USDA News
USDA News – Magazine Cover Series
I’ve had the ongoing opportunity to work with USDA News (United Square Dancers of America), creating illustrations for their quarterly magazine covers.
The new editor reached out looking for fresh, creative artwork, giving me full freedom to design around each issue’s season or theme. Other than the required cover text, I’ve been trusted to explore different styles and ideas, making each cover unique.
Since my first contribution, I’ve continued to collaborate with the USDA team on covers from time to time, alongside a rotation of other creatives. Each project gives me a chance to bring a bit of color and personality to their community publication.
Thumb nail
Concept Teaser
July – September 2023 | Fourth of July Cover
For this issue, I created a Fourth of July themed illustration centered in New York City, featuring the Statue of Liberty surrounded by fireworks and a bold, abstract American flag backdrop. The design blends elements of pop art and grunge, with distressed textures and high-energy shapes that blend the flag into the fireworks and night sky, creating a fun, eye-catching feel.
I started by sharing a quick rough thumbnail to confirm the overall direction. Once I got the green light, I moved straight into the final illustration, building on the original idea while adding my own finishing touches.
One thing I’ve started doing for myself is creating “sight thumbnails”—a visual teaser or alternative version of the final design. It’s a fun way to put a small twist on the original before the full reveal and gives me another creative checkpoint in my process.
Mock Up
October – December 2023 | Fall Harvest Cover
Concept & Composition
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For this issue, I created a seasonal cover illustration inspired by fall harvest activities like apple and pumpkin picking. The layout centers on a playful composition of pumpkins, apples, and a cheerful scarecrow, framed by falling leaves and warm autumn tones.
I began with a quick concept sketch and color palette exploration to lock in the visual hierarchy and seasonal atmosphere. From there, I refined the composition, balancing foreground elements like the produce and scarecrow with a background orchard scene to create a sense of depth and narrative.
Personal Touches
As part of my personal creative process, I also developed a “site thumbnail”—a stylized preview of the final layout—to explore alternate framing before settling on the published version.
To wrap up the project, I created a carved pumpkin icon just for fun—turning the USDA News title into a custom pumpkin illustration as a playful, standalone visual element.
July – September 2024 | Summer Vibes Rocket Pop Cover
For this cover, I skipped my usual sketching phase and went straight into creating an illustration of a rocket pop. It was something I had wanted to illustrate for a while, and the editor was fully on board, mentioning that the square dance community loves their ice cream.
The playful popsicle design gave the cover a fun summer vibe, while the use of clean typography and structured layout kept the overall composition feeling polished and official.
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Personal Exploration & Favorite Outcome
As part of my creative process, I still put together a personal site thumbnail—this time turning the rocket pop into a space-themed rocket flying through a starry background. Surprisingly, I liked the energy of the alternate thumbnail even more than the official cover.
That contrast—between the classy, news-style cover and the playful, illustrated thumbnail—showcases how the juxtaposition of design and personality can elevate even the simplest ideas.
July – September 2025 | dancing at the beach side
For this summer issue, I illustrated a playful, beach-themed cover to bring a lighthearted energy to the publication. With sandy textures and stylized water swirls, the layout creates a relaxed but visually engaging tone that still feels balanced and structured.
The USDA News title is treated with a foam-like texture, giving the impression it’s been written in wet sand or forming in the surf. An inflatable beach ring and palm silhouettes reinforce the seasonal setting, while the clean composition and contrast help maintain clarity and publication-readiness.