Paula Narvaez | Play

Beyond Wireframes

In my free time, I love exercising.. my creativity! I love starting random projects and participating in design competitions to challenge myself to explore new ideas. Below are some past explorations!

Hi Furry Friend

Tale of Two Cities

Medium: Acrylic, oil pastel, pressed charcoal, Sharpie Pen
24" x 36"

I took inspiration from smoke and color blending. Using still life objects, I developed a balanced yet, loose composition.

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Spotify Playlist Cover Art

Tools: Photoshop for GIF

Kandi cuff bracelet (3 x-base layers) made using pony beads and other miscellaneous beads from my childhood. Center row rotates independant from rest of cuff to add unique playful feature.

Over the years, I've gotten into kandi creations where I can display my creativity and trade at EDM events with other "kandi kids". The act of sharing and giving reflects my love for making small impacts of happiness byways of design.

TRASHed Coachella 2020 - Competition Entry "Boba Fett"

Web - Redesign

TRASHEDed x Coachella 2020 - Competition Entry "See Yourself Through Music"

Tools: 3ds Max Software

An early 3D animation exploration. I wanted to mimic a fictional city-scape.

Faux Eames Rock Lobster

Mad Tea Party in Alternative Wonderland

TRASHed Coachella 2020 - Competition Entry 20 Years in the Desert

Fisher Library of Fine Arts, University of Pennsylvania
Ink on Napkin
4" x 4"

To take a break from studio during my Master's program, I often found myself going outside and drawing quick 10-minute sketches of the surrounding buildings.

Meyerson Hall, University of Pennsylvania
Ink on Napkin
4" x 4"

To take a break from studio during my Master's program, I often found myself going outside and drawing quick 10-minute sketches of the surrounding buildings.

Love Sculpture, College Green, University of Pennsylvania
Ink on Napkin
4" x 4"

To take a break from studio during my Master's program, I often found myself going outside and drawing quick 10-minute sketches of the surrounding buildings.

Mudd Hall of Philosophy, University of Southern California
Ink on Paper

Administration Building, University of Southern California
Ink on Paper

Bovard Auditorium, University of Southern California
2B Graphite on Paper

Figure Drawings
Pressed Charcoal on Brown Paper

Figure Drawings
Pressed Charcoal on Paper

Capturing the human-form is so difficult looking to mimic fluid curves from real life to paper. For me, nude-models are the most challenging yet most rewarding.

Choi Hung Estate

Beehive

What Wall

Tools: Adobe Lightroom

Culver City, Los Angeles, CA
Architect: Eric Owen Moss

Tools: Canon EOS Rebel T2i DSLR, Adobe Lightroom

LATCC, Los Angeles, CA

Tools: Canon EOS Rebel T2i DSLR, Adobe Lightroom

LATCC, Los Angeles, CA

Tools: Canon EOS Rebel T2i DSLR, Photoshop

Cape Coast, Ghana

The interactions with primary school children are ones that will follow me forever. A gentle reminder of what kind of designer I aspire to be and what I want to do with these skills I've honed. Design for the betterment of others, for the next generation, for our future leaders.

Tools: Canon EOS Rebel T2i DSLR, Photoshop

Cape Coast, Ghana

While waiting for our "tro-tro", or taxi van, to fill up to over-capacity and make the 40 minutue trek from Cape Coast to our rural village, females would often walk up to the car windows with products for sale. With such poise these women would balance almost anything on their heads while walking from tro-tro to tro-tro.

Tools: Canon EOS Rebel T2i DSLR, Photoshop

Cape Coast, Ghana

Taken while conducting user surveys with my youngest participants. I visited a number of primary schools, similar to the one pictured, within the Cape Coast region. Over the course of 2 months I gathered research to better understand the impact of youth creative arts education.

Cape Coast, Ghana

Local primary school children. These two children, amongst many others, greeted the team of fellows daily as we trekked on our 20 minute walk through the village to catch a tro-tro. These two particular kept me motivated to continue on with my research for the day.

Tools: Canon EOS Rebel T2i DSLR, Photoshop

Cape Coast, Ghana

Beautiful faces of the local children. My summer as a fellow living in an off-the-grid village near Cape Coast, Ghana, was the most humbling experience I've had thus far. To expose myself to the cultural richness of the country had me reflect on myself and garner both design inspiration and goals to seek out designing for real causes from then onward. This has always stayed with me to strive for impactful design decisions.

Tools: Canon EOS Rebel T2i DSLR, Photoshop

Cape Coast Castle

Cape Coast, Ghana

Medium: Charcoal pencil, white conte crayon
24" x 24"

Still life to practice elements of shadows.

Tools: Canon EOS Rebel T2i DSLR, Photoshop

Cape Coast, Ghana

A typical day for fishermen in Cape Coast. Beautiful brightly colored netting to bring in the catches of the day.

Tools: Canon EOS Rebel T2i DSLR, Photoshop

Hohoe, Ghana

During our fellowship in Cape Coast, the other 6 fellows and myself would venture out to explore the beautiful country of Ghana. The rolling lush landscape never ceased to amaze me. We found ourselves trekking to Wli Agumatsa Waterfalls, the highest waterfall in West Africa. I am an urban walker. I stick to cities and walking on mostly flat terrain. Was I in for the shock of my life. Following a guide, scaling the side of mountains, testing my untapped endurance, this SIX hour hike was one of the most mentally and physically exhausting challenges I've had in my lifetime. With the support of my fellow friends and guide, I witnessed a spectacular sight, the Wli Waterfall. Perhaps this is what sprouted my appreciation for natural landscapes. One thing I knew for sure, I was unfit but sure as hell gave this my all.

Tools: Canon EOS Rebel T2i DSLR, Photoshop

Cape Coast, Ghana

When traveling I make a point to check out local snacks ~ I often pull inspiration from the colorful graphics. Here are an array of Ghanaian soft drinks.

Tools: Canon EOS Rebel T2i DSLR, Photoshop

Disneyland Resort Park, CA

Do I love Disney? Long answer short, why yes, yes I do. At one point in my life, I would visit Disneyland every Sunday for a full year with my partner (The Mickey to my Walt, Donald to my Daisy, you get the idea). I would return to seek that feeling of familiar comfort as a Disney guest. Disney has always played a large part in my life: growing up watching the cartoon animations on VHS, dressing as Princess Jasmin during Halloween 4 years in a row (my mother hand sewed my toddler costume), to making traveling the world to visit every Disney Park a reality, and now, as a designer, focusing on the hyper-detailing that creates the spatial experiences of the park. I am constantly infatuated by the use of colors, shapes, materiality, and space found at the park. It's all in the details.