CoursePeace is an art project of my streetwear label Coursework. It celebrates creative culture with a collection of 5,000 generated “peaces” from 760 handcrafted traits as digital collectibles and physical products.
The digital collectibles will function as membership to the Coursework brand and will include perks such as discounts, early access and exclusive product.
Launching in 2024.
1/1 NFT available on Foundation.
In the metaverse, streetwear isn't confined to the rules of the physical world. So what better way to keep you warm than a flaming beanie and a cloud hoodie?
Inspired by a conversation between RTFKT and Bobby Hundreds on Bomb Talk episode 104. RTFKT discussed their approach to design by taking cues from video game skins which tend to be more over-the-top in design and in gaming this attributes to a skin's value and rarity. This type of thinking is what will push fashion forward in the metaverse.
Created using Adobe Illustrator, Animate, and After Effects.
Flyer designs for Filipinx.
Filipinx is an annual event that celebrates Filipino American culture and showcases the community that is putting on for the culture from fashion, music, food and more. Organized by Filipina artist and DJ King Marie, this event is based in Chicago and held during Filipino History month in October.
My design solutions revolved around visuals that are unique and understood by Filipinos. The first concept pulls from the graphic aesthetic of Jeepneys—a minibus-like public transportation vehicle in the Philippines—and Filipino hand painted signs found in street markets. The second concept revolves around a favorite Filipino past time, karaoke. This design uses the karaoke screen and tv as the canvas.
Marketing materials and menu designs.
This Is What Asian Looks Like is an event that celebrates Asian American Pacific Islander Month and is meant to break the stereotypes of what people think it means to be AAPI.
The design uses typography and miscellaneous type characters that reveal the statement “This is what Asian looks like” as a visual metaphor that decodes the message. The random typographic characters also evoke a sense of frustration and expletives that help scream out the message. This is who we are. See us and hear us.
Illustration for a t-shirt design for the Nine Bar x Side Practice Coffee pop up. Nine Bar is a restaurant and food pop up service that draws inspiration from Asian convenience store food and products. The illustration takes the actual storefront of Side Practice Coffee’s shop and transforms it into a Japanese convenience store.
Coursework Kid is an illustration that introduced the first character to the Coursework brand. He is a caricature of myself and an adaptation of the comic book character Tintin created by Hergé. I was drawn to this character because of some coincidental parallels we share. Tintin can actually be a Filipino nickname for Justin. He has a little white dog named Snowy and I had a little white dog named Snowball when growing up.
The illustration remixes an iconic Tintin visual by placing him on a skateboard with a cup of coffee. This represents my need to keep pushing and creating as well as my love for skating and addiction to coffee.
Illustration and pattern design for Side Practice Coffee’s Moonshot roast.
Graphic tee designs for Coursework.
You’re either an early bird or night owl. Which are you?
Graphic tee and enamel pin design for Coursework.
There’s an easter egg within the design that represents Bobby Hundred’s book This is Not a T-Shirt. If you know, you know.
Graphic tee for Coursework.
This design is a nod and a flip to the logo of streetwear brand Braindead. We aren’t Braindead. Our minds are never not working.
Graphic tee for King Marie x Coursework collaboration. Design and art direction by Justin Rodriguez. Photography by Tori Howard.
Coursework and King Marie came together to make a tee to raise money to donate towards COVID relief and to help children in need in the Philippines. The t-shirt design shows a caricature of King Marie and the Coursework Owl on a plane flying from Chicago to the Philippines. To help drive this concept home, the frontside chest print shows a graphic of a parachute holding a Balikbayan box which is a box that Filipinos who are abroad send back home to their families that are in need in the Philippines.
I had the opportunity to intern with artist Hebru Brantley’s brand Hebru Brand Studios as a designer and worked on various apparel designs and marketing materials that led up to their pop up shop in NYC. An unforgettable experience.
Graphic tee design and animation for Coursework.
Graphic tee for Coursework.
Playing with type to create hidden imagery of a pencil which is the brand symbol for Coursework.