Vernon F. Robinson II has 10 + years in the creative world. His specialties include project management, brand and product development, illustrations, logo and graphic apparel design.
After graduating from Columbia College Chicago in 2000, Vernon moved to Atlanta, Georgia, to start his design career. Due to many corporate hiring freezes at the time, Vernon could not secure a design job, but soon found employment as a Tech and Print Specialist at a Fortune 100 company.
Due to his entrepreneurial nature and his need to create, Vernon freelanced as a graphic designer and formed a t-shirt line called AFDK Clothing. In a few short months, his tees were featured in Conde Nast’s Cargo Magazine, BET (106th and Park), MTV (TRL), a national commercial spot for Budweiser and was worn by well-known recording artists such as Gordon Chambers, Chocolate, N’Dambi, Dwele, Bilal and Mos Def.
Vernon moved back to Chicago, Illinois, in 2005, as well as continuing his freelance career and t-shirt line, Vernon began to write arts-related curriculum and taught an arts and entrepreneurship program for youth.
One of the greatest successes that came from this programming was the publishing of two books, “Expressions of the Soul, Inside the Mind of a Poem” which featured a DVD of shorts filmed and edited by Avenue Edit and the children’s poetry book, “I Don’t Want To Grow Up.” Both books were met with great reviews from consumers, newspapers and educators. Subsequently the students were asked to tour as paid motivational speakers, were given the highest award in excellence in their school district, and were interviewed on NBC Chicago.
In 2013, Vernon Robinson founded Battle of the Tees, a blog and annual event/competition, which brings best graphic designers and independent local brands together in one place to provide them with support, further exposure and notoriety.
After years of working with clients and collaborating with other designers, Vernon saw the need to have the ability to create products in house. He then created a brand and prototyping/manufacturing extension to Robinson Creative called, "A Maker and a Gentleman".
3 Questions + 4 Answers
What makes great design?
I am a fan of clean, simple yet thought provoking design.
What has life taught you?
Always keep pushing forward; there will always be a breakthrough.
If you leave food out overnight, never rollover, eat it, then jump on a plane.
What do you do on your free time?
Watch movies, hang out with friends and family and surf the web for new innovative design.