About

Using the skills I've learned over the years from both internship work and my education, I strive to find creative solutions to solve design problems. I mainly focus on brand identity, print, and typography; however, due to the desire to always try new things and different types of projects. I've expanded myself into multiple areas to help me understand how they work if needed in a future project.

My goal is to help those passionate about jobs and dreams and want to improve upon their designs or make them a reality. It's always great seeing the client's face as they see the work I do for them. Design, to me, is a form of life. Creating something that'll last but grow and evolve is what I try to do with the work I create, especially for my clients.

I've studied at Iowa State University for four years. During that time, I took a semester (4 months) and studied abroad in Rome, Italy, my senior year. I learned from both an American professor and an Italian professional graphic designer. Giving me a cultural experience and new ways of thinking about my work. Not only in the culture I grew up within also, how design can have an impact in other parts of the world.

Why On Brand?

So why did I go by a different name for my portfolio? Simply, it's because I have a common name, Brandon Johnson. You can google Brandon Johnson Graphic Design and get dozens of different Brandon Johnson's who are graphic designers. Getting a domain is almost impossible with my name unless I wanted to add a bunch of numbers to it, which I didn't. So I decided the best way to stand out was to create an identity for myself. I've spent the past four years of my college career trying to think of a different name. I've changed it a dozen times and rebranded myself and hating every version of it. So I took a step back from it for a while.

I ended up hanging out with a few of my design friends one day, and one of them said...

"That's pretty on-brand for you."

That got me thinking after hearing those two words, on-brand. I took it as my name, just taking the last two letters and putting it out front. I knew then that On Brand was the correct name for me, and that I found a domain that I could use with no numbers in it, and the rest lead on from there.

Awards

Creativity International Award

2020

Silver Winner

Janice Peterson Anderson Award Nominee

2020

Named top 15 of my graduating class

Dorothy Maitland Miller Scholarship

2018

Full-tuition scholarship for two years

Project Localize Most Informative Artwork
National Winner

2015

Online newspaper article: https://www.ames.k12.ia.us/2015/05/6636/
Work featured on website: http://www.projectlocalize.org/

Exhibitions

Frontier — ISU Graphic Design Senior Show

2020

Helped develop and brand the senior show, as well as helped lead the committee incharge.

Link to full show: http://isugd.com/2020seniorshow/
Link to my project: http://isugd.com/2020seniorshow/project/dysoptic/

Shifting Innovation — ISU Rome Program Exhibition

2020

Created the name of the show, designed the poster, and developed/created the online exhibition.

Link to online exhibition: http://gallery.design.iastate.edu/2020/06/19/shifting-innovation-rome-program-exhibition-2019/