Hey, my name is Eric Vasquez, and I am a New York City based creative and design director and small business owner. I’m also a bit of a nerd. I love video games, professional wrestling, tattoos, and comic books. Aside from just reading and collecting comics, I love drawing them. I’ve always been influenced by artists like Jim Lee, Greg Capullo, Alex Ross, Jack Kirby, and the great Stan Lee.
I actually taught myself to draw when I was 5 or 6 years old just from studying those books and How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way. When I’m not at my desk, I’m into photography, fitness, and getting grounded outdoors. I find that’s the best way to get my creative juices flowing because my best ideas rarely come to me when I’m just sitting down.
This year, I’ve been feeling a strong pull to go back to more human, traditional, and analog types of art. I signed up for a screen printing course at Lower East Side Printshop, and I’ve been experimenting with gel printing and using my Fujifilm X-T30 II in my work. Essentially, I’m brushing up on the skills that made me fall in love with art in the first place.
I realized that I’ve spent so much of my career helping other brands and networks find their voice, and now I want to do that for myself. As a small business owner, it’s so important to always be learning and exploring new avenues. My goal is to start creating my own prints (posters and t-shirts) that showcase my love for traditional art.
On the business side, I recently submitted my application to become a certified minority business owner and a vendor for New York City, New York State, and the Port Authority. I’m hoping to work with larger companies on the projects that really make New York New York—I’d love to see my work in museums, libraries, or on the MTA subway.
Those are my big ambitions for the year. Thanks for following along on the journey, and I’ll see you soon!
#creativesprint #halleaseansprint #graphicdesigner #keyartdesigner #creativebusinessowner #meettheartists
I’ve been grinding away at gel plate printing for weeks now. As a designer who has spent years trying to control every single pixel on a screen, the transition to more tangible (and often unpredictable) art forms has sometimes felt like a literal fight.
To be honest, I’ve had more failed pulls than I care to admit. 😅
But I'm finally starting to get the hang of the gel printing process - the physics and the timing.
In this session, I’m moving away from my urge to chase the clean and perfect way of doing things. Instead, I’m pulling inspiration from the pages of Silver and Bronze Age comics and leaning into the heavy lines and textures.
After building a composite from several vintage comics, I printed out a clean black toner transfer to set the foundation.
Once the black ink dried, I began hand painting the gel plate with @liquitexofficial and Flo-Glow acrylics using my new @princetonbrush to combine fluorescent colors with the bold superhero color palette.
This analog workflow is all about slowing down, being present, and getting paint on my hands to create something different.
Stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow!
#AnalogRebellion #GelPlatePrinting #ProcessVideo #BronzeAgeComics #FloGlow #PrincetonBrushes #KeyArt #MixedMedia #Batman #Superman #dccomics
15 hours. That’s how long I had to leave this plate alone before I allowed myself to pull the print. ⏳
The first few times I tried this, I rushed. I wanted that instant dopamine hit we’re used to in a digital workflow. I pulled the image after a few minutes, and it failed every single time.
But this time? I walked away and 'trusted the process'.
As a designer, I’m used to instant feedback. I’m used to the result appearing the second I click a mouse. But the gel plate doesn’t care about any of that - it requires patience, and slowing down.
In Part 1, I showed the prep: scanning Silver and Bronze Age comics, building the composite, and hand painting the @liquitexofficial and Flo-Glow acrylics.
But this right here? This was the moment it all came together.
After weeks of trial and error, seeing the image finally come off of the plate the way I intended was a massive breakthrough. I finally found the aesthetic I’ve been chasing after for months.
It’s not perfect - and that’s kinda the point. It has a grit and a human made feel that AI can’t replicate because an algorithm has never had to wait 15 hours to see if its work made it through the night.
Sometimes the best thing you can do for your creative soul is to get off the screen, get your hands dirty, and let the work breathe.
The wait was worth it. 🤘
What’s one part of your creative process that you’ve been trying to rush? What happens if you give it an extra 15 hours?
