About me
Kristen DeFazio: Senior Designer & Art Director
As a designer and creative director with 10+ years of agency and in-house creative experience, Kristen has collaborated with national brands including Capital One, Meiji America, Volkswagen, American Reading Company, and Herr’s. She also takes pride in helping support, reinvigorate, and grow small local business and non-profit organizations such as the Delaware Community Reinvestment Action Council (DCRAC), Tech for Troops, Propell Credit Union, and Atlantic Critter Rescue.
From whimsical to sophisticated to boldly in-your-face identities, every brand deserves a special touch. As a creative thought partner, I'll help craft unique identities, strategic and memorable campaigns, or any sort of design asset along the way. Let's build brand awareness, grow engagement, or help our communities—and look amazing while doing so.
Welcome! I'm Kristen DeFazio, a Delaware-based designer and art director. My journey into graphic design began before I even knew what graphic design was. From the day I opened MS Paint as a kid, I was designing made-up video game pamphets, trading cards to give to friends, and book covers for my short stories. I was fortunate to take classes where I discovered logo and identity design, branding for restaurants and menu layout, digital illustration, music festival posters, and more.
In 2014, I received my Bachelor's of Fine art with a double major in Graphic & Interactive Design and Printmaking from Tyler School of Art / Temple University in Philadelphia. I've been a longstanding member of the Philadephia AIGA, an participant in the Philly Global Game Jawn hosted by Philly Game Mechanics, and an active studio member of the New Castle County Art Studio.
I started my early career as a junior designer at a small digital ad agency in Wilmington where I collaborated with diverse clients across various industries, from startups to established corporations. I have since had the privledge of working for American Reading Company, whose mission is to get every child in America reading and writing on, or above, grade level. Most recently, I've been an Associate Art Director for over six years at Capital One, providing creative strategy and design for bank products that helped customers achieve their financial goals.
I'm also passionate about helping local businesses, community-oriented industries, and non-profits such as the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition, DCRAC, Richmond-based Tech For Troops, a veteran support community, and numerous pet rescues in the Delaware Valley region.
What I Do Best
Digital & Social Media
Digital marketing and social media creative campaigns that “stop the scroll” in a busy, high-competitive online space. Whether using minimalistic visuals or bold, eye-catching video or animation, successful ads are custom-made for each platforms and targeted audiences.
Logos & Branding
Your brand is your story, and I’m here to help you tell it visually. Are you starting from the ground up and looking for a logo and finding your brand’s style? Or are you an established company seeking brand activation by sparking new life into tired, old print or digital creatives?
Web & Interactive
In a world where screens come in all shapes and sizes, I ensure that your website looks stunning and works for you and your customers with ease. I provide hosting, design, e-commerce setup—mostly for small businesses—and specialize in front-end design.
Illustration & Concept Art
With a strong passion for drawing, I often incorporated illustration into my work when it can elevate a creative work or fit for the brand or product. I enjoy using digital painting, character design, and concept art for projects like book covers, narrative publications, wall art and signage, game design, and more.
Video & Motion Graphics
Another specialization of mine is digital media and motions graphics. I have many years of experience with display advertising, social media, front-end web design, keyframe animation and short-form video storyboarding and post-production. Even simple text animations and subtle motion can bring an ad to life. Or go bold with professionally composed video spot with music and superimposed effects.
I approach every project with new perspective, an eye for detail, and a strong desire to exceed expectations.
Every business, brand, or organization has an important mission and vision, and each project is a new opportunity to tackle unique challenges and discover creative solutions. I understand that sometimes pushing boundaries, experimenting with new techniques, and staying ahead of design trends is key to delivering fresh and dynamic solutions. Whether we're crafting impactful logos, whipping up engaging marketing materials, or developing intuitive user interfaces, I thrive on the challenge of turning concepts into tangible, visually captivating end products. Let's talk more to see what we can create together.