Books and Writing

Below you’ll find my Books and Writing Projects.

My self-published books are an exploration in prose/poetry, illustrated stories, photography, and non-fiction. I'm drawn to creating poetic narratives that use abstract imagery to create mood and depth. I love to combine traditional mediums (handmade embroidery, colored pencil, graphite, paint) with digital typography, photography & graphics. Not every project will utilize the same tools, a mixed media approach will be taken to realize each story to its full potential. Whether it's illustrating a story, or experimenting with comics to present your narrative in a new light, I'll use the power of images and text together to illustrate your idea, story or brand.

My writing explores poetry, non-fiction, and speculative fiction. Currently, I’m writing the first draft of my fantasy novel-in-verse, The Crystal Seers. I’m also developing a non-fiction book on Nuyorican artist Jorge Soto Sánchez, focusing on his life, art, and writing.

Skills:

Graphic Design / Digital Design / Illustration / Typography / Mixed Media / Photography / Photo Retouching / Handmade Embroidery / Poetry, Non-Fiction, and Fiction Writing

Software:

Adobe Photoshop / Adobe Illustrator / Abode Indesign / Clip Studio Paint EX / Scrivener / Microsoft Word

* Click on Image to Purchase or View Preview / Cover - Los Elementos Adentro de Mi Poetry and Prose Book - Colored Pencil / Los Elementos Adentro de Mi is a collection of poetry and prose that explores the elements of earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. The poems and stories refer to these elements in a conceptual way. Taking the elements out of their usual context, and digging deeper into how we relate to them. Exploring how they appear in our lives, looking at them through another light, and understanding the messages that we can receive from them.

Preview Page 1 - Los Elementos Adentro de Mi

Preview Page 2 - Los Elementos Adentro de Mi

* Click on Image to Purchase or View Preview / Cover - Red Soul Into the Dark Illustrated Poetry Book - Handmade Embroidery / Red Soul Into the Dark is David’s first illustrated book. He uses poetry to explore and journey into the unknown with his heart ablaze, facing the fears, doubts and thoughts waiting in the dark. Freedom’s light and the comforts of joy and love, are a constant motivator to navigate through life’s obstacles no matter how scared you are.

Preview Page 1 - Red Soul Into the Dark - Black Ink Monotype and Digital Color

Preview Page 2 - Red Soul Into the Dark - Black Ink Monotype and Digital Color

* Click on Image to Purchase or View Preview / Yuuma: The Geisha Redux is my second photography book. In these images I am exploring breaking down and re-imagining the geisha aesthetic. Utilizing kimono fabric and traditional geisha props, I aim to show another way of looking at the geisha: a view that is unearthed one image at a time. Interspersed with these images are photos taken at the Chinese Scholar's Garden in Staten Island, NY. The landscape looks like it could be from somewhere in Japan, so I thought those images would complement the geisha photos nicely. The cover image (Geisha with a Dragon Tattoo) was a Finalist in the Photographer's Forum 37th Annual Spring Photography Contest. It was published in their Best of Photography Book 2018.

Preview Page 1 - Yuuma: The Geisha Redux - Studio Self-Portrait Digital Photography

Preview Page 2 - Yuuma: The Geisha Redux - Digital Photography

* Click on Image to Purchase or View Preview / The [Masc] We Wear is a self-portrait photo series that explores the boundaries of masculinity within realm of beauty. I am attempting to show that men can retain their manhood while wearing body paint and posing with butterflies. Masculinity exists within the mind of each man and is not directly related to one’s outward appearance. Due to the props I am using, you would expect to see a woman in the image, but instead you’ll see me. Men can be beautiful as well, and don’t have to sacrifice or give up any portion of their virility to prove it. The cover image (Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder) was a Finalist in the Photographer's Forum 34th Annual Spring Photography Contest. It was published in their Best of Photography 2014 book.

Preview Page 1 - The [Masc] We Wear - Studio Self-Portrait Digital Photography

Preview Page 2 - The [Masc] We Wear - Studio Self-Portrait Digital Photography

* Click on Image to Purchase or View Preview / Red Soul Into the Dark is David's second collection of poetry. He explores journeying into the unknown with his heart ablaze, facing the fears, doubts and thoughts waiting in the dark. Freedom's light and the comforts of joy and love, are a constant motivator to navigate through life's obstacles, no matter how scared you are.

Preview Page 1 - Red Soul Into the Dark - Poetry

Preview Page 2 - Red Soul Into the Dark - Poetry

* Click Image to Purchase or View Preview / Lost + Found is David's first collection of poetry. He chronicles his journey from being unsure and lost to finally finding his way and being found. From navigating loneliness and desire to soothing heartache, he keeps pushing along keeping love alive in his heart. Defeating homophobia's debilitating grip he finds a path to new love and joy.

* Link Coming Soon / In the Name of Ra is a collection of digital collages that explores Ancient Egypt and their reverence for the cosmos and their gods and goddesses. I used high quality images from a vintage French book on Ancient Egypt, galaxy themed origami papers and images featuring close-ups of the moon during its lunar phases.

Preview Page 1 - In the Name of Ra - Digital Collage

Preview Page 2 - In the Name of Ra - Digital Collage

Cover for my fantasy verse novel (in progress) – The Crystal Seers - Handmade Embroidery, Colored Pencil, Graphite & Adobe Photoshop / I wanted to try something different, and make the cover stand out with a hand embroidered title. I'm a big believer in combining traditional & digital mediums.

Mateo – Book Cover Concept - Colored Pencil, Hand-drawn Typography, Hand-cut Collage & Adobe Photoshop / This book cover concept was fun to make. I used colored pencil, hand-cut collage and hand-drawn typography to create a horror themed cover, green was an important color in the story, which I why I chose it over red.

Cover for ...And Other Stories - Released On 04/10/18 by La Casita Grande Editores - Hand-cut Collage & Colored Pencil / This book cover was developed and revised with the editors. It was inspired by one of the stories in the book featuring a bullfighter. They gave me the concept and allowed me to run free in terms of what mediums to use. I chose colored pencil and collage because I wanted to create a one-of-a-kind image.

books and writing

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