Creative Direction + Brand Design
About Me
👋🏼 I’m Darren, a Filipino-American brand designer and art director residing in Los Angeles! 🌴 I’m currently at Subtropic Studios—a leader in the augmented reality space, crafting bespoke AR experiences for the world’s most trusted brands. 

With over 8 years of experience, my abilities span design systems, illustration, and motion. I’m happy to have worked with titans in multiple sectors, including music festivals, Web3, transportation, municipalities, hospitality, and non-profits.

In my spare time I go to LA art shows, binging Rupaul’s Drag Race with friends, and thrifting on Melrose. Running is a recent hobby of mine—hoping to do a 5k soon. 🏃🏻💨

For more, you can reach me at heyduterte@gmail.com or on Linkedin.



EXPERIENCE
Subtropic Studios*
Branding and AR Advertising
May 22Present: Art Director
Jul 21May 22: Sr. Designer

Projects: Snap Inc., Meta, Reddit, Disney+, LiveNation, Cereal Club (NFT), BlackStar Projects, Spotify, Amazon Prime, Ad Council, Uber, Postmates, DoorDash, Starbucks, McDonalds, IMVU, P&G, Xbox, April, NYX Cosmetics, MAX, Hulu

* Snapchat Preferred Partner


Kilter
Branding and Advertising
Aug 2017 Jul 2021: Graphic Designer
Projects: CalArts, City of West Hollywood, Temple City, City of Walnut Creek,  First Verse for Spotify, Katie Porter, Post Alarm, Drucker Institute, Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, The Webb Schools, Glendale Arts, Columbia Memorial Space Center

Image: Global Vision
Hospitality
Dec 2016 Oct 2017: Freelance Designer
Projects: Conrad Hotel & Resorts: Guangzhou, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts: Miramar Beach Montecito, Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay Resort

LA Metro Design Studio
Transportation
May Dec 2016: Intern
Projects: Measure M, Regional Connector, MAX Program, Little Tokyo’s Nisei Week, Metro Bike Share Program, Taste of Soul

Supermoon (Fr. Tiny Rebellion)
Advertising 
Jun Aug 2015: Intern
Projects: TrueCar, Custom Ink, Ancestory.com


EDUCATION
Otis College of Art and Design
2013 2016
BFA in graphic design


PROGRAMS
Programs
Figma, Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, After Effects, Premiere, Audition, Google Suite, Keynote, Notion, Mailchimp, Asana, ChatGPT, Midjourney

Capabilities
8+ years experience, Art Direction, Sketching, Presenting, Design Systems, Vector Illustration, Typography, Composition, Storyboarding, Photo Editing, Video Editing, GIF Animation, Deck Design, Brainstorming


AWARDS
GDUSA 2022 American Package Design Awards in Food & Beverage: Todo Verde

2018 University & College Designers Association (UCDA) Integrated marketing campaign for Gold: CalArts Summer Programs

MORE ABOUT ME
🌁 I was born in the San Francisco Bay Area and raised on hypy music.

 🏳️‍🌈 Gay identifying: Out and proud, I always give thanks to the artists who’ve paved the way for me.

💾 Designers I constantly reference: Porta Rocha, Colins, Zipeng Zhu, Bráulio Amado, Sylvia Bommer Yang,  Shxpir, Ash Thorp, Perron-Roettinger

🖼️ Artists I emulate: James Jean, Gustavo Rimada, Jean Jullien, Tomer Hanuka

🎤 The best concert I’ve ever attended:


🧵 Fashion icons I adore: Lu’u Dan, Charles Jeffery Loverboy, Thom Browne, Issey Miyake, Bottega Veneta, Luar, KidSuper

🎥 Films I can watch over-and-over again: Pedro Almodóvar (Talk to Her), Wong Kar-Wai (In the Mood for Love), Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell), Jennie Livingston (Paris is Burning) 

🎙️ Podcasts I listen to in the background: The Journal (WSJ), Unexplainable (Vox), Even the Rich (Wondery), Keep It! (Crooked), A Brush With... (The Art Newspaper)

📚 The books that feed my brain: The Creative Act, Crying in H Mart, Wild, The Shallows, Legendary Children, Deep Work

📺 ...and the shows I stream when I turn off my brain:
RuPaul’s Drag Race, Fleabag, Veep, Barry, Beef

Creative Direction + Brand Design heyduterte@gmail.com


Bay raised 👐🏼 LA grown ®