As you may already know, my name is Gino and I’m a graphic designer with over 8 years of experience. But what you may not know is my last name is Navarro and I’m kind of silly. Okay, I’m very silly. Look how I’m posing with that tiny float. So silly! (Can we talk about how tiny that float is? Is it for babies? Is it supposed to go around your neck?) However, as much as I am silly, when it comes to my work and passion, I can be just as serious.
You know that very common saying, seen in the horror-comedy The Shining, “all play and no work makes Jack a dull boy”? That’s me. I’m Jack, only my name is Gino, and the correct saying is “all work and no play…” (I had to switch it around to make my point.) Also, that saying is antiquated. Who’s to say Jack is a boy and not a girl. Jack could be short for Jacklyn. My point is it’s all about balance.
Designing is my passion.
Even before I knew what designing was, I was drawn to it. Since I was a child, I’ve always been into organizing and keeping things tidy. I like to think my affinity for organization is what makes me an effective designer as I often apply this particular skill when I’m designing. My design style is clean and minimal yet effective and impactful. For me, that’s what designing is: thoughtfully organizing content that is pleasing to the eyes and evokes a feeling or an emotion.
As a designer, I have two sets of goals.
One is to create beautiful designs that are also meaningful. The other is to learn and grow—to be better than I was yesterday. If I achieve both these goals, I'm golden. Fortunately, in my 8+ years of designing, I’ve had the privilege to work with various individuals, teams, and brands that allowed me opportunities to work on projects that aligned with my goals. Whether it was leading the design of a diversity, equity, and inclusion event or designing promotional materials for a race, they presented me with invaluable experiences and skills.
When I’m not designing or being silly,
I’m inundating my family and friends with (hilarious) memes, scouring all the streaming platforms for rom-coms that would rival Bridget Jones’s Diary (but to no avail), or exploring San Diego’s food scene with my partner via buffets, all-you-can-eat restaurants, and night markets.
process
My approach to design
experience
Brands I've worked with
skills
Apps I use
intermediate
Adobe After Effects
Adobe XD
Framer
Wordpress
novice