Concept Art

Star-Crossed Tarot Card Deck Photoshop & Print Media - 2023

This 78-card tarot deck, complete with a guidebook and tuckbox, was made for my 2023 Senior Thesis project in Illustration at UNC Charlotte. The entire deck was created over the course of just a few months. It juxtaposes the vintage aesthetics of traditional tarot with futuristic imagery of space, while simultaneously demonstrating the similarities between the two. In a world where spirituality and science are assumed to be at constant odds, both concepts nonetheless share elements of curiosity and exploration, having both faced historic demonization. It was my goal to make tarot fun and approachable for a contemporary audience via stylization, humor, and references to pop culture. I incorporated my personal interests in all things spooky and extraterrestrial while maintaining a sense of playfulness. Official copies are available for purchase via Instagram or email.

Witch Characters & Cottage Interior Photoshop - 2022

This project was made for my Digital Painting studio. The first character design features Myra, a witch girl known for her bad luck. The second character turnaround features Myra's familiar, nicknamed Poncho, who has both a corvid and a human form. The interior environment design is the witch's cottage.

Camelot Costume Design Photoshop - 2023

This project was made for my Character Design studio. Inspired by the stories of Camelot, I redesigned the character Morgan le Fay to fit a carnival/circus theme. Emphasis is placed on her clothing and prop design. To achieve this new theme, I imagined her taking on the role of a fortune teller.

The Wonderful Circus of Oz Photoshop - 2023

The Wonderful Circus of Oz character line up

This project was made for my Character Design studio. Inspired by the stories of Oz, I redesigned the four main characters from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to fit a carnival/circus theme. I imagined Dorothy as an acrobat/tightrope walker, the Cowardly Lion as a tamed circus lion, the Scarecrow as a juggling clown on stilts, and the Tin Man as a strong man.

Fantasy Environment Assets Photoshop - 2022

Willow tree at night under a crescent moon

These projects were made for my Digital Painting studio. My organic asset features a willow tree, both by itself and placed in an environment. My more structural asset is an isometric fairy tale cottage, made for a character on a tiny scale.

The Haunted Hedge Board Game Photoshop & Mixed Media - 2022

The Haunted Hedge board game contents arranged for display

The Haunted Hedge board game with pieces placed mid game

The Haunted Hedge board game box's top half

The Haunted Hedge board game box's bottom half

Top down view of The Haunted Hedge game board

The Haunted Hedge board game character designs

The Haunted Hedge board game token designs

This project was made for my Children's Media studio. It is a board game in which you and your family have gotten lost in a hedge maze and need to find your way out before getting caught by the ghosts that roam the land at night. The game design process included character, board, piece, packaging, and rule design.

Candy Curfew Board Game Photoshop & Mixed Media - 2023

Top down view of the Candy Curfew game board

Candy Curfew board game contents arranged for display

Candy Curfew board game pieces arranged mid game as seen from the side

Candy Curfew board game pieces arranged mid game seen head on

Orange Candy Curfew board game card - Nut allergy. Lose 2 pieces of candy

Orange Candy Curfew board game card - TP failure. Lose 4 pieces of candy

Purple Candy Curfew board game card - Trade. Swap candy with person to your left

Purple Candy Curfew board game card - Sugar crash. Subtract 2 from your next roll

Blue Candy Curfew board game card - Bowl. Take 1 candy and move forward 3 spaces, or take 3 candy and move back 3 spaces

Blue Candy Curfew board game card - Rich house. Take 5 pieces of candy

Candy Curfew board game character designs

Candy Curfew board game rules - Back side

Candy Curfew board game rules - Front side

This project was made for my Character Design studio. It is a board game in which you play as trick-or-treaters on Halloween night competing to get the most candy. However, players are also being chased by a Halloween spirit. The game design process included character, board, card, and rule design.

Narrative Art

What's in the Dark? Photoshop & Mixed Media - 2022

'Whats in the Dark? Written & Illustrated by Sydney Carmer' A girl in pigtails holds up a flashlight, with ghosts in the darkness

'Is there a monster under the bed?' A scared girl peeks over the side of the bed at a pair of monster hands emerging from beneath the bed

'Is there a skeleton inside my closet?' A scared girl looks at a boney leg sticking out between the closet doors

'Is there a ghost locked in the tox box?' A scared girl looks at a toy chest with spirits emerging from it

'Is there a beast out my window I see?' A scared girl looks out a window at a monstrous silhouette

This project was made for my Children's Media studio. It is an interactive board book targeted at young readers. I utilized a "magic flashlight" in its construction, wherein I cut out flaps in each page that children could open. Behind the flaps are sheets of clear plastic, a spacer, and then black paper. There are then drawings on the clear plastic so that kids can use a white piece of paper made to look like a flashlight, slide it behind the plastic, and reveal the images.

