Most of my best work starts with a character nobody asked for.
I'm a Creative Director and illustrator with 8+ years building campaign systems, brand worlds, and original visual IP for consumer brands. At New Standard I directed everything — seasonal campaigns, retail environments, packaging, merch drops, co-brand integrations — and built illustration systems that people actually wanted to own. The Stash from the Crypt lunchbox. The Dab Days of Summer tee. Work that had a point of view before it had a brief.
Illustration isn't a service I offer — it's how I think. I develop original character IP, build illustration systems that scale across campaigns, and use drawing as a tool for world-building before it becomes a deliverable. That instinct shows up in every brief I touch, whether or not a single line gets drawn.
I'm fluent in AI-assisted creative workflows and genuinely excited by what generative tools make possible when craft is still driving the decisions. I push work past the expected — and I'm drawn to brands and collaborators who know the difference between work that's well-executed and work that's actually interesting.
Currently available for freelance creative direction and brand partnerships through Boyke Studio. Jessboyke@gmail.com | 313.404.1635