Mel Albino

Available to hire

I am an experienced graphic designer specializing in product development, with a diverse art portfolio and a proven track record of creating top-selling items for merchandising clients such as Hot Topic, BoxLunch,…

About

I am an experienced graphic designer specializing in product development, with a diverse art portfolio and a proven track record of creating top-selling items for merchandising clients such as Hot Topic, BoxLunch, Spencer’s, Hobby Lobby, and Tractor Supply. I’m skilled in working across multiple IPs and franchises, adept at concept design, illustration, brand consistency, and delivering high-quality original product lines for the North American market.

I have also published my own comic art, focusing on character design, storyboarding, and marketing strategies to grow audience engagement. Furthermore, I have freelanced as a storyboard artist and illustrator for game development projects, where I efficiently utilize agile methodology to meet strict deadlines and collaborate effectively with teams to bring concepts to life.

Industry experience

  • Consumer Goods
  • Media & Entertainment
  • Gaming
  • Retail
  • Professional Services

Projects · 26

Jamsel Quest is a webcomic that follows four slime girls who work as dungeon janitors by day and craft cute outfits from salvaged armor by night! Updates Wednesdays! 💜💛💙❤️ https://www.twine.net/signin

  • Comic Illustrator
  • Concept Artist
  • Content Creator
  • +1

personal illustrator comic project

  • Comic Illustrator
  • Graphic Designer
  • Illustrator

Work experience

Graphic Designer/Illustrator · Whatever Company, LLCJan 2025 – Aug 2025 · 8 mos

Conceptualized key client concepts (Hot Topic, BoxLunch) into final products from end-to-end development and created multiple top-selling enamel pin and figure items, generating profits of at least $9,900+ per line order with repeat sales. Developed vector designs adhering to foreign manufacturer templates, meeting tight deadlines and increasing production capacity by 20%. Collaborated closely with Art Lead to ensure production quality, contributing to a 33% increase in repeat client contacts and retention.

Freelance Storyboard Artist/Illustrator · Barebottom GamesFeb 2023 – Aug 2025 · 2 yrs 7 mos

Assisted in conceptual development for a new game by closely collaborating with the team to provide clear project direction and illustrated user interface elements like HUD and emotes. Converted writer scripts into animatics efficiently and met strict deadlines by applying AGILE methodology and task prioritization.

Publisher/Comic Artist · Nalem ArtMay 2011 – Present · 15 yrs 7 mos

Created initial character designs and storyboards, enrolled in college writing classes to enhance storytelling, and hired a co-writer to improve comic dialogue. Developed marketing strategies that increased social media presence and partnered with The Hive works comic collective, successfully crowdfunding additional volumes. Utilized retroactive story fixes to address inconsistencies and plot holes, smoothing narrative rollout for readers.

Education

BA, Fine Arts · Thomas More University2006 – 2011

Testimonials · 5.0 from 1 review

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