Graphic and digital design

UQCC

The University of Queensland Cycling Club is a cycling association based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The club has many talented cyclists, from road to cycling, it's always great to see the diverse members representing the club. Not only are there uni students, but also alumni who have graduated many moons ago.

I've been a member of UQCC for many years since I started my cycling journey back when I was studying, and through UQCC, I've met many friends that I'm very grateful for.

This kit was made a while ago for the kit design competition. I aimed to create a design that is evolutionary rather than entirely different, to ensure continuity and greater acceptance. The kit features the traditional Queensland maroon as its major colour, complemented by sky blue (or baby blue, my favourite colour) and navy as the minor palette, consistent with other UQ Sport affiliated clubs. I believe these colours work well together.

To promote inclusivity, a women's kit was also produced, featuring rose pink as the highlight colour supplied in the design brief. I chose to reverse the colour scheme for the women's kit, which complements the men's design beautifully. Both the modified UQ emblem and the new club logo were also provided in the design brief.

The proportions between the chevrons follow the Fibonacci sequence, also known as the golden ratio, to ensure clean and pleasing aesthetics. This kit design blends tradition and modernity, featuring a distinctive chevron pattern guided by the Golden Ratio to ensure an appealing aesthetic and proportionality, a bold club crest, and a sophisticated colour palette of sky blue and rose pink. The design incorporates traditional Seigaiha waves and cubic motifs, creating a dynamic and visually appealing look. Tailored for both men and women, this kit enhances the club’s visibility and profile.

UQ

This kit was made for the Brisbane Mt Coot-tha Burn race, and I was really surprised to receive a call one day asking if I wanted to be on the UQ corporate team. Of course, I said yes, and I also got the opportunity to design the kit. The kit coincided with the recent update to the UQ branding, which features purple as the main colour, inspired by the jacaranda blossoms that appear every spring on campus. The rest of the colours are from the house style and complement the jacaranda flowers. One standout feature is the V-shaped chevron on the chest, adding a dynamic visual appeal and creating a flattering silhouette. Additionally, I used Photoshop to fill the template supplied by the manufacturer to ensure they were clearly and attractively presented to internal stakeholders.

Cycling Brisbane's Rider Wrap Design Competition

This cycling kit was designed for the Brisbane Riders Wrap competition, organised by Cycling Brisbane. It is an initiative by the Brisbane City Council to promote cycling and active transport within the city. The kit is a vibrant and visually striking piece that draws heavily from the architectural and cultural elements of Brisbane City Hall. The design features a harmonious blend of blue and yellow, the city’s official colours, creating a bold yet balanced aesthetic.

Several intricate patterns dominate the kit: traditional Japanese Seigaiha wave patterns run across the shoulders and lower sections of the jersey and shorts, symbolising resilience and fluidity; Greek key (fret) patterns adorn the collar, cuffs, and hem, adding a touch of elegance and continuity; and mosaic tiles inspired by the intricate floor tiles of City Hall subtly appear throughout the design, adding depth and texture.

The prominent city crest on the chest stands as a proud emblem, highlighting the connection to Brisbane. The overall design was adapted from the UQCC kit to streamline the process. The patterns and colours together create a cohesive and dynamic design that celebrates the city’s heritage and promotes the spirit of active transportation. This kit is definitely a standout piece in the city, and it not only promotes the city’s vibrant culture but also encourages an active lifestyle among its residents.

TNO

TNO is the Dutch Applied Scientific Research Organisation. I've been very privileged to have worked there. One of the community groups is the TNO cycling group. It's full of colleagues who love cycling and share their passion.

During my time there, I proactively reached out to the TNO cycling group kit organisers about potentially working on an updated kit design, as the TNO brand was recently updated. To my surprise, I was given the opportunity to do so. This collaborative effort involved the TNO cycling group organisers, marketing team, kit manufacturer (36 Cycling), and many others. We developed several preliminary designs and ultimately finalised one that adhered to the house style and brand guidelines. I also successfully proposed using the TNO logo without the payoff for a more balanced and symmetrical front design, a variant that is only used mostly for building signage. The final design incorporated TNO’s main colours — reflex blue and orange as a minor highlight colour. Additionally, we included a subtle dot pattern from the house style. Although I initially wanted to use more intricate patterns to add shades and textures, we decided to retain the design simple for a cleaner look, staying within the official branding resources.

Bike name stickers

I started making bike name stickers over 10 years ago when I began following pro cycling because I noticed they're on the pros' bikes and helmets. They add a sleek, personalised touch with names and country flags and they look super cool. Friends often ask me where I get mine from, and it's always a surprise when I tell them I make them -- and that I'm happy to make some for them, too. They're also great for learning names on training rides and they add a professional touch at races.

The stickers are designed in Illustrator with a standard height of 10 mm. I created several colour iterations, including blue and yellow, which complement each other well, and green and gold, representing Australia's sporting colours. The chosen font is Gotham, with the surname capitalised and followed by the flag. To achieve a harmonised and dynamic look, the entire sticker, including the flag, is skewed to match the italic font's slant. Rounded corners on the sticker's edge add a softer touch, with the radius concentric with the flag's corners, demonstrating attention to detail. The resulting design is minimalistic and eye-catching, yet customisable to anyone's personal preferences.

Printed on UV-resistant, waterproof, thermoplastic laser stickers, I enhance the stickers' durability additionally with three layers of polymer coating. Moreover, I also make some club logo stickers to complement the name stickers, adding a pro look to the bike. Yes, I plaster these stickers at famous cycling meccas, as well as on my laptop.

Conference presentations

I love attending conferences to present my work, as it provides the perfect opportunity to showcase my skills in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Making visually appealing slides and posters not only captures the audience's attention but also enhances the overall presentation. I still remember the feedback I received, with people complimenting how pretty my slides were. Most of the time, I use the house style of the institution that I was working at and the graphic resources available as the themes of the poster, with some personal artistic liberty to play with the design elements. This approach ensures a cohesive and professional look while allowing me to infuse my unique style, making each presentation both distinctive and memorable.

Apps that I regularly use for graphic design