Celia Cruz Brand Book – A Tribute to the Queen of Salsa

Brand design meets emotion and memory.
This project is a visual and emotional journey inspired by Celia Cruz, the Queen of Salsa, and the injustice she faced when she was exiled from her homeland so young. Through this brandbook, I explore how art direction and visual identity design can capture nostalgia, power, and cultural legacy.

Celia became the living symbol of an oppressed Cuba, carrying her success and her light from afar. Every page reflects her longing, her joy, and her strength. The tear-shaped mark that runs through the book is more than decoration — it’s a metaphor for the tears she might have shed for the people and the island she loved. The imagery blends vintage textures, handmade illustrations, and graphic design elements that evoke the Cuba she remembered: vivid, colorful, alive.
Old bar signs, contracts on napkins, hand-drawn sketches, and textured paper come together to tell a story that feels both intimate and universal.

Creative Process & Design Tools

As part of my creative direction and design process, I worked with:

• Adobe Illustrator for composition and key layout elements
• Photoshop for image editing, color grading, and typographic textures
• Midjourney to generate unique hand-style drawings and vintage-inspired stamps
• Adobe Fresco for handcrafted seal designs and organic illustrations

This project combines traditional design techniques with digital artistry to build a timeless brand identity system that feels emotional and human.

Explore the Brandbook

Discover the full project and download the Celia Cruz Tribute Brandbook here.

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Experience how design can transform memory into visual poetry.

Let’s Connect

If this project resonates with you, I’d love for you to explore more of my graphic design and motion design work.
Follow me on social media or reach out by email to collaborate on your next visual identity or creative branding project.

Feel free to reach out for collaborations or inquiries—let’s create something extraordinary together!

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