#GelPlate #Printmaking #ArtistWorkflow #CreativeProcess #AnalogArt #VintageComics #EricVasquezDesign #HumanCreativity #AntiPerfectionism
Great ideas deserve great editing. Learn how to bring your videos to life with Adobe Premiere Pro! ✨📹
Video is everywhere, and strong editing skills can help your content really stand out. In this new Adobe Premiere Pro for Beginners course on GoSkills, expert instructor Eric Vasquez will show you how to:
🎬 Edit smoother, more engaging videos
🎬 Create transitions, captions, and motion graphics
🎬 Improve audio and give footage a more cinematic feel
🎬 Speed up your workflow with AI-powered editing tools
🎬 Export polished videos for YouTube, social media, and more
👉 Tap the 🔗 in our bio to start learning today.
#PremierePro #VideoEditing #VideoEditingSkills #OnlineCourses #GoSkills
Zero prompts. Zero generative shortcuts. 100% human craft. 🏜️
In a world of big budget shoots, I've seen the same mistake over and over: A hard drive full of thousands of frames, but zero story. Poses that are static, lifeless, and leave the design team "fixing it in post."
We’re on a mission to change that with our latest project: OBLIVION.
To create this campaign, we didn’t just take photos. We used a unified production workflow to tell a story rather than simply capturing a pose.
1️⃣ Movement Direction: I collaborated with my wife @danceboissiere (who also happens to be an amazingly talented Movement Director) to ensure every movement or shift in weight meant something before I even opened Photoshop.
2️⃣ Story-Driven Design: Using narrative backstory and professional lighting to turn a home studio into a cinematic landscape. 3️⃣ No AI. No prompts. No generative shortcuts. Just human creativity, thoughtful direction, and high end design.
This teaser poster is just the beginning.
We are currently building out the full campaign ranging from static and living key art to a full title sequence in order to show how this flexible and agile workflow actually moves the needle.
Full campaign and case study coming soon! 🎬
#OBLIVION #TeaserPoster #KeyArt #CreativeDirection #MovementDirection #NoAI #BehindTheScenes #MoviePoster #VisualStorytelling #DesignProcess
Three years ago, I was laid off for the last time.
In some ways, it felt like I was losing my seat at the table, but today? I built my own.
When I was let go three years ago, I was faced with an important decision: look for a new job, or build something of my own.
I chose the latter.
Transitioning from in-house to independent isn’t just about a change in business address. It’s also a shift in perspective. It’s about betting on yourself, and it's the difference between simply executing a brief and identifying a business problem before the brief is even written.
Today is a really special, full circle moment for me as I’ve officially moved into my new office space in Harlem.
As I reflect on the last three years of grinding and working for myself, I want to make it known that I’m not just a 'pair of hands' waiting for instructions. I’m a partner who challenges the brief, asks the hard questions, and treats your business goals as my own.
As I settle into the new HQ, I’m opening capacity for partners who value working directly with a business owner who delivers with speed and agility. I’m also finalizing my M/WBE status to better support corporate partners with diversity mandates.
If you’re looking for a creative force that bridges the gap between high-level strategy and technical execution, I'd love to chat.
#CreativeStrategy #DesignLeadership #BusinessGrowth #IndependentCreative #HarlemBusiness
I’ve been sharing my drawing journey with the 30 day drawing challenge, but I wanted to take it even further by heading to Lower East Side Printshop and making some prints of one of my favorite comic characters- Wolverine.
I started with the line art using a 2B pencil and then built up the values. From there I went over the lines with Micron pens and scanned it into Photoshop so I could boost the contrast.
Once I was happy with the contrast I printed it out on transparent paper and burned the image onto a screen with emulsion.
After prepping the screen I began making my prints with blue ink (X-Men vibes) and I couldn’t be happier with the results.
Check out the full process video to see how this progressed from a sketch to a finished screen print!
And if you liked this one, then I can’t wait to share what I’m cooking up next. 😈🤘🏼🎨
#screenprintingshop #humanled #wolverine #lesprintshop #ericvasquezdesign
New Podcast Alert! 🎙️
I sat down with the incredible Svenja Lyon of @lyon.creatives for the latest episode of "This Might Get Creative." We dive deep into the messy, beautiful, and often chaotic reality of the creative process.
If you’ve ever felt like you're wearing 30 different hats (retoucher, artist, business owner, human...) this one is for you. ✍️
🔗 Link in Bio to listen now!
#ThisMightGetCreative #CreativeProcess #PodcastLife #EricVasquezDesign #FreelanceLife #DigitalArt
To show how much I value analog and traditional art skills, I decided to challenge myself with a 30 day drawing journey.
