Fernando Villalobos

Fernando Villalobos is a graphic designer based in Long Beach California, currently specializing in print-focused design at a locally owned print shop named Shore Business Center. With four years of professional experience, he has helped brands to create visually engaging digital design assets and print products.

His work spans a wide range of formats, including social media and web design as well as print products such as menus, posters, banners, flyers, brochures, booklets, apparel, business cards, postcards, variable-data mailers and more. 

Fernando has collaborated with various Long Beach businesses ranging from restaurants to banks to real estate agencies to everything in between. Alongside commercial focused projects, he has also designed and printed work for local organizations, schools, and other artists in the area. 

Outside of his professional work, Fernando is passionate about his individual artistic pursuits. He creates contemporary graphic art that also aims to highlight the kind of creative work he is able to produce with complete freedom. Fernando is also developing a clothing brand that combines his skillsets in design with his interest in apparel design. Through this project he also aims to explore and showcase other creative pursuits, which includes apparel design, photography, modeling, and social media marketing.

Contact
Email - fernandov.graphics@gmail.com
Instagram - fernvillalobos_
Domenico’s & Gondola Getaway Signage | 23”x23”

I designed this 23” × 23” sign for Domenico’s, one of the oldest restaurants in Long Beach, in collaboration with Gondola Getaway, a tourism-focused business offering gondola cruises through the canals of Naples Island in Belmont Shore. The goal was to create signage for display outside Domenico’s restaurant on 2nd Street that would promote their unique joint experience—an evening gondola cruise featuring food provided by Domenico’s.

To emphasize the collaboration, I used clear visual hierarchy and a bold, thick typeface to immediately grab the viewer’s attention. Because the sign would be viewed by pedestrians passing by the restaurant, legibility and instant readability were priorities. I selected a typeface that felt both fun and energetic, italicizing it to convey a sense of motion that ties into the movement of the gondola itself.

I structured the layout so the viewer could read the information naturally from top to bottom. All the key details about the collaboration—the experience, the included menu items, and a clear call-to-action with the booking phone number—were positioned along the left side for an easy visual flow.

For the background, I used a client-provided image from an actual cruise to authentically represent the experience. I edited the photo to create a painted, artistic effect that added texture and warmth while also simplifying the color blocks. This treatment allowed the text to stand out clearly and remain comfortable to read against the image.

The final design successfully promoted the partnership by blending both brands’ personalities into a single, eye-catching display that drew attention from foot traffic and conveyed the excitement of the Gondola Pizza Cruise.
2023 - Shore Business Center