The Creative Apparatus

Introducing the 2026 model

The Pinnacle of
Creative Engineering

This year’s San Diego City College Design portfolio class logged countless hours assembling, calibrating, and optimizing their creative apparatuses. Following the tested methods of the creative process, each student utilized their learned strategies and lived experience as inputs to produce one-of-a-kind design solutions. 

This website celebrates twenty-six designers and everything that went into completing their degree. Each portfolio is the product of one student's process and point of view. Scroll down to see what they made, and reach out to meet the people who made it.

Parts List

001

Portrait photo of Andrea
Cold brew coffee packaging: three bottles with pink, green and blue papel picado labels on striped woven cloth with pan dulce.
Darling bath product boxes with checkerboard borders and circular "peel better" seals in orange and yellow.
Brand identity: cream brush-script "nomad coffee studio" wordmark over close-up of foamy iced coffee.

002

Portrait photo of Carlos
Restaurant branding: red script wordmark "Pausa" over an overhead table of tapas and wine.
Beverage can packaging: three yellow cans with red script "mien" wordmark for an adaptogen drink.
Brahma AI logo: bold white wordmark beside four coloured pebble shapes on black.

003

Portrait photo of Brandon
Tinned fish packaging: MUTINY in blackletter on navy, maroon and black boxes scattered on concrete.
Packaging detail: kraft carton corner with black serif "pinefolk" wordmark and directions text.
Brand identity: white DRIFTER wordmark and star mark over warm orange bar photo of a bartender pouring gin.

004

Portrait photo of a Marin
Jewish deli brand identity: pink and blue menus, coasters, hamantaschen and a reuben on hot pink.
Chocolate bar packaging: jagged purple CRESCENDO lettering on yellow and red, bar broken beside it.
Magazine cover "The Circus": duotone purple portrait with elaborate pom-pom braided headdress and face paint.

005

Portrait photo of Dayana
Teaology iced tea can packaging: three fruit-illustrated cans with cut fruit on pale blue.
Magazine BEYOND: cover of inky shadow figures with glowing eyes, beside an open spread.
Line-art logo: guitar pick with strings and soundhole inside a black circle, pale blue ground.

006

Portrait photo of Angel
Cold brew coffee cans in yellow and pink with armadillo and jaguar illustrations, on orange.
Instagram story mockup on a phone: hand holding green Vanicream lotion bottle, "A Study In Simplicity."

007

Portrait photo of Drew
Mobile app screens for Truce tea shop: loose-leaf product photos, olive and cream palette, red buttons.
Paint can packaging redesign: green and white Sherwin-Williams Emerald label with brush on wood.

008

Portrait photo of Dana
Petal Rosehip skincare packaging: toner, cleanser and serum with blurred pink-violet gradient labels.
Museum exhibition tickets for VOYEUR: yellow script title and dots over a teal pool photo.
Stacked rave magazine covers titled HAPPi, neon yellow masthead over a raver in beaded bracelets.

009

Portrait photo of a Luke
Wine bottle packaging: three bottles with chunky wordmark labels in yellow, pink and pale blue.
Tonewell brand logo: orange monoline script wordmark on a deep forest green field.
CHROMA wordmark in thin black capitals with wide-set, geometric letterforms.

010

Portrait photo of Bianca
Beverage can packaging: silver SKYE adaptogenic lemonade cans with yellow logo, scattered on grass with lemons.
Wrestling magazine cover: two wrestlers mid-match with pink ribbon streamers, bold CROSSFACE masthead.

011

Portrait photo of Marissa
Rebel Curls haircare packaging: three pink-capped bottles with graffiti collage labels on lavender.
Shrink-wrapped magazine issues: AlterEgo cover with blue-haired model in matchstick crown and doll necklace.
App welcome screen: orange flower with a blue eye center, SOURCE wordmark on chartreuse.

012

Portrait photo of a Kate
Beverage packaging: three glass creamer bottles with green, tan and cream labels over yellow lettering.
Editorial spread "Native Chaos" with yellow display type and photos of wildflower gardens.
Mobile site screens for Beyond Property Management, blue type over beach and coastline photos.

