10 Junior Creatives with Inspiring Portfolios
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10 Junior Creatives with Inspiring Portfolios
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At ilovecreatives, our team knows all too well that for aspiring creatives, especially, the transition between college and post-grad professional life is often not a linear pathway. While some may land design jobs straight after graduation, others may prefer to freelance, pursue adjacent jobs as they build their portfolios, or decide to get more education (or a little bit of all of these things combined!).
For this round-up of our Looking For series, we’re featuring emerging junior creatives whose portfolios are truly gardens in bloom: fresh, vibrant, and oh-so exciting. With a dynamic spectrum of specialties and backgrounds, our talented features include current undergraduate and Master’s students, as well as recent grads with varying years of professional experience. We’ve got animators, motion designers, 3D and graphic designers, illustrators, and more.
We celebrate and acknowledge this very transformational season of personal and career development, one that we know is both challenging at times and so ripe with possibilities! With this in mind, we are humbled to spotlight the following early career creatives, many of whom are preparing to navigate their first major transition into the professional world. As you read more about our features and visit their stunning portfolios, we hope you are inspired by their creations and all the ways they’ll continue to grow!
This article is part of the Looking For series. We look for creatives to feature on a regular basis, so be sure to sign-up for our newsletter and follow us @ilovecreatives to be the first to know about the next opportunity!
➀ Ryan Allison (he/him)
Phoenix, AZ
Channeling an Indigenous perspective to his eye-catching design work, Ryan is a Diné artist, musician, and graphic designer from Fort Defiance, Arizona, located in the Navajo Nation. A recent grad from Arizona State University, Ryan showcases his personal style in previous projects, including illustrative bandana artwork for Mister Bandana and creative direction and design for the Hat Club x HOMELAND collection. Be sure also to check out his illustrations to find the lively collaboration of his collaging and airbrushing techniques.
Ryan’s advice for aspiring creatives:
“Learn to ask questions from teachers, mentors, and strangers. Most artists are nice and love to talk process. If you ask them how to do something, they'll most likely share it.”
➁ Lennon Fanning (he/him)
Oakland, CA
From design to video editing, production, and illustration, Lennon is a multi-talented creative currently based in Oakland, California. Simultaneously pursuing a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a professional program in Graphic Design, he is also a freelance superstar. Some of our personal favorites from his portfolio include his wistful album artwork, brand development for coffee roasting company Public Parking, and book design for community cookbook, For a Friend.
Lennon’s advice for navigating the creative industry:
“Stay open to learning and be humble. It's easy to feel entitled, like you deserve it all in the creative world, like you are a true artist whose vision is completely new. You may be supremely original, however, so are many others. Stay open to learning from others and be pleasant to work with.”
➂ Kiki Araba Fraikue (she/her)
Plymouth, UK
Meet Kiki, a fashion design student making big waves at Arts University Plymouth for her innovative design work. As founder and creative director of streetwear brand Erasure Clothing, Kiki is the visionary behind the brand’s charismatic appeal, one that has been recognized by GQ through multiple features. Get a glimpse into her creative process with her awe-inspiring projects such as “THROWN INTO THE SEA”, HEAVEN MAG, and so much more.
Kiki’s advice for growing as a creative:
“Try everything, always ask questions, and keep an eye on what your peers are doing. I've learned the most from other students and how they work differently from me.”
➃ Hei Kuok (she/her)
Sarasota, FL
Experiencing Hei’s portfolio is guaranteed to fill you with wonder. A 2024 Ringling graduate (CONGRATS!), Hei is an award-winning animator and motion designer whose work is truly breathtaking. Rich with tasteful playfulness and remarkable attention to detail, Hei’s repertoire is full of stunning animations. Definitely check out her Demo Reel, which showcases snippets of her projects, including animation work for WIRED, her internship projects for Compadre!, and a mock-up for Nickelodeon’s El Tigre.
Hei on standing out and staying true to your vision:
“Embrace the fact that there's always room to grow, and with every new thing you learn, you won't be an expert right away. Networking? Yep, it's crucial, but don't forget to sprinkle in your unique charm - people will remember that better! And hey, a well-timed power nap might just be your secret weapon. But amidst it all, never lose sight of your authentic voice and vision—it's your ticket to standing out in the bustling world of design!”
➄ Stephanie Rodriguez (she/her)
New York, NY
Stephanie is pursuing a BFA in Photography at Parsons School of Design, and her photographs will absolutely capture your attention. Her visual style casts a soft, dreamlike glow onto her subjects, lighting up your curiosity and nostalgia for their stories. Check out her artistry on her portfolio and Instagram page, where her photos await your visit! You can also learn more about her personal background in this article by Refinery29, where she shares about her major transition to college.
Stephanie’s evergreen advice to creatives:
”Stay true to what made you start and let that be your driving force!”
