The author, Genie Nakano needed a design for a book of her tanka. ( a Japanese style of poetry) She also wanted images that would accompany each poem.
After reviewing several concepts, she liked a black and white illustration I created that reminded her of coloring books and we decided to incorporate illustrations that readers could color-in. I created more of these illustrations to go with some of her poems and we used photos taken by each of us to pair with other poems.
Genie is also a yoga teacher so, I designed the cover, around an image designed by Katrina Hetrick, that touched on this aspect of Genie’s life.
I designed the layout of the entire book and prepared it for printing. I also designed a promotional card for the book.
Book of Tanka Poetry written by Genie Nakano.
Illustrations which can be colored in, graphic design, and some photographs by Alvin Takamori
The Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute (GVJCI) is a community center that promotes Nikkei heritage, culture, and issues. Annually, it produces a calendar featuring their activities and the people who participate. It is funded entirely by advertising, so that it can be distributed to those participants for free.
I’ve been designing their calendar for over a decade. The 2022 calendar is based on a theme of past, present and future. I started with designs for the cover of the calendar. My initial idea was to layer photos from different periods in the history of the GVJCI with Japanese design motifs. The administration thought these designs were much too busy. I then worked on simpler designs featuring the GVJCI logo of interlocking circles. The circles were intended to represent multiple generations linked together by the organization. This concept fit the theme of the calendar. Playing with this idea, I created a design with photos of different generations in each circle.
In the background, I repeated the logo in a pattern similar to Japanese geometric patterns. The colors are from the GVJCI Style Guide. Using the same background, I pulled different sets of colors from the Style Guide to create some variety in the backgrounds for each month.
Each month features photos centered on a different subject. As I select photos for each subject, I try to be mindful to represent different activities and groups of people. So instead of a single photo, multiple photos are used. Over 12 months it encapsulates the variety of subjects that the GVJCI is involved in.
The ads aren’t always aesthetically pleasing, but they pay for the calendar. I just try to be consistent with their placement in certain areas of the calendar.
The GVJCI seems to be happy with my designs, because each year they ask me to create another calendar.
Flyers, Posters and Periodical Advertising
Approved poster design for the 2020 Santa Barbara Fair & Expo, an event that was cancelled.
Poster promoting Gentle Yoga classes taught by Genie Nakano. She sent photos I could choose from and the information she needed on the poster. I conceived of and laid out the design using Adobe illustrator. I created the background of the large central circle in Photoshop.
Promotional flyer for a program sponsored by the Black Aids Institute.
Product Line Catalogs
Cards, Stationery & Letterheads
Logo Design
Maps, Information, & Instructional Graphics
Packaging
Graphics for T-shirts, Caps, & Bags
The Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute wanted to create a library space on the second floor of their building. After examining the space I created concept drawings on what the library could look like. I helped with the planning and installation of shelves, including fabrication of the wood end panels.
I designed all the signage, built it and installed them. The graphics of book covers on the hanging signs are connected by velcro, so the book covers can be changed.
I also designed and installed changing informational displays in a wooden structure referred to as a “tokonoma”. The displays have covered topics from Manzanar, to Hiroshima, to festivals, and art.
In 2021 the Santa Barbara Fair & Expo held a scaled-down version of their carnival. Taking their theme of “Santa Barbara Rides Again,” which was a response to the COVID-19 shutdown of the event in 2020, I conceived of these designs. It features two of their popular carnival rides, the Ferris wheel and the Zipper. Like the event itself, it’s a simplified somewhat abstract depiction. The warm colors and palm trees evoke the warm Southern California weather and the abstract wave hints at Santa Barbara’s proximity to the ocean.
I developed the ideas, created the images and prepared them for output to print or internet. They were part of a successful marketing campaign that won “Best Marketing for a Small Fair (attendance of 50,000 people or less)” from the Western Fair Association.