013

Portrait photo
Vegan butter packaging: three cream cartons with red script "Cult" logo and flavor bands, on yellow.
Editorial spread mockup: driftwood photo, speaker bio, and "our purpose" page with mountain lake image.

014

Portrait photo of Yoon
MIJU sparkling rice wine cans in maroon, black and green with gold floral medallions, beside pear and chestnuts.
Vegan caviar tin packaging: three stacked tins with scalloped labels in blue, pink and lavender.
Editorial magazine spread with oversized black headline type and a black-and-white diving photo.

015

Portrait photo of Caitlyn
Three transit posters for California Credit Union: smiling portraits, geometric flowers and blue shapes.
Momento photo-sharing app screens: login, feed grid, inbox and darkroom, with yellow accents.
Two SEANCE magazine covers: a cracked doll's face in purple, a mossy horned forest spirit in green.

016

Portrait photo of Jair

Jair Monroy-Alvarado

Boxing brand packaging: black hand-wrap box and shaker bottle with red Ragnar lettering, beside gloves.
Vector cartoon mascot in helmet and hoodie, mid-leap with hands splayed, black-and-cream halftone shading.

017

Portrait photo of a Jason
Three CRAIC Irish whiskey bottles in green, white and red with Celtic spiral labels.
Coffee brand identity: latte with rosetta art before a brown Flowstate script package.
Canned cocktail packaging with purple palm tree and citrus slices on pink and orange sunset.

018

Portrait photo of a Miranda
Grid of MISFIT horror-zine covers in saturated duotones, featuring Freddy Krueger and Leatherface.
Café brand identity: checkerboard-bordered Tertulia menus, stickers and thank-you cards with conchas on pink.
Yellow slab-serif SOLECITO wordmark over a spinning red and pink sunburst.

019

Portrait photo of a Liza
Olive oil tin packaging: three cans in yellow, olive and maroon with red Oliveto script.
Conference program spread: speaker bios with headshots framed by blue, green and pink blocks.

020

Portrait photo of Joash
Burnin Belly michelada beer cans in green, pink and orange, scattered chiles on red.
Dark fantasy magazine covers for UMBRAL, tilted grid with red titles and costumed figures.
Streetwear e-commerce homepage on a laptop: BORU logo over a grey hoodie photo, magenta type.

021

Portrait photo of Raul

Raul Santacruz

Bakery packaging: green and lilac patterned pastry bags holding glazed croissants, hands reaching in.
Soda can packaging: Sour Burst lemonade in blue and lime, on concentric rings.
Men's magazine cover LADS in rust type, model in tan coat, held against a boulder.

022

Portrait photo of a Jocelyn

Jocelyn Olea

Pomme Pomme silk scarf packaging: grey pillow boxes with script logo, printed scarves and black card.
Conference program spread: speaker bios with circular portraits framed by line-drawn botanical wreaths.
Beauty magazine cover: close-up of a model in bold magenta eye and lip makeup, LOOCZ masthead.

023

Portrait photo of Lupita
Whiskey bottle packaging: cream label with blackletter "draymore" and gold butterfly, on olive satin.
HOZHO brand identity: white stylized eagle above serif wordmark on dark brown.
Music magazine cover: bold black ECHO title over duotone photo of hands playing bass guitar on pink blob shape.

024

Portrait photo of Karl
Guitar string packaging in teal, green and maroon with psychedelic Mind Wave lettering, beside a guitar neck and picks.
Typographic piece: the word WAR set large in heavy black condensed sans-serif on white.

025

Portrait photo of Courtney

Courtney Vest

Silly Goose sliced cheese packaging: bubbly wordmark on yellow, blue, pink and green trays.
Beer can label for Lucid Brewing: black eye-in-palm hand on a rainbow gradient.
Kombucha bar brand identity: rust and olive coasters, matchbox and cards with palm and sun-face marks.

026

Portrait photo of Bella
Overlapping spread of bar and event flyers: comedy nights, drink specials, bingo, collage posters.
Leather oil packaging: gold tins with blue Rodlinger script and bison mark on tan labels.
Illustration of a hooded grim reaper holding a coffee mug, black ink on orange.

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