hey!

thanks for checking out my stuff.

don't be a stranger and send me an email:
alyagiavis1@gmail.com

see ya later,

alya <3
resume_2026
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about_me.rtf
about me
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+1 5719993385
@designbyalya
@nailedbyalya
I’ve never been interested in playing it safe and that mindset is what drives everything I create as a designer.

I’m drawn to bold visuals, strong concepts, and authentic work that actually feels like it has something to say. To me, design isn’t just about making things look good, it’s about creating a reaction, building a mood, and giving communities a distinct voice. I’m especially interested in motion design because of its ability to bring energy and emotion into a piece in a way static design can’t.

My process is rooted in curiosity and intention. I start by listening closely, understanding the message, the audience, and the feeling behind a project, then I push those ideas further. I like to experiment, take risks, and explore unexpected directions, while still making sure the final result feels cohesive and purposeful. I aim to create work that stands out not just visually, but conceptually.

I’m particularly drawn to creative studios and industries where culture, music, gaming, and storytelling intersect, spaces where design plays a key role in shaping identity and experience. Right now, I’m looking for opportunities in motion design and creative studios where I can continue to grow, collaborate with other creatives, and contribute to work that feels bold, intentional, and impossible to ignore.
education
Graphic Design BFA
Asian Studies Minor
James Madison University Class of 2026
skills
Adobe Suite
    Photoshop
    Illustrator
    After Effects
    InDesign
Figma
Webflow
Motion Graphics
Video Editing
UX/UI Design
Illustration
Concept Art
Web Design
Basic Japanese
projects
selected work
01
capstone project: exploring how sound and movement interact with each other
may 2026
touch designer
after effects
adobe illustrator
Music is often experienced as something purely auditory, despite its strong connection to emotion, movement, and visual perception. This capstone project explored audio-visual synesthesia and the challenge of translating an invisible neurological experience into a visual and immersive design experience. The goal of this project was to explore the relationship between sound, color, and movement through motion and informational design. Using a physical poster and installation video, the project aimed to educate viewers on how synesthesia can influence creativity, emotion, and artistic expression. The intended result was to create an immersive experience that encourages audiences to think about music as something more than solely sound. The project aimed to spark curiosity about synesthesia while showing how people can visually and emotionally experience music in different ways. 
02
google gemini commercial: alysa liu is the new alt queen of figure skating
march 2026
after effects
After being captivated by the Google 2026 Winter Olympics commercials I was inspired to create my own. I chose Alysa Liu, not only because of how unapologetically about herself she is, but she is someone I rarely saw as an athlete growing up. As someone who felt like the “black sheep” on my volleyball team, this project became a way to celebrate individuality in sports. Through motion, I framed Alysa not just as a champion, but as a symbol of how the definition of an athlete is evolving and how highlighting stories that challenge expectations can help people feel seen. 
03
headshot...literally: jujutsu kaisen video edit
october 2025
after effects
I translated the high-intensity action and emotional depth of Jujutsu Kaisen into a short-form video that feels original, not just a clip compilation. The challenge was to balance fast-paced fight scenes with narrative clarity, while maintaining strong visual rhythm and avoiding overused anime edit tropes. I created a visually striking, story-driven edit that highlights character tension and energy through motion, pacing, and sound design, while showcasing my ability to blend cinematic storytelling with dynamic motion graphics. I curated key scenes to build a clear emotional arc, then used beat-matched cuts, speed ramping, and layered effects to enhance impact. I focused on transitions that mimic cursed energy flow and refined color grading to unify different scenes into a cohesive visual style. 
04
interactive website: everything everywhere all at once
november 2025
figma
webflow
https://everything-everywhere-all-at-o-9127e5.webflow.io/
This project challenged me to translate complex emotional themes into an interactive digital experience that communicated the relationships between family members while reflecting the film’s chaotic multi-verse story. The project required balancing narrative clarity with visual experimentation, while ensuring the interactive format helped users stay engaged in the story. The goal was to design an interactive storytelling website that highlighted the immigrant experience and relationships within Asian American families. The site aimed to guide users through the complex themes while visually representing the chaotic structure of the film. By combining motion and narrative pacing, the project aimed to create an experience that felt emotionally engaging. I translated the film’s themes into an interactive digital format to encourage reflection on the immigrant experience and generational dynamics within Asian American families. I created an engaging storytelling environment where users could explore multiple themes and demonstrated how motion, interaction, and design systems can work together to support complex storytelling. 