Stretch for the Stars Photoshop - 2022

'Stretch for the Stars Written & Illustrated by Sydney Carmer' A giraffe's head extends far into space wearing an space helmet

'Juno the Giraffe want to be an astronaut! They have always lived on the ground but now they're ready to shoot for the moon! Watch Juno as they stretch up, up, up to the stars and reach their dream! And see all the cool things in the sky that they pass along the way!'

'Juno the Giraffe stretching plush. 2.5 feet tall. Pull and push to extend and retract accordion-style neck. Plush exterior, combination plush stuffing & soft-plastic interior material. Durable! Machine washable! No small parts!'

'Space helmet & Telescope set. Replica giraffe space helmet with built in microphone! The button on the side includes speaker with some of Juno's best quotes! Plastic compact tubing, thick plastic lens, and flexible rubber accessory components. Durable, portable, and safe to use. Encourage your kids to stretch for the stars!'

This project was made for my Children's Media studio. It involves a wrap-around cover design, four inner spreads, and accompanying merchandise proposals. Targeted at young readers, I utilized an unorthodox vertical composition for the book to emphasize the character's journey as a giraffe.

Goth Pigeon has a Crush Photoshop - 2022

'Goth Pigeon has a Crush written & illustrated by Sydney Carmer. Goth Pigeon has a crush on Dove Girl but does she like him back? Join Oliver as he tries to come up with the best way to ask Cameron on a date! This story is about befriending people who look different than you and building the courage to overcome your social anxiety. Relationships can be challenging, but they don't have to be scary! Don't be afraid to tell people how you feel.'

'Maybe he'll show his love in a poem or craft her a necklace of bread. Maybe they'll chill and nest in his tree or share a worm dinner instead'

This project was made for my Children's Media studio. It includes a wrap-around cover design and a single inner spread. The story follows two birds who seemingly have very different personalities but like each other nonetheless, teaching kids to be true to their feelings and to accept other people.

The Hungry Cipactli Photoshop - 2023

A Cipactli in a swamp using it tongue to capture a fish

This project was made for my Character Design studio. It involves a hybrid animal design re-imagined for a younger audience. The Cipactli is a sea creature that is part crocodile, part fish, and part toad or frog. It is characterized by an insatiable hunger and has an extra mouth on every joint of its body.

Familiar Follies Photoshop - 2023

'Familiar Follies by Sydney Carmer' A witch girl and her cat with a monstrous silhouette emerging from a bubbling caldron behind them

'Hmm, I dunno, Puca...' 'Did we read the grimoire right? I think it should be less... gloopy...' 'Maybe we skipped a step? A secret footnote?' 'Ok, Pu, gosh! What is it?!' 'Oh.'

'So I know this looks bad...' 'But maybe it's friendly?' 'RRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH' 'Or not.' 'Book it, Pu!'

'*SIGH*' 'That's the last time I try to make you homemade cheese!' 'RAAA!' 'Yep, time to keep moving!'

'See, aren't you glad I opted for the Super Secret Spooky Skedadle Stairway Expansion Pack when buying the lair?' 'You were right though, total pain to clean.' 'Anyway, I've got a plan.' 'I've heard that to banish goopy spirits like this one...' 'All you need...' 'Is...' 'Catswort...' '...'

'RAAA!' 'I can't even talk to you right now...' 'WHAP!' 'New plan.'

'You're so lucky I know where to get more!' 'Here we go, right up ahead.' 'PUCA! NO!'

'We gotta get you some help.' '??' 'Oh yeah.' 'Crap'

'THIS IS FINE! I GOT THIS! JUST GOTTA MAKE A POTION ON THE FLY!' 'WAIT!!!' 'WE'RE SO STUPID! I CAN FLY!' 'POOF' 'AHAHAHAHAH!!! THAT IS SOME POOR PARK RANGER'S PROBLEM NOW!'

'RAAA!' 'Now let's figure out what we did wrong...' Book of Summoning Some Munster, Puca licks off debris revealing Book of Summoning Some Monster. 'Oh.' THE END.

