Today we’d like to introduce you to Luis Alicea
Hi Luis, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
One day I was thinking about what career I wanted to pursue, and I kept thinking until’ graphic design popped up in my head. I already had some experience with it as I made logos and thumbnails for a YouTube channel I had at the time, and I’ve always been interested in how things are designed, such as posters, product packaging, etc.
I started by making some mockup advertisements for Nike, Adidas, Hershey’s, and so on. I was intrigued by how advertisements were made, specifically visual advertisements, and I was surprised by how many digital components were needed. Furthermore, I kept on making designs whether it be at school or home, I always had an idea for a design, and if I didn’t, it wasn’t hard to get inspired by my surroundings. Some time went by and I had quite an impressive portfolio for someone who’s only had a couple of years of experience and just now started taking it seriously, and I wanted to show that to the world, so I created an online persona, “tapedpaperclip.”
I posted most of my best design work on the “tapedpaperclip” Instagram account which I’m proud of, and as I gained more traction and the people around me became aware of my talent, they asked me to do some work for them, and I did.
My first project was a song, a Christian song called “Promesa Del Padre” my dad had made (Which can be found on Spotify), and he wanted me to make the cover art for it. My second project was a logo for my girlfriend’s custom paintings on Instagram/Business by the name of Linda’s Paints. The rest of my projects can be found in my portfolio: https://madebytape.my.canva.site
As more time went by, I became better and better at designing, and people knew, especially my girlfriend who gets to see most of my designs before I post them, and though it is hard to balance graphic design, school work, and extracurricular activities such as baseball, I think I’ve found my rhythm, I want to be a graphic designer.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My main struggle was balancing my time, as most teens can relate. Balancing your school life with your “life life” can be frustrating, especially when you’ve got parents who expect a lot from you, and though I still struggle with time management, (though not as much as I used to), I believe that as I grow from my mistakes, and keep striving to be better, I can overcome any sort of problem, and I think that anyone can do this as well with enough discipline.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a graphic designer, and I specialize in anything that has to do with design. I am experienced in Adobe Photoshop and know my way around Adobe Illustrator, I would say I’m known best for my versatility as I can go from a super grungy poster design to an elegant and bold-looking logo and so on. I would say I’m most proud of the journey that I’ve been through to get to where I am right now, and even though this is just the start, I feel like I’m in a pretty good spot right now, and what sets me apart from others is that I don’t brainstorm design ideas that much, they more so pop up in my head randomly, and whenever I have time, I bring those design thoughts to life.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Most people probably couldn’t guess that I’m Puerto Rican just by looking at me, but if you really know me, you would probably notice right away. I’m very proud of my Puerto Rican heritage.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://madebytape.my.canva.site
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tapedpaperclip/
- Other: https://linktr.ee/tapedpaperclip