I wanted to re-learn the skills that made me fall in love with art when I was 5 or 6 years old. These are the skills I’ve neglected over the years since 99% of my work involves a computer.
2026 is the year that changes.
While I’m grateful for the amazing clients I’ve had throughout my career, I’ve always focused on helping them find their unique voice. With this challenge, I’m embarking on a journey to find my own.
I'll admit, there was a lot of resistance at first. It’s easy to hit 'undo' digitally, but on paper, I'm learning to embrace the mistakes rather than trying to erase them.
The Process:
1️⃣ Charcoal for gesture and line of action.
2️⃣ 2B and 4B pencils for volume and anatomy.
3️⃣ Micron 08 and 03 for the finish.
These 30 days are up, and I’m really happy with the results. Here are some of my favorite drawings from the challenge. ✍️✨
Step into the seance. 🕯️✨
I’m thrilled to finally share the official Key Art for The Parlor Room Season 2 on @dropout .
For this project, the goal was evolution. I wanted to take the visual language we built in the first season (the floating objects, the iconic gold title) and pull them into a moodier, more supernatural atmosphere.
As a designer, I approach Key Art like a branding system. It’s not just a poster - it’s a visual world that has to remain cohesive whether you see it on a massive billboard or a tiny thumbnail on your phone.
By leaning into eerie lighting and tactile textures, the visual tells the viewer a story and gives them clues about what they can expect before the first episode even plays.
Swipe to see:
1️⃣ The Season 2 Reveal
2️⃣ Detail shots
3️⃣ The evolution from Season 1
I'm currently booking entertainment and key art projects for the second half of 2026. If you have a story that needs a visual world, click the link in my bio or shoot me a DM.
#TheParlorRoom #DropoutTV #KeyArt #PosterDesign #CreativeDirection #VisualSystems #ArtDirection #DesignProcess
I walked away from a promotion that I spent years working for. 🤯
A couple of years ago, a company I was with created an Art Director position specifically for me. On paper, it was the dream: a bigger office, a team of four designers, and more responsibility.
But the reality was different.
When I stepped into the role, things were disorganized and inconsistent. I spent months building a strategy to change that. When our biggest event of the year rolled around, it finally clicked. Seeing our strategy shared across social media, looking polished and getting people excited, was amazing.
But there was a problem...my paycheck stayed exactly the same. 💸
They were happy to give me the responsibility, the extra work, and the better title - without the compensation to match. When I asked for a salary adjustment, I got the classic: "Hang in there, we’ll take care of it soon."
Nothing changed. I saw the writing on the wall.
I didn’t leave because I didn’t like the work - I actually loved it. And I didn't leave because of the people. I walked away because I knew I wasn't being valued.
I realized that if we don’t stand up for ourselves and know our worth, nobody else will. That fancy title and prestige don’t mean anything without the respect that should come with it.
The day I gave my notice and walked out, I didn’t feel sad or angry. I felt empowered. I was finally standing up for myself. ⚡️
It’s an important lesson: It’s not enough for someone to tell you that you’re valued. They have to show you. I carry that lesson with me every single day.
#halleaseansprint #CreativeSprint #KnowYourWorth #CreativeEntrepreneur #ArtDirector #DesignLife #CareerGrowth #SelfValue #WorkLifeBalance #GraphicDesign #CreativeBusiness #EntrepreneurMindset
Anytime I sit down to draw I’m noticing that I put pressure on myself to try and create something that looks finished or complete like every single time. ✍️
I realize this is probably just perfectionism showing up and rearing it's ugly head, so to combat this, I’m setting a timer for no more than 60 minutes, and whatever I make in that time is good enough. Even if it’s not finished, I think it’s more about just showing up and doing the work.
I’ve noticed that I struggle with my shading, but I’m trying to slow down and work on how to add shadows to each body part individually instead of looking at the entire figure and getting overwhelmed.
This kind of helps because I can just focus on one thing in each studying session like studying the torso, or an arm, leg, etc.
I still need to work on the shading and values and feel like this is one of the important steps that can make my drawings look more polished, especially when it comes to cross hatching.
I’m curious if anybody has any good tips or methods that they’ve tried for getting a better handle on shading and values in pencil drawings?
Let me know in the comments. 📢
#creativesprint #halleaseansprint #graphicdesigner #keyartdesigner #creativebusinessowner #meettheartists #drawingchallenge #drawingpractice✏️
