Hello!
I'm Christina Garofalo, a graphic designer and illustrator based in Montreal.
Javaspolitation
"Javasploitation" is a series of 6 of illustrated labels that satirize the history and practices of the coffee industry. The labels reference the visual language of coffee labels typically found in popular coffee house franchises. Bright cherry colours and expressive designs attract the eye to an otherwise dark message. There is a theme of generalization which is present in the designs.
Year: 2009
Medium: Adobe Illustrator
Dimensions: 4" x 5"each
How We Went To Mars
This promotional package was created for Black Box Productions for their one-man theatrical show, "How We Went To Mars" based on a short story set in the Victorian era by Arthur C. Clarke and preformed at the 2011 Montreal Fringe Festival. The design quotes the visual language of Victorian print ads, and uses a duo-tone colour scheme as well as large slab-serif fonts. The package includes a colour poster, press kit and promotional bookmark.
Year: 2011
Medium: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop
Dimensions: Poster 16"x 24", Bookmark 6" x 2", Press kit 11" x 17" (folded).
Robin Hood Redux
This promotional package was created for Purple Doorknob Productions for their all female cast comedy rendition of the classic "Robin Hood" at the Mainline Theatre in Montreal. The poster illustration hints to the all female cast by including the western symbol for femininity: the apple. The typography refers to medieval manuscripts and the wanted posters typically associated with this classic tale. This package includes a colour poster, press kit, promotional bookmark and logo design.
Year: 2011
Medium: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop
Dimensions: Poster 11" x 17", Bookmark 6" x 2", Press kit 8.5" x 11"
Sydney Opera House
This poster is an illustrated homage celebrating the architectural details of the iconic Sydney Opera House as well as the travel ads of the early 20th century.
Year: 2009
Medium: Adobe Illustrator
Dimensions: 18" x 24"
Logo Design
Orange Wine Productions
The orange wedge, consisting of several books, references Orange Wine Productions' mandate to preform solely literary theatre pieces.
Gregaries Productions
Gregarious is a production company specializing in audio-visual events. This logo design features the plugs of an audio-visual cable as well as an old fashioned microphone included in the characters of its uniquely designed typography.
Purple Doorknob Productions
Purple Doorknob Productions is a Montreal based theatre production company. Their logo design expresses duality and dialogue while including the purple doorknob motif.
Iron Empires
Iron Empires is a web-based forum for a popular online role-playing game. The logo design borrows from the Victorian aesthetics of typography and vintage signage. It also references the most common symbol of the Steampunk genre: the gear.
Black Box Productions
Black Box Productions is a Montreal based theatre company who is best known for it's science-fiction, fantasy and horror based performances. Their logo features a dragon's claw, a robot's arm and a sea monster's tentacle are representative of each genre of narrative the company typically preforms.
Two Seul
Montreal based theatre company, Two Seul's badge-style logo is perfectly symmetrical. The typography chosen for the two characters enclosed in the circle exemplifies this concept of duality. The logo is also black and white, yet again enforcing the theme.
UPS Giraffe
An oil painting of a giraffe sticking its head through a stone window frame, delivering a package, is a humorous take on a non-commissioned promotional illustration for the shipping company UPS. There is great attention to detail in the rendering of this piece. The repetitive motif of the giraffe's spots are also found in the stone wall just behind him.
Year: 2007
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Dimensions: 12" x 16"
Minka and Ingrid
A vectorized illustration style is used to exaggerate proportions of these two female characters who assume the role of a stereotype. Large heads and small bodies draw the viewer into their eyes which say the most about who they really might be.
Year: 2011
Medium: Adobe Illustrator
Dimensions: 10.5" x 16"
Treasure Fish
In this digital painting, a fish steals a string of pearls from an unknown origin. The pearls could be mistaken for bubbles and the iridescence of the pearls are reflected in the scales of the fish reflecting on a subtle theme of symmetry. The fish might be stealing back what rightfully belongs in the underwater world.
Year: 2010
Medium: Adobe Photoshop, Paint Tool Sai
Dimensions: 12" x 12"
20 Questions: A Book
"20 Questions" is a unique handcrafted book that guides reader into creating a characters through a series of playful and fantasy based questions. The shape of the book derives from the 20-sided die, a piece essential to playing most popular pen and paper role-playing games. The book has exactly 20 pages, including the sculpted covers. The design of the invokes the imagination into believe that it might be magical or mystical in origin.
Year: 2010
Mediums: Polymer clay, sheet metal, acrylic paint, magnets, faux rhinestones, paper, 20-sided die.
Dimensions: 6" x 6" x 1.5", 20 pages
Heists and Hold-ups
In a game of "Heists & Hold-ups" players take on the role of an elite criminal team who must work together to complete missions, however in the end there can only be one winner. This colourful game includes 65 uniquely illustrated cards, game tokens, score track, and rule booklet. It's design was inspired by mid to late 20th century heist films and posters, the repeated coloured bars relate to a television test pattern of the same era and serve as a visual reminder of the roles and personalities one might take over while playing the game.
Year: 2011
Collaborators: Zachary Kain and Branden Nakhjavani
Dimensions: Box: 8.5" x 6.5" x 1.75" Cards: 3.5" x 2.25"
Christina Garofalo
Email: cgarofalo(at)gmail(dot)com
Tel: 514-708-1309
I would love to hear about your projects and I would love to help. Drop me a line if you'd like to tackle a project together.
You can download my current portfolio in PDF format.
I'd be grateful for an opportunity to show it to you in person. Please call or e-mail me for an interview.
Looking for my CV? It's right here.
En Français? C'est ici.