05
app design: best dressed
april 2024
figma
after effects
Many people in their 20s and early 30s own a wide variety of clothing but often lose track of what they have and don’t know how to dress as a post-grad. Existing wardrobe apps feel dated and only focus only on inventory instead of usability. The challenge was to design a simple, visually engaging app that helps users manage their closet and support everyday tasks like planning outfits, tracking worn items, and sharing looks with others. The goal was to create a digital closet app that helps users get dressed more efficiently while making better use of the clothing they already own. The app needed to feel intuitive and visually appealing for users ages 20–30, while encouraging creativity in styling and outfit planning. This app:  helps users save time getting dressed each day; encourages more thoughtful and sustainable clothing use by tracking wear frequency; inspires creativity by allowing users to experiment with outfit combinations; builds a community-driven space where users can share and discover styling ideas. 
06
hortipower internship: rebranding the future of at home agriculture
may 2025 to janurary 2026
webflow
adobe illustrator
adobe indesign
shopify
https://hortipower-ecommerce-site-31ec0d.webflow.io/
I was given the amazing opportunity to intern with an international startup focused on designing the best plant grow lights. I was able to completely change their word mark logo to create a fresh new feeling that stayed true to what the company focused on, innovation and plants. I created a new brand guide for them that would be easier to navigate if changes were needed to packaging or to their website. Along with this new branding, I created new packaging for almost all their products. Each package is designed to be clean, easy to read, and stay true to their new branding.
07
bombas sustainability report: taking a deeper look into community work
feburary 2025
adobe indesign
This project was to create a physical sustainability report for the apparel company “Bombas”. The book needed to consolidate all of their data into a cohesive, readable, and approachable printed piece. The challenge was to simplify complex data found on their website, reflect the nature of the brand, and ensure that the report aligned with the brand’s values.The goal was to create a physical report that balanced data-driven sustainability content, with light, warm, and human centered storytelling. It needed to serve as an accurate reference for partners and press, reinforce brand trust, and visually express the commitment to accountability and impact. The report aimed to strengthen the knowledge around community impact, provide a physical piece that stakeholders would want to keep, make dense information understandable and engaging, and to show the real impact made in the community with actual stories. 
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jmu graphic design animated logo
april 2026
after effects
During my indepented study done with my digital design professor, I volunteered to create an animated logo for our graphic design department. Our department had been newly renovated with large TV screens in the hallways with nothing being featured on them. I offered to create something clean to represent our department.
hg wells book cover
feburary 2025
procreate
adobe photoshop
Told to create a book cover for one of HG wells books. I chose the gothic read of The Red Room. In this book, the main character ventures into a red room which is known for its phycological affects on people who enter. The main character lights candles and as they melt, he slowly starts to loose his mind. I illustrated the red candles using silhouettes of people going insane as the wicks.
bookstr internship
september 2023 to march 2024
procreate
canva
I was hired as a graphic design intern by the social media company Bookstr. My job was to create illustrations for upcoming book holidays, author birthdays, and any other special book related content. I made many Instagram posts and stories for small book holidays, carousels to advertise our editorial work, and pinfographics for Pinterest that accompanied editorial articles.
gdragon collectable vinyl and
concept art
march 2025
adobe illustrator
adobe photoshop
Choosing the Korean artist G Dragon, I got to create a custom vinyl that featured his best songs, sense of style, and creativity with colors. My cover art features an a close up photo with teal paint splatters and a spray paint style font. The back continues the same color scheme with the addition of his signature daisy with one missing petal. The record is the signature daisy that is transparent where the missing petal is. The key streaming art made features another close up but with drastically different fonts to showcase his contrast to
the industry.
beverage branding: fresh wave
october 2023
procreate
adobe photoshop
Tasked at creating an original beverage can Design, I chose to use inspiration from South East Asian soda cans to create the brand Fresh Wave. Taking influence from Hokusai's print of The Great Wave off Kanagawa, I created the iconic wave to indicate a fresh wave of flavor.