Isabella Medina

PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY

Isabella Medina is a designer, student and nanny currently living in Portland, Oregon. With interests shaped by her identity as a gay Colombian-American, Isabella came to graphic design through Portland Community College, via portrait photography and small town-magazine layout, and stayed for the friendships and fonts. She’s currently practicing type making, pattern design, and hosting a local creative event series through a project called Snack Time. Some of her favorite projects so far include a screen-printed poster series for a recently passed Oregon gun safety measure, and illustrations to promote endometriosis awareness, after fighting her own uterus while in school.

WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL INSPIRED?

I’m inspired when I see people with cool tattoos, public libraries, giant hand-painted signs, janitors, 14th century gothic scripts, and color palettes derived from shaved ice flavors. And most deeply, snacks.

WHAT AREA OR AREAS OF DESIGN ARE YOU HOPING TO WORK IN OR SPECIALIZE IN?

I would love to make motion graphics and drawings that help explain tricky things in a fun way.

WHAT IS ONE THING THAT DESIGN SCHOOL HAS TAUGHT YOU THAT YOU DID NOT EXPECT?

Learning After Effects IS possible even though the buttons are made for ants.

WHO IS SOMEONE YOU LOOK UP TO IN YOUR FIELD? EITHER TODAY OR HISTORICALLY?

I love Kate Bingaman-Burt for her boundless energy to create, share, explore ideas, and make little pencils out of air-dry-clay.