🎓  Graduation show details here: April 26, 2025  🎉
menu

🎓  Graduation show details here: April 26, 2025  🎉
Shakeel Mohamed wordmark logo set in the Mindful Roman typeface which he designed

Graphic Designer: Branding, typography, leadership

publicWork swap_callsExperiments

About


Headshot of Shakeel Mohamed

I think inside, outside, and about the box itself.

I thrive at the intersection of cultures, translating across perspectives to discover new ideas. My elementary school was on a Native American reservation where I was “the other Indian.” Early in life, I understood the nuances of personal identity which primed me for my second career in graphic design.


The pursuit of mastery fuels everything I do. As a software engineer, I didn’t just write code; I crafted it to be efficient and elegantly formatted, making it intuitive for other developers. This attention to typography is now at the heart of my practice as a designer. My creative process is a synthesis of research, conversational insights, strategy, and empathy to connect with my audience.


Available starting May 2025 for freelance or full-time opportunities on-site in Los Angeles or remote.


Please reach out by LinkedIn, or Instagram.


View my résumé here.


“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
— Peter Drucker (attributed)


I’m inspired by

  1. Underdogs
  2. Walking
  3. Conversations
  4. Music
  5. Warmth

Reminders to myself

  1. Focus intensely, rest completely.
  2. Take more (design) risks.
  3. Explore more ideas than required.
  4. Design is a spiritual practice.
  5. When in doubt, talk it out.

Community Building
I have dedicated the past four years to involving myself in design communities, sharing my experiences with others, and building towards design leadership experience. Over this time I’m grateful to have met several designers who have inspired me throughout my career.



Education


Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design
ArtCenter College of Design
Pasadena, California
2022–2025



Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (Emphasis in Business)
Seattle University
Seattle, Washington
2012–2015



Experience


Freelance Graphic Designer (Annually)
The Ismaili Muslim Community
Remote
10.2021–10.2024


Designed the brand identity for Salgirah, an annual international religious festival across 21 countries in 11 languages. Branded signage was displayed in multiple cities, notably at the Dubai World Trade Centre in 2021.

Freelance Graphic Designer
TALISMAN
Remote
07.2024–08.2024


Supported a team of three designers with identity development for clients in a variety of industries including higher education and performing arts. Designed presentation decks, style guidelines, and press ready files. Analyzed, refined, and presented typographic choices to align with overall art direction.

Founder
ntrsct designs
Remote
02.2018–12.2022


Operated an independent design studio offering branding, strategy, apparel, and social media design services. Designed deliverables for 12 clients, exploring a variety of visual solutions. Evolved from operating as a B2C apparel brand to providing B2B design services across multiple industries.

Software Engineer
Splunk, Inc.
Seattle, Washington
06.2015–04.2021


Led a team of three engineers to develop a data simulation engine for sales staff to demo products to prospective customers. Frequently collaborated across roles, teams, and departments to automate manual tasks. Presented technical sessions and hosted interactive booths at two conferences.



Skills


Strong working knowledge of:
Illustrator, InDesign, Figma, Premiere Pro, Keynote, Glyphs, After Effects


Familiar with:
Photoshop, Blender, Midjourney, TouchDesigner, MadMapper, LiveSurface, Artivive, Basecamp, Trello, Jira, Google Workspace, Dropbox, Slack


Presentation and facilitation:
Strategic thinking, collaboration, copywriting, product management, project management, community building, agile facilitation, and scrum


Programming:
JavaScript, p5.js, Node.js, HTML, CSS, React, Python, Java, C, C++, Git


Recognition


AIGA Los Angeles Graphic Content Conference Speaker
Deconstructing “Best”: Redefining Success for Designers
2024


Voyage LA Magazine Interview
2024


Type Thursday Los Angeles
Presented my TYPO Mexico City branding project to 30 designers.
2023


AIGA Portfolio Festival
Virtual portfolio presentation to a live audience.
2022



Instagram
LinkedIn