DELAND CRAVEN
DELAND CRAVEN
My two-dimensional design work is rooted in storytelling—shaped by rhythm, balance, and a desire to connect with people on both an emotional and visual level. Whether it’s a t-shirt, a record cover, or a brand system, I’m interested in creating visuals that do more than just look good—they invite people in. Good design should surprise, inform, and occasionally charm. I approach every project with an eye for structure and a soft spot for the unexpected.
Designing for apparel is a unique creative challenge—your canvas is in motion, wrapped around a human, and subject to the rules of fashion as much as design. Graphics need to be bold enough to read from across the room, yet considered enough to reward a closer look. The classic ampersand tee is a masterclass in this balance: simple, modular, and endlessly adaptable. Great apparel design goes beyond branding—it becomes a statement, a uniform, or even a personal manifesto. It’s not just about making something look good on a screen—it’s about making it live well on a body.
I’m drawn to the space where sound meets surface—where design becomes a resonant layer of the music itself. Good album art doesn’t just decorate; it decodes. I listen for the shape of the sound—the circuitry, the silence, the moments where it breathes. It’s a collaborative process grounded in both signal and feeling. The goal is to create something that captures not just how the music sounds, but why it exists—translating process and personality into a visual form.
Good design doesn’t just look good—it needs to make sense. Instruction sheets are a great reminder that design is, at its core, about communication. When you’re walking someone through an assembly process, there’s no room for guesswork—every step, every label, every visual cue has to earn its place. It’s a challenge in information hierarchy, but also kind of a game: how do you make something both crystal clear and visually satisfying? That’s the fun part.
