Carlos Alberto TorresDESIGN PORTFOLIO

2010 - 2015

1. Auto Bus | Bus Stop & Kiosk

Auto Bus2010 - Studio Class AssignmentAlias Autodesk & Photoview

The Auto Bus is a bus shelter and GPS kiosk designed to provide you with the current location, direction, and route of your desired bus. It’s powered by photovoltaic cells on the roof, covered in graffiti proof tempered glass, and framed by recycled steel. Although the GPS information is available online, one can only access it with an Internet connection or a smart phone. With the majority of people riding buses making less than 25,000 a year, the Auto Bus is a more convenient solution to knowing the location of one’s bus.

2. Le Jumeau | Rain Garden Bench

Le Jumeau2011 - Group Project CompetitionAlias Autodesk & Photoview I teamed up with Industrial Designers Marc Helke and Justin McKinley-Watkins and Landscape Designer M. June Kirk to work together and apply for the NC State held Bench Design Competition. We collaborated to finalize the design and made sure it fit within the Syme Garden site criteria. I took the initiative to 3D model and render our final product.

3. Hubble Bubble | Stargazing Unit

Hubble Bubble2010 - Studio Class AssignmentAlias Autodesk & Photoview

The Hubble Bubble brings the universe to your back yard and allows you to take it anywhere a trailer hitch can go. It creates a weather and insect repellent environment made for stargazing. Inside are two projectors that hook up to a digital telescope that illuminates the inside of the glass and projects a personal planetarium experience. The design itself evolved from the initial concept of creating a personal and outdoor shelter made for stargazing.

4. Onyx | Bicycle Lock

Onyx2011 - Studio Class AssignmentAlias Autodesk & Photoview Problem: The FBI Uniform Crime Report states that over a million bicycles are stolen every year. Truly protective bike locks are heavy, difficult to carry, and cumbersome to apply. Solution: Easy-to-use and attachable bike lock that secures through Neodymium Magnets. The core of the halo is made of hardened steel and covered in a carbon fiber sheath. The Onyx ball joint allows for 360° movement in order to adjust to any situation.

5. Skull Pen | Skull Candy MP3 Player Pen

Skull Pen2011 - Studio Class AssignmentAlias Autodesk & Photoview

My goal with this project was to design a pen that the company Skull Candy could sell as an accessory for their headphones. I studied their design language and researched the technology necessary to create such a product. I learned how to think through sketching, how to ideate multiple ideas, and how to finalize the design in order for it to successfully translate as a 3D object.

6. Corvette Stingray (1969) | 3D Model

Corvette Stingray (1969)2010 - 3D Modeling Class AssignmentAlias Autodesk & Photoview For my 3D modeling class, I chose the Stingray to be my final project. Within 2 months, I studied the geometry, dimensions, and details of the car. I learned how to work with intricate contours, how to mesh and connect complex planes, how to project and manage curves, and generally become proficient in 3D modeling in order to complete my final product.

7. Kudu | Speed Form Sculpture

Kudu2010 - Studio Class Assignment14” Length x 7” Width x 9” Height

The goal for this assignment was to research animals and extrapolate from them a shape that gives the illusion of movement while sitting still. Through the process, I came to understand how to sculpt and how to carefully craft a symmetrical object. I also learned how to use NC State’s workshop and thus how to manipulate materials such as blue foam, dry wall, primer, paste, and clear coat spray paint.

8. Art DYN-O-MITE | Digital Illustrations

Art DYN-O-MITE Entries2014 - Auction SubmissionsAdobe Photoshop I volunteered to become part of an event in Durham’s Mercury Studios in order to promote local artists. I submitted six different illustrations, one of which was printed out on 20” x 26” canvas paper. Through this project, I learned how to explore Photoshop’s image manipulating algorithms, how to print out images on large scale, how to stretch and hang up canvas on wooden frames, and ultimately learn more about and interact with my local creative community.

Clockwise from Top Left: Cerebral, Estrella Azul, Satellite, Cathedral, Silver and Sun Burst

9. Smartphone Art Show | Promotional Media

Interface || Interference2014 – Volunteer ProjectAdobe Illustrator & Photoshop

I volunteered my services to Kerry Crocker, the Fundraising Coordinator at The Carrack Modern Art and her team to create all the promotional materials for an art show based off the theme of smart phones. I worked one-on-one with Kerry to make sure the aesthetic she was looking for was successfully created in order to give people an inspiring and accurate representation of what the event would be about. We designed posters, note cards, QR codes, and button pins that were all posted throughout the city of Durham. I also went on to design the social media assets for their Facebook and Twitter pages. Through this process, I learned more about how to work with a client and meet their design expectations.

10. Jamnesia Festival | Promotional Media

Jamnesia2014 – Volunteer ProjectAdobe Illustrator & Photoshop I collaborated with the Durham arts group Durty Durham to create the promotional material for their annual art and music festival. I worked with their project leader Patrick Phelps-McKeown and their web developer Teddy Denton to fine-tune the art style and appeal to the market we’d be targeting. I learned how to meet the demands of multiple clients and sponsors, how to screen print T-shirts, and how to further develop my Illustrator and team building skills.

11. CIR | Interactive Comic

Children in Research2015 - Job Related AssignmentAdobe Illustrator

While employed by iRT (Innovation Research & Training), I worked on a project with Research Scientist Alison Parker to create an interactive comic for the Phase 1 SBIR project. The purpose of the comic was to help children with chronic illnesses understand the decision making process of participating in clinical trials.

My role in the project involved creating the clickable and colorful assets for the comic. I learned how to work within the constraints of iPad interactively and grant proposals.

12. Tortillas Carolina | Design Assets

Tortillas Carolina2013/2015 - Freelance ProjectAdobe Illustrator A family friend, Enrique Elizondo, hired me to create multiple design assets for his growing restaurant business Tortillas Carolina.

I worked one-on-one with Enrique and his assistant Fernando Cerdena to design postcards, coupons, and the zip-lock bag design for their line of locally made tortillas named “La Mexicana.”

13. DJ Direwolf | Logo Design

DJ Direwolf2014 - Freelance ProjectAdobe Illustrator

Local DJ and “Durty Durham“ collaborator Alex Kotch hired me to design the logo that would promote his music and political events. We ideated through multiple concepts before the Direwolf design was finalized.

Alex has gone on to use the logo for business cards, website designs, avatars, album covers, T-shirts and posters.

14. CAT | Personal Logo Design

CAT2010/2015 - Personal ProjectAdobe Illustrator Since 2010, I had been developing a personal logo that would represent my creative yet heavily structured design style. After sketching in my free time with words, phrases, and icons, I found fulfilment in the use of interconnected initials and a heavily modified ROBO font.

I use the symbol now on my website, business cards, posters, social media pages, T-shirts and all other forms of promotional assets.