This project was made for my Sequence & Story studio. It is a ten-page comic that follows a young witch and her black cat familiar as they navigate a spell gone wrong.

Fowl Play Marker, Colored Pencil, & Mixed Media - 2023

Evidence board with several pinned photos of fowl play

Photo of a chicken crime scene outside a strip club

Photo of a broken egg with foot prints leading away

Photo of detective chicken following foot prints across the road

Photo of foot prints leading into an alley

Photo of a chicken holding a frying pan cornered by the detective at a dead end

This project was made for my Sequence & Story studio. It answers the question "Why did the chicken cross the road?" from a film noir perspective. I reimagined the chicken as a detective following clues from a crime scene.

Miscellaneous Media

Self Portraits Photoshop & Charcoal - 2022

Self-portrait wearing flannel and glasses in a desert canyon under a full moon

Self-portrait in downtown wearing a red masquerade mask and a disheveled suit

Charcoal Self-portrait of hands running through hair in frustration

These projects were made for my Digital Painting studio. They include "Desert Scene Self Portrait" and "Villain Self Portrait". Both were an exercise in digitally rendering the human form and expressing narratives in the clothing and background environment. "Frustrated" was made for my Figure Drawing studio. It is an experimental self-portrait that plays with markmaking in the expression of emotion.

Why Do Aliens Abduct Cows? Adobe Fresco - 2021

A cow in a field being abducted by a flying saucer

Milk carton with various writing on it. 'Terra Milk From Authentic Earth Cows. 2% Low-fat Vitamin D Exp. 4/20/4044. Missing Last Seen 1/13/4002

Aliens eating cookies and milk with a banner that reads 'Take Eat. This is my cookie which has crumbled for you.' arranged similar to the Last Supper

This project was made for my Illustration I studio. The three designs explore the prompt "Why do aliens abduct cows?" each approaching the question from a different perspective, including varying composition sizes.

Firebird Colored Pencil - 2020

Colored Pencil illustration of ballerina in orange dress

This project was made in an Independent Study. It was a study of the human form as well as rendering different clothing materials.

Disconnected Charcoal, Wax, Yarn - 2022

The 6 individual pieces of Disconnected, head, legs, torso, left arm, right arm, and feet, arranged with connecting red string

A woman's crooked head with black weeping eyes and red wax drippings at the neck

A left arm with red wax drippings from the hand

A right arm with red wax drippings from the hand

Legs with red wax drippings from the waste

A womans torso wearing a sports bra and spandex with red wax drippings from the arm stumps

A pair of feet with red wax drippings from the soles

This project was originally made for my Figure Drawing studio. The work straddles this line between Instagram photoshoot and crime scene, focusing on the mental backlash of consuming the endless instantaneous news now found at our fingertips. "Disconnected" inspired the curation of my 2023 group exhibition "Desensitized" at UNC Charlotte. The exhibition confronted the contemporary reality of overexposure to horror and tragedy resulting from social media. We investigated the romanticization of such tragedy and the dangerous power of viewership.

Moirai 3D-Printed PLA, Electrical Cord, & Acrylic Paint - 2023

A 3D sculpture of 3 hands reaching out from rock grasping a cable, with one of the hands using scissors to fray the cord

This project was made for my 3D Modeling & Digital Fabrication studio. In classical mythology, the three fates respectively spin, draw out, and cut the threads that represent every individual’s life. My project is based on this story but takes on a modern twist, referencing our intertwining relationship with technology. "Moirai" was featured in my solo-curated 2023 group exhibition "Desensitized" at UNC Charlotte. The exhibition confronted the contemporary reality of overexposure to horror and tragedy resulting from social media. We investigated the romanticization of such tragedy and the dangerous power of viewership.

The Sound Of Children Screaming Has Been Removed Laser-cut clear acrylic, wood, acrylic paint pen, crayon - 2022

This project confronts our overexposure to tragedy in an increasingly online world. It was inspired by security footage of the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas—an all too familiar event that triggers simultaneous outrage and numbness. I point to how the occurrence of devastating horrors no longer feels novel. Now incorporated into everyday consumption, heightened awareness of such events leads to normalization. "The Sound of Children Screaming Has Been Removed" was featured in my solo-curated 2023 group exhibition "Desensitized" at UNC Charlotte. The exhibition confronted the contemporary reality of overexposure to horror and tragedy resulting from social media. We investigated the romanticization of such tragedy and the dangerous power of viewership