It was a very good year for Future Boy Design. With pride and satisfaction, let’s look back on 2016.

On Design
This was a big one. After working so very hard on my second book, and first non-photography book, On Design was released in the summer. The book took months to write, months to edit, months to design, and months to release. Centered on the subject of graphic design, including the principles and business of the industry, On Design is intended to provide clarity to all designers, especially those that are early in their careers. The goal for me was to help others to avoid and be aware of the many challenges that designers face. Whether it’s negotiating with a bad client or refining one’s own style, so many aspects of the design career can alter the trajectory of a designer, but are never really discussed in formal education environments.

Reviews and reception for On Design have been great. Design organizations like the Art Director’s Club and newspapers like The Daily Voice, among others, gave the book some wonderful attention. People appreciated the clarity, simplicity, and aesthetics of the book itself. This has been a very rewarding endeavor, as every single detail of that book was attended to by myself personally. A lot of love and time went into it, and I hope this book ages well in the coming years as it was intended to.

South by Southwest
Through my role as Creative Director with CityMouse Inc., I took part in 2016’s South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas. Along with the entire CityMouse Inc. team, we gave an interesting presentation and Q&A on the ideas of cognitive design within the online realm. The room was filled and the enthusiasm was high by the audience. What more could we ask for? And stepping out for some chicken and waffles didn’t hurt either.

AI-AP & Latin Fotografia Awards
When I photographed an underground wrestling match in Bogota, Colombia, I never would have dreamt that it would bring me such a wonderful honor as to be recognized by the American Illustration & American Photography (AI-AP) for their Latin American Fotografia competition. Amongst an amazingly large and talented pool of submissions, I was shockingly selected to be in the final 50 choices for their selected winners.

“Los Diez” Exhibition presented by Epson
I was then further blown away to be ultimately chosen by the AI-AP and Latin American Fotografia to partake in the Los Diez Exhibition, sponsored by Epson, which is a traveling illustration and photography exhibition that will spend 2017 going to Los Angeles, Bogota, Brazil, New York, and elsewhere around the world. I am so very grateful to the organization, Epson, and those luchadores back in Bogota that night for affording me such a beautiful opportunity.

“Get Out The Vote” Posters at the Republican & Democratic National Conventions
Calling the 2016 election insane doesn’t begin to cover it. Nonetheless, I was proud to have my work featured at both conventions this past year as a part of the AIGA’s ‘Get Out the Vote’ campaign. My poster, “Don’t Vote”, was among the several designs to adorn the walls of the conventions in Cleveland and Philadelphia. My take on the idea of voting focused more on the concept of being an educated voter, rather than simply voting for the sake of it.

Press
I would like to extend one more enormous thank you to the publications this year that reached out to me and gave me a platform to speak my mind and let me work be shown. From The Daily Voice to AIGA to ADC Global to good people at the New Yorker to the AI-AP and so many other fantastic publications, I am eternally grateful to have a light of any kind pointed in my direction. There are so many talented people in my field, and I am blown away to have a place on the stage.

Thanks to my clients and friends
Most importantly, I would like to show my immense gratitude to the people who supported me and believed in me this past year. My family is first and foremost on this list. My clients and business relationships have – mostly – been a wonderful thing in my life and career as well. I am honored to have their faith in my directing their businesses. And last but far from least, my thanks to supporters and well-wishers who take time on social media or in person to compliment my work and support my endeavors.

2017
The coming year is largely a mystery. There are projects in the works, more creative ideas to churn out, and much traveling to do. No matter what, the goal is the same this coming year: to continue creating and working in an industry that I truly love. Best wishes to everyone this year. I hope and pray it is a truly great one.