight, curved, dotted, and put on an angle. The planes are defined as a closed shape with 4 straight edges.

Exercise 5: Shapes

INK | 2022 | Elmhurst Uni. DESIGN Studio

This project required designers to create 2 different designs of a 3-dimensional object using circles, lines, and planes. I used some pliers for my project, captured by a unique angle.

Exercise 6: Texture

INK | 2022 | Elmhurst Uni. DESIGN Studio

This project was to replicate textures, only using ink. I first practiced recreating texture on cubes to show how it wraps around a 3-dimensional form. For the project, I photographed 8 natural textures and recreated them in ink. Finally, using the 8 textures, I mushed them together for a montage piece.

CHARCOAL SKETCHES

CHARCOAL | 2022 | Elmhurst Uni. Drawing Studio

In order to to draw, you need to understand the way eyes see. Doing these sketches helped me such principle and improved my skills in traditional drawing.

PROJECT 2:
LIGHTING

CHARCOAL | 2022 | Elmhurst Uni. Drawing Studio

This project was focused on recreating the lighting on 3-dimensional objects. Using an arrangement of sculptures, glasses, and plastic forms, I used a harsh light to help differentiate each one of them as well as its textures.

PROJECT 4:
MONOCHROME

PASTEL | 2022 | Elmhurst Uni. Drawing Studio

This project required to use of a black sheet of paper and white pastel, a reversal of white paper and black pastel. I created the skull, bones, and apple from a photograph and used the white pastel to show a a range of brightness.

PROJECT 5:
SELF PORTRAIT

PASTEL | 2022 | Elmhurst Uni. Drawing Studio

This project was a combination of all the previous projects of the drawing studio class, combining form, cross-hatching/bending, lighting, and human proportions. I took a selfie and put a grid on it to help me replicate it on poster paper with pastels.

project 1:
shapes

PENCIL | 2022 | Elmhurst Uni. Drawing Studio

This project required us to explore shapes to create 3-dimensional forms. It was also practice for making perspective.

PROJECT 3:
hatching

PENCIL | 2022 | Elmhurst Uni. Drawing Studio

This project was to practice cross-hatching, a shading/bending method, to recreate the first image. The second image was the result.

Pencil sketches

PENCIL | 2023 | Personal

Personal art, practicing my traditional art skills with the good old pencil and paper.
Here is featured a cattle skull and a flower in a vase.

Exercise 8:
Final Project

PAPER | 2022 | Elmhurst Uni. Design Studio

This project was a magazine collage art piece using recycled magazines to send a message/story to the viewer, that being: my moment of loss and confused. It was an experience I always wanted to capture and this was a great opportunity to do so.

Frisbie
Senior Center

LOGO | 2019 | MW HS Adv. Graphic Certification

This project was to create a logo for the Frisbie Senior Center, located in Des Plaines, that can go on their letterhead, designs, etc. We also had total freedom with design and color scheme.This one was picked as one of the Top 3 of all the classes.

D207 STEM Kits

LOGO | 2020 | MW HS Adv. Graphic Certification

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the rest of the year's course had to be taken remotely at our homes.
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This is a special project for a few selected students of the class, including myself. This project is to create a summer camp logo for STEM kits that will be given by District 207 teachers to the local middle school students of District 62. These will be printed as stickers.

Inked Canary

LOGO | 2020 | Personal

My first personal brand prototype.I wanted to create my brand on RedBubble, so I designed a prototype logo design. It wasn't used at the end. As they say, "just for the funsies".

Resort
Project Design

ICON | 2021 | Elmhurst Uni. Intro to Art Software

This project is a set of isotypes for a fictional ski resort. Using Adobe Illustrator, I created these to be made for sign as visual ques for guests.

Prospect
Airport Hire

FLYER | 2019 | MW HS Advanced Graphic Certification

This project was to create a flyer for employment for Prospect Airport Services Inc. using the existing info from the original flyer.A cleaner redesign of the original.

Cleanup Give Back

FLYER | 2020 | MW HS Advanced Graphic Certification

This project was to create a flyer for the non-profit organization from Des Plaines for their “Court Ordered Flexible Service Program”. These flyers were to be handed out at the Skokie courthouse let anyone who gets a traffic ticket or small infraction know that they can do service.

Maine West HS
Day of Service

FLYER | 2020 | MW HS Advanced Graphic Certification

This project was to create a 8.5x11 flyer and 11x17 poster designs for Maine West's Day of Service event.
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Due to COVID-19, the event was canceled.

LP Sleeve Redesign: Lost at sea by fin

ALBUM | 2023 | Elmhurst Uni. Typography

This project was to redesign a poorly designed album cover that doesn't reflect the album itself. I chose "Lost at Sea" by Fin Argus, an album released in 2017 and based on the story of Peter Pan.
Using Garamond Premier (Regular) and Mr. Eaves (Bold), I created the front and back cover as well as the vinyl label only using type.

LP sleeve Redesign: 00:00 by Siddhartha

ALBUM | 2023 | Elmhurst Uni. Intro to Graphic Design

The project was to redesign an album cover of my chosen artist, a collage illustration based on the songs as my design, in honor of Record Store Day (April 15, 2023). The design should be able to adapt to varying formatting sizes and demonstrate that the number of techniques in Photoshop is used appropriately. After completing the album redesign, I would have to create merchandise/marketing materials related to the album, which includes a poster and t-shirt design.

