about me
Helping brands define their style
I’m Damara, a visual designer passionate about creating meaningful, impactful designs. I specialize in crafting visual identities that tell stories through creative solutions, whether for branding, print, or digital projects. My background in fine arts allows me to infuse artistic depth into every project while keeping functionality and audience engagement at the forefront. I love collaborating with clients to bring their vision to life with designs that not only look good but also work seamlessly across platforms. Let's make something inspiring together!
Resume
My Work Timeline
February 2023 – Present 2024
Graphic Designer
Fastsigns
Seattle, WA, USA
As a Senior Graphic and Production Designer at FASTSIGNS of Queen Anne, I help local businesses enhance their visual identity by designing and producing signage, including exterior branding, interior displays, and small-format print materials like business cards and brochures. I also create regulatory and directional signage for various clients. My role involves collaborating with customers, gathering requirements, and managing projects using Agile practices. Additionally, I contribute to social media content creation, significantly boosting engagement through analytics and A/B testing, and collaborate with developers to improve the company website.
Some projects I worked on here:
January 2021 – October 2022
Visual Designer
Amazon
Chennai, TN, India
As a visual designer at Amazon Prime Video Channels Europe, I was responsible for creating images based on creative briefs aligned with studio brand guidelines for storefronts, merchandising, social media, email marketing, and more. I also audited designs for quality control and collaborated with studios. In addition to design work, I enhanced operational efficiency by improving PSD templates, automating repetitive tasks, and streamlining reporting processes, saving significant time and resources. I contributed to ad-hoc design projects for employee engagement events, newsletters, and presentations while collaborating across teams globally. I also developed skills in process improvement, automation, basic HTML/CSS, and deadline-driven problem-solving.
Some projects I worked on here:
May 2018 – December 2020
Graphic Designer & UI/UX Designer
Wedding Wishlist India
Chennai, TN, India
As the lead for all visual design requirements, I managed multiple projects, focusing on multimedia design, including social media posts, Facebook ad creatives, infographics, brochures, packaging, and photo retouching. I worked on both print and digital marketing, creating email campaigns, business cards, animation, videography, and post-production content. In user experience design, I conducted UX research, created wireframes, performed usability testing, and developed responsive designs using tools like Figma and Sketch. For website design, I designed user flows, mockups, and maintained design systems to ensure consistent brand expression. In product design, I contributed to e-commerce platforms, wedding templates, and virtual wedding platforms, ensuring adherence to brand guidelines.
May 2017 – June 2017
Graphic Design Intern
Omnia Digital
Chennai, TN, India
As a graphic design intern at a digital marketing agency, I created deliverables for multiple brands while ensuring adherence to each brand's unique design standards. My work included developing creatives for Facebook Ads, designing logos, and producing videos for social media platforms. I gained hands-on experience with tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, and Premiere Pro, further honing my skills in graphic design, social media content creation, and comic book illustration.
September 2016 – December 2016
Set Design Intern
The Little Theatre India
Chennai, TN, India
During my internship at The Little Theatre in India from September to December 2016, I was introduced to various aspects of set design, including stage layout, lighting, and sound coordination. I also gained experience in incorporating sustainability into single-use prop design, which was crucial for minimizing waste in production. This hands-on experience helped me understand the practical elements of theatre production and the importance of eco-friendly design choices.
May 2014 – April 2018
Student – Bachelor of Visual Arts – Graphic Design
Stella Maris College
Chennai, TN, India
I hold a Bachelor of Visual Arts, where I gained comprehensive knowledge across art history, practical skills in drawing, painting, and digital photography, and explored the art and architecture of diverse cultures, including Indigenous, Hindu, Buddhist, and Indo-Islamic traditions. My coursework covered major movements in European art, modern and postmodern art, and Indian craft traditions. I specialized in practical applications such as textile and graphic design, figure illustration, and new media. Additionally, I pursued interdisciplinary electives in mass media & communication and astrophysics, connecting art with broader fields and expanding my creative and analytical perspectives.
Freelance & Volunteering
September 2023 – March 2024
Volunteer Digital Artist & Graphic Designer
Jack's Cat Cave
Seattle, WA, USA
I volunteered to lead the design efforts for a friend's cat shelter program, where I was responsible for creating the logo, branding, and a comprehensive design system. This project involved developing a cohesive visual identity that captured the essence of the shelter's mission. I designed various assets that ensured consistency across all touchpoints, from logo design to color schemes and typography, all showcased in the branding system.
July 2019 – September 2019
Freelance Digital Artist
Bila Shaka Brewery
Nairobi, Kenya
At Bila Shaka Brewery, I conducted in-depth market and audience research to inform design strategies for large-scale marketing campaigns. I developed iterative digital illustrations and designs, taking them from initial concepts through to final production for large-scale print assets. These marketing materials were integral in enhancing the brewery's brand visibility. One notable project involved creating a high-impact design for large-format printing, which can be viewed in detail in the below project.
October 2018 – December 2018
Content Curation Volunteer
TedX Napier Bridge
Chennai, TN, India
Working with the TedX team taught me how to effectively curate and tailor content by gathering relevant information and carefully selecting and organizing key parts of the talks to enhance the overall outcome. I also developed the ability to identify stories and address information gaps, ensuring that content was both impactful and accessible. Additionally, I learned how to validate content pieces and syndicate related content on the same platform to maintain consistency and further engage the audience.
March 2018 – April 2018
Freelance Book Cover Designer
Zero degree Publishing
Chennai, TN, India
At this publishing company, I focused on print design, book cover design, and photography. This role involved creating visually compelling book covers that effectively represented the content and engaged potential readers. I collaborated closely with the client to understand their vision and goals, ensuring that each design met their branding standards and aesthetic preferences. The final designs and photography can be viewed in the link below.
What keeps me busy outside of work
My Cats!
I started off as a hardcore dog person but after 5 cats between Chennai and Seattle I think I can proudly call myself a cat person :)
Anime!
I love anime! My current favourite is One Piece so you can imagine how excited I was when I got to work with the original mangaka's assets to design Anime Digital Network's launch on Prime Video 😍
Illustration!
Painting has always been a great way to express myself. I went from watercolors to oils to a wacom when I had my first job and an iPad that I now use to make illustrations for my designs.
Languages!
I'm a huge language enthusiast. I speak Hindi and Tamil fluently, a tiny bit of Gujarati and French and I'm currently learning Japanese. Swahili is the next on my list!
