Judah Oechsle
I’m a designer and illustrator currently living in Austin, Texas. I graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design from Indiana Wesleyan University. Since then I have worked in marketing, coffee, and the world of freelance design. My main goal is to connect graphic design and social consciousness in my creations, and create meaningful relationships.
Dribbble
Illustrations
My freelance work has consisted primarily of small pieces for close friends. While they may not have long briefs or numerous deliverables, they’re some of my favorite projects.
Here is a collection of stand-alone logos, illustrations, and designs for a variety of freelance projects. Stickers, T-shirt graphics, social media promotions, album covers, and more.
For more info on these pieces, visit my Dribbble.
My freelance work has consisted primarily of small pieces for close friends. While they may not have long briefs or numerous deliverables, they’re some of my favorite projects.
Here is a collection of stand-alone logos, illustrations, and designs for a variety of freelance projects. Stickers, T-shirt graphics, social media promotions, album covers, and more.
For more info on these pieces, visit my Dribbble.
In June of 2019, I started working as a barista at Benchwarmers Bagels in Raleigh, NC. BW’s is “committed to three fundamentals: Do your best. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Enjoy the ride.”
After many conversations about my passion for graphic design, the owners started asking me to help with the creation of new materials such as menus, social media graphics, stamps and product labels. The brand was created by an outside studio and I was entrusted with utilizing the brand standards while also having the freedom to “think outside of the box.” This led to a lot of fun pieces that contributed to the fun-loving demeanor of the shop.
Be sure to stop by the shop to try the Lox and Deviled Egg Spread sandwich (one of the best things I’ve ever eaten) or their pan-style pizza (with their house-made ranch). Also check out The Limbo Society who created the awesome “Warm Bagels Warm Hearts” stamp illustration.
After many conversations about my passion for graphic design, the owners started asking me to help with the creation of new materials such as menus, social media graphics, stamps and product labels. The brand was created by an outside studio and I was entrusted with utilizing the brand standards while also having the freedom to “think outside of the box.” This led to a lot of fun pieces that contributed to the fun-loving demeanor of the shop.
Be sure to stop by the shop to try the Lox and Deviled Egg Spread sandwich (one of the best things I’ve ever eaten) or their pan-style pizza (with their house-made ranch). Also check out The Limbo Society who created the awesome “Warm Bagels Warm Hearts” stamp illustration.
The Trevor Waite Collection
In an attempt to utilize new design research methods, I created abstract logos to represent a good friend of mine.
I met Trevor my sophomore year of college and immediately knew I wanted to be his friend. He was on the basketball team and he lived in my hall, so I got to know him slowly over his first year on campus. Trevor let me use him as my muse for a project and allowed me to learn more about him by talking to those closest to him, sending out surveys to classmates, and documenting his day to day life.
In the end, I created three abstract icons to represent his luminosity, steadiness, and pure hearted nature. I paired them with three pictures that his fiancé had taken of his favorite places and presented them with a full explanation of the logos and quotes from his friends and family.
Photos provided by Raegan Waite.
In an attempt to utilize new design research methods, I created abstract logos to represent a good friend of mine.
I met Trevor my sophomore year of college and immediately knew I wanted to be his friend. He was on the basketball team and he lived in my hall, so I got to know him slowly over his first year on campus. Trevor let me use him as my muse for a project and allowed me to learn more about him by talking to those closest to him, sending out surveys to classmates, and documenting his day to day life.
In the end, I created three abstract icons to represent his luminosity, steadiness, and pure hearted nature. I paired them with three pictures that his fiancé had taken of his favorite places and presented them with a full explanation of the logos and quotes from his friends and family.
Photos provided by Raegan Waite.
City of Marion
As a graphic design intern for Marion Design Co, I worked on a team of students and professors to fully brand the city of Marion, Indiana starting in the Summer of 2016.
The City of Marion, Indiana is 16 square miles in size and home to roughly 30,000 residents. While it is famous for birthing former Memphis Grizzlies legend Zach Randolph, the city is mostly known for its dark past of racial tension and economic downfall. In the summer of 2016, I was asked to join a team of students and professors from the IWU Art + Design department and tasked with rebranding the city. The goal was to help residents regain a sense of pride and ownership in their community, without avoiding the past completely. The process included weeks of auditing, persona creation, and lunch meetings with prominent groups of residents.
As a part of the design team, I helped iterate and create the branding, as well as provide collateral such as signage, business cards, documents, and a new city website. As a student in the semesters following, I helped finalize the brand guidelines and implement the branding for various products and events
As a graphic design intern for Marion Design Co, I worked on a team of students and professors to fully brand the city of Marion, Indiana starting in the Summer of 2016.
The City of Marion, Indiana is 16 square miles in size and home to roughly 30,000 residents. While it is famous for birthing former Memphis Grizzlies legend Zach Randolph, the city is mostly known for its dark past of racial tension and economic downfall. In the summer of 2016, I was asked to join a team of students and professors from the IWU Art + Design department and tasked with rebranding the city. The goal was to help residents regain a sense of pride and ownership in their community, without avoiding the past completely. The process included weeks of auditing, persona creation, and lunch meetings with prominent groups of residents.
As a part of the design team, I helped iterate and create the branding, as well as provide collateral such as signage, business cards, documents, and a new city website. As a student in the semesters following, I helped finalize the brand guidelines and implement the branding for various products and events
Exploration In Curiosity
In an effort to gain new perspectives on design, I completed a list of open ended prompts, recorded my findings, and attempted to visualize my experiences through the creation of icons and a home movie.
As a side project during college, my professor pushed me to put myself in new situations and learn new things in order to gain new perspective and grow my design process. I was gifted a list of prompts such as watching a film from the Criterion Collection, researching a designer and exploring their personal style, and attending a gallery opening. In total, I crossed off 15 different items on the list, wrote about what I learned, and documented everything on “film.”
In addition, I designed a flat icon of my own face (which is still a fairly accurate depiction of me, give or take some hair) and customized it to represent each experience. What I ended up with was a super fun collection of memories and a prompt that pushed me creatively and socially.
You can watch my “film” here. I’m about to hit 3 subscribers on YouTube.
In an effort to gain new perspectives on design, I completed a list of open ended prompts, recorded my findings, and attempted to visualize my experiences through the creation of icons and a home movie.
As a side project during college, my professor pushed me to put myself in new situations and learn new things in order to gain new perspective and grow my design process. I was gifted a list of prompts such as watching a film from the Criterion Collection, researching a designer and exploring their personal style, and attending a gallery opening. In total, I crossed off 15 different items on the list, wrote about what I learned, and documented everything on “film.”
In addition, I designed a flat icon of my own face (which is still a fairly accurate depiction of me, give or take some hair) and customized it to represent each experience. What I ended up with was a super fun collection of memories and a prompt that pushed me creatively and socially.
You can watch my “film” here. I’m about to hit 3 subscribers on YouTube.
