Forbes 30 under 30
30:30 | Jayson Tatum: Inked in Legacy
I approached this pen and ink series for with a dynamic yet personal lens, aiming to channel the energy, precision, and drive that define Jayson Tatum’s career. Through expressive mark-making, I captured both the intensity of his game and the quiet discipline behind his rise.
Tatum led the Celtics to multiple deep playoff runs before clinching his first NBA title in June 2024—Boston’s 18th. While that win was pivotal, he knows one ring isn’t enough to join the legends he admires. A five-time All-Star, he’s known for his scoring, defense, and discipline—qualities that earned him a $314 million deal in 2024. Off the court, Tatum earns $13 million annually through endorsements and Netflix’s Starting 5, while saving most of his $120M+ in career earnings—thanks to his mother’s guidance. This balance of ambition and groundedness shaped my visual approach, blending movement with restraint.
Exploration
Legacy in Motion: Drawing the Game with Jayson Tatum
I approached this series using pen and ink as both a raw and intentional medium—reflecting the duality of Jayson Tatum’s game: explosive yet controlled, instinctive yet precise. Each stroke echoes the rhythm of his play and the momentum of his career milestones, from deep playoff runs to his first NBA title in 2024.
Bold lines contrast with quiet details, symbolizing the balance Tatum strikes between passion and discipline, highlights and hard work. Inspired by his $314M contract, five All-Star nods, and grounded personal values, the work translates his journey into a visual language of movement, resilience, and lasting legacy.
Dual Currents: Designing the Pisces Archetype
As both my zodiac and moon sign, Pisces served as the conceptual anchor for this design exploration. Departing from the typical dreamlike depictions, I focused on imperfect and predatory marine species as symbolic representations of emotional complexity, vulnerability, and survival. The Pisces archetype—two fish swimming in opposition—reflects a tension between reality and illusion. Here, that duality is reinterpreted through a lens of resilience and adaptability, emphasizing the strength found in sensitivity and the instinctual navigation of harsh environments.
The central figure is submerged within this aquatic world, merging with marine forms that evoke the feminine body—symbols of creation, intuition, and transformation. This interplay reflects the generative power of the Pisces identity, drawing parallels to motherhood and the act of design itself: to shape, nurture, and bring forth new life amidst shifting emotional and symbolic currents.
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This design challenges the traditional, dreamlike portrayals of Pisces by embracing imperfect and predatory marine species—symbols of emotional depth, duality, and survival.
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The opposing fish of Pisces represent the tension between reality and fantasy. This duality is reframed through a lens of strength in sensitivity and adaptability in the face of adversity.
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The submerged figure merges with aquatic forms that echo the feminine body—invoking themes of intuition, creation, and the generative power linked to both motherhood and design.
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Rather than viewing empathy and softness as weakness, the work positions them as powerful tools for navigating complexity—revealing their role in shaping and sustaining meaningful design.