➅ Jenny Scott (she/they)
Philadelphia, PA
Based in Philadelphia, Jenny is a multidisciplinary designer whose toolkit includes packaging and brand design, print production, UX design, and front-end web development. Incorporating intention and elevating brand values at every step of the design process, Jenny knows how to do the research to take your brand to new heights! Their refreshing design projects include prompt-based packaging design for Matcha Moments, brand redesign for the Passyunk Square Civic Association, and conversation card deck design for Spring Point Partners.
Jenny offers invaluable advice:
“Your first big client is yourself! Creatives use their skills to problem-solve for others, but we often forget to do that internal branding work for ourselves. What are your values? Who do you want to work with? What part of your craft do you most enjoy and would like to do more of? It makes handling the creative imposter syndrome a little easier because you’ll start to work in your own unique expertise.”
➆ Holly Szczypka (she/her)
London, UK
Introducing Holly, a London-based 3D illustrator who has captured the hearts of our collective inner child. Holly pivoted into a career in 3D illustration from a background in design, and we absolutely adore how she crafts her whimsical character art! Drawing us into a playground of bright colors, Holly’s portfolio showcases her vibrant work in her professional projects and experimental work. Among her client work includes illustrations for NYT Games: Spelling Bee, pet brand Omlet, and Weiden+Kenndy’s “New Faces” project.
Creative tips from Holly:
“Make personal work! I accidentally fell into illustration by creating work for fun and then having my first clients reach out because they liked my style. Carving out time for little experiments is how I'm starting to find my voice.”
➇ Andrew V. Tran (he/him)
Long Beach, CA
A recent graduate from California State University, Long Beach, Andrew is a graphic designer whose keen eye for typography shines in his work. We admire his art of noticing, as his engaging design choices magnify his artful storytelling. From his portfolio, we thoroughly enjoyed exploring his “Who Is Michael Jang?” photobook and web experience, thought-provoking ATF Franklin Gothic Specimen Booklet, and stunning film poster design for A Space Odyssey.
Andrew’s advice to current students:
“Make the most of your opportunities in college. Make sure you find internships that align with your career path.”
➈ Alice Zhang (she/her)
New York, NY
If you need an aesthetic poster for anything, Alice is your go-to visual designer. Joining the Class of 2024 at New York University (HUGE congrats 💐) for her BFA in Interactive Media Arts, she has truly wowed us with her versatile graphic design work. Pinterest is awesome, but have you seen Alice’s 100-day poster challenge? We’re certainly taking notes on how she challenges her imagination with diverse visual styles. While you’re on her website, check out her other projects, including branding design for cafe “Library Days” and her creation of experimental typeface “Flower Girl.”
Affirmations from Alice:
“My advice is: just do it. Push past the fear, the imposter syndrome, just go for it and go ALL IN. Don't hold anything back creatively, be weird, be unusual, be fearless, BE YOURSELF - it'll pay off every single time. If you run into roadblocks, don't let them hold you down. And, most importantly, never stop learning. Also, the right role will find you, I promise that it will and that it'll all work out. (I really needed to hear that for the past few years!)”
➉ Lihao Zhu (she/her)
Brooklyn, NY
A pistachio green enthusiast and an award-winning creative, Lihao is a Pratt Institute MFA graduate and freelance graphic designer specializing in brand identity, editorial design, and motion design. Playing with cool geometric shapes that pop (in color and motion!) in her design solutions, Lihao sure knows how to captivate an audience! Her bilingual fluency in English and Mandarin also enables her to work with clientele worldwide, as well as co-host her bilingual design podcast 412 Playground (the brand identity for this is SO fun). Along with her stellar portfolio gems, such as her MFA thesis: Gender-Fluid Principles of Design, make sure to check out her work with the Dream Labor Press, a female-centered, cross-cultural self-publishing collective.
Lihao’s advice on embracing your creative style and finding community:
“Embrace your uniqueness and show it with your work! My younger self was always a bit insecure, feeling intimidated by the exclusivity I observed in the industry. It took me a few experiences to realize that the industry is full of diverse creatives and talents. I want to tell those pursuing a creative career to be proud of who you are and how you create—that’s how you’ll attract like-minded people, build a community, and thrive together. More importantly, keep working on that portfolio! It’s the best way to showcase your personality. Exciting opportunities and meaningful connections will follow.”
Feeling energized by our features and their well-rounded portfolios?
If you’re a current college student or recent grad looking to build your design portfolio, make sure to check out our Graphic Design Course: College Program! Through this 6-week boot camp of our Graphic Design Course, our instructors prepare you for job readiness as a graphic designer.
Our College Program includes exclusive panels by industry leaders, portfolio reviews (by folks from Adobe, Snapchat, Smalls, Womp, etc.), and more, so make sure you don't miss out! Enroll here by May 30th, 11 am Pacific Time, to save your spot.
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