PLAYGROUND
annadecesaredesign@gmail.com
@anna-decesare
@quavis
Anna DeCesare is a multidisciplinary designer. Grounded in hands-on, process-driven creation, she crafts tactile design experiences shaped by music, nature, and human connection.
I believe meaningful connection with design begins through physical interaction and a curiosity for how things are made. That mindset drives my practice. I’m interested in the full construction of an idea, how materials behave, how systems take shape, and how small decisions build into something larger. Influenced by the layered, experimental qualities found in the music and visual culture I consume, my work often explores rhythm, repetition, and structure as a way to guide experience. Outside of my creative practice, I spend time woodworking, playing bass, cooking with friends, and listening to new and old music, all of which are ongoing practices that continue to expand how I think, make, and understand the world around me.
RESUME
Education
Drexel University
Westphal college of Media Arts & Design
Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design
Minor in Product Design
Sep. 22’ - Jun. 26’
Experience Freelance Graphic Designer
Third Effect Marketing
Aug. 23’ - Present
Graphic Design Intern
MicroSociety Inc.
Apr. 25’ - Sep. 25’
Graphic Design Intern
AriZona Beverage Co.
Dec. 24’ - Jan. 25’
Honors & Awards
Dean’s List (all terms)
Westphal Portfolio Scholarship
Desiree Mesolella Art Scholarship
Selected for Exhibition in "All Into One"
Sculpture Gallery, 2026
Selected for Exhibition in “Create 2026”
Artist Gallery, 2026
Skills
Software:
Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, After Effects), Figma
Design Skills:
Packaging Design, Structural Packaging Design, Product Design, Physical Prototyping, Brand Identity, Editorial Design, Layout Design, Typography, UX/UI Design, Motion Graphics, Environmental Design, Production Artwork
01 Gather
Branding, Book Design, Furniture Design
InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator This collection celebrates the quiet significance of the dining table as the place where everyday life unfolds. By honoring the simple moments shared over meals, conversation, and presence, the work encourages a more intentional appreciation of connection around a dining table. It recognizes the dining table not just as furniture, but as a gathering point where ordinary experiences gain meaning through the people who share them.
02 TBi-TV/TBi-Internet Ads
Client: TBi-TVMotion Design, Advertising
After EffectsI produced a set of 20-second commercials promoting TBi-TV’s internet and television services. I took the project end to end, translating the client's needs into commercials built to grab attention fast and land their value within a tight runtime. The work sharpened my ability to deliver polished, on-brand advertising under real-world constraints.
03 Bass-Face
PACKAGING, BRANDING
Illustrator
Bass-Face is a music modification brand that supplies musicians with the tools to customise their sound. This kit consists of two hex keys to adjust the truss rod and bridge saddles, wire clippers to trim new strings after they’re installed, and a new set of strings. A customer would order this kit from the Bass-Face website and pick the type of strings they want with their kit. Customers could also set up a subscription to receive new strings in the mail on a schedule that works for them.
04 Alliance Agri Star II Radial Ad
Client: Alliance Tires Motion Design, Advertising
After Effects I produced this video for Alliance Tires (a Yokohama company), advertising the launch of their new Agri Star II Radial tire. Working within their brand system, I built the video around bold, attention-grabbing visuals designed to showcase the product and hold the viewer's attention throughout. The project sharpened my ability to translate a product launch into dynamic, on-brand video that keeps a marketing message front and center.
05 MicroSociety 2025 Conference Booklet
Client: MicroSociety Book Design
InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Canva
I designed and produced this 60-page program for MicroSociety’s 2025 conference, delivered on a two-week turnaround. I handled the full production, including layout, typography, and print-ready file preparation, shaping a large volume of content into a cohesive booklet using a sub-brand system. The project strengthened my ability to manage complex print production and tight deadlines without compromising design quality.
06 To Be Understandable
Photography, Book Design
InDesign, Photoshop, Figma
This is the product of a week-long workshop with renowned designer and photographer Martin Venezky. In groups of three, we were given the prompt to create a photobook about our experience creating the photobook. Over the week, I was inspired by Martin’s abstract and emotional work as well as my classmates’ artistry.
07 Arbor
Packaging, Branding
Illustrator, Photoshop
Arbor is a wood-infused soft drink designed to inspire exploration through flavor. This 4-pack features American Black Walnut, Sugar Maple, Western Red Cedar, and Brazilian Cherry, each offering unique possibilities for pairing in cooking or mixing with liquor.
08 Letters to a Young Poet
Book Design
InDesign, Photoshop This iteration of “Letters to a Young Poet” by Rainer Maria Rilke explores something I find endlessly fascinating: the tension between design done out of obligation and design done out of genuine passion. It’s also a nod to a cycle most designers will recognize: the pull toward underdoing it, then overcorrecting, then finally landing somewhere in the middle.
09 The Touch of Jazz
Exhibit Design, Environmental Design
Illustrator, Photoshop The exhibit invites visitors to experience the influence of jazz and the many ways it has shaped global culture. It encourages personal engagement with the music and offers space to truly feel its impact. With sections dedicated to jazz’s evolution across continents, genres, and eras (alongside a dedicated listening room featuring every vinyl mentioned, where visitors can sit in a distraction-free, dim space with superior acoustics to experience the music), this exhibit offers a journey into the living, breathing soul of jazz.