RUBIO FAMILY COOKBOOK

OTHER | 2021 | Elmhurst Uni. Intro to Art Software

This project was to create a recipe book using Adobe InDesign. My cookbook includes my family's recipe book from breakfast foods to desserts, all translated from Spanish.

Identity Monogram

OTHER | 2023 | Elmhurst Uni. Typography

Using letters from the Baskervile typeface, I developed a personal monogram/identity made-up of my initials. Then, I used my identity to develop a pattern and apply it to a digital 3-dimensional form.

TV SHOW
INTRO SEQUENCE

OTHER | 2023 | Elmhurst Uni. Typography

Using the Futura and Baskerville typefaces, I created a fake television show called, "STROBELIGHTING". It fell in psychological science, thriller, and mystery genre, and I created the following premise:A photographer of a publishing company slowly descends into madness after a near-death accident and it’s up to them to finish loose ends and find out what truly lurks in the shadows.Based on this, I made freeze frames for the opening sequence.

Type Specimen
Trade Gothic

OTHER | 2023 | Elmhurst Uni. Typography

Using the Trade Gothic typeface, I created a type specimen booklet - one imagined to be part of a collection. If a collector were to pick this one as their first booklet, the few front pages feature a brief history of the typeface as well as typeface anatomy. It also features all the typeface's points, weights, and unique characters.

Maine West HS Latinx Club

Logo + CLOTHING | 2020 | MW HS Adv.Graphic Certification

Maine West High School Latinx Club was seeking for a personalized logo for the club t-shirt. As a member, I contributed icons of Hispanic culture into the design.

Licorice wax: Record store

Other | 2023 | Elmhurst uni. Intro to Graphic Design

The project was to design a complete brand identity for an imaginary vinyl record store in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood that fits its personality and target audience. This will include a combination logo design, reflective color palette, typography, pattern, and brand applications to physical and/or digital media.

Yovani Painting & More

Small painting company that specializes in interior & exterior painting with brush/roller, power wash, and roof repairs. Company requested:

  • Business Card Design (500 amount, embrossed gloss)

  • 5 Color Palette

  • Primary Logo

Alomar, Inc.

Small wholesale jewelry store that sells 14K gold, silver, as well as other items. It also offers a repair service for any item needed to be fixed. Company requested:

  • Business Card Design (500 amount, embrossed gloss)

  • 5 Color Palette

  • Primary Logo

◇ABOUT◇

ABOUT ME

Vanesa Arenas-Rubio — or simply known as "RUBIOSCURO" — is a queer freelance graphic designer and illustrator living in the Chicagoland area, with a passion for all things mysterious and thrilling — there is nothing like an intriguing puzzle to keep someone on their toes.Growing up as a First-Generation Mexican-American student, Nes never believed her career would involve art. At a young age, they peeked into accounting, astronomy, and crime forensics but nothing called out to them. Art, despite not being a fan of it at first, became their voice and soul - thanks to her past mentors and supporters.They are currently studying graphic design at Elmhurst University but have been working with a few businesses on projects aside. In between commissions and studying, they draw while enjoying an animated show on the side."Thank you for taking a look at my work!"
— Nes

◇

STATUS

Currently: Studying graphic design at Elmhurst University

AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS

  • [2023] Kachi-kachi Yama for "First Place" at Asian Club of Elmhurst University Art Competition: Mythical Creatures and Folklore

  • [2024] Participant for Elmhurst University's Honors Study-Abroad Program at Liverpool Hope

  • [2024] Head Graphics Editor for Elmhurst University's newspaper, The Leader

Alias Origins

The alias, RUBIOSCURO, was made from two different meanings."Rubio" proudly came from my idol and grandfather, Manuél Rubio Avila. He was beloved by his family and friends in the little town of Michoacan, Mexico, and known for his creativity and craftsmanship in his own hands. Though he wasn't able to achieve higher education, he was quite intelligent and was able to fix any problem with what he had. It is one of the qualities I admire about him.The "-scuro" suffix came from the art term "chiaroscuro". It means "the use of light (chiaro-) and dark/shadows (-scuro) to make a 3D painting". After learning this term in an art history class, I believed it was a fitting word for what they felt about their art.And that is how my alias was born, with honor and significance.

WHY I DRAW?

When I was younger, I never thought of being an artist. It wasn't until I took a graphic design class in high school, I learned something important:When it comes to making art, it can truly reveal a lot about who you are as a person and the world you view. No matter the professionalism, experience, or medium used, it is what you can provide to the world.For me, whenever I communicate with other people, they don't understand. As if I was speaking a whole foreign language. But when I create with my own two hands, they finally get a sense of what I say, what I feel. That is why I loved being an artist.That is why I draw.

LIKE WHAT I DO?

You can support me by buying me a coffee on my Ko-fi! Not obligatory but highly appreciated.

◇CONTACT◇

EMAIL// arenasrubiov@gmail.com

Thank you

I'll try to contact you as soon as humanly possible!! Take care, my dear fellows :)