As part of my Graphic Design Course for the MA in Art Direction at LABASAD, we were asked to create a brand for a festival from scratch. As an illustrator, I naturally gravitate toward building identities around characters, so I took an illustration that never made the cut in a previous project and transformed him into the Dark Lord of Gaming.

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Inspired by the Boogie Man from The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton and the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland, this cheeky and mischievous figure came to life. The course took place in October, which made it easy to soak in the perfect references: jack-o’-lanterns, creepy grins, and playful eeriness everywhere.

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The name Jackalware arrived intuitively. I wanted to weave a bit of myself into the character, and “Jack” (a nod to my name, Jacky) felt like the right anchor.

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Ultimately, this project reinforced how much my creativity depends on being present and absorbing whatever is happening around me. My work stays relevant because it’s rooted in the visual language, culture, and stories of the moment. I draw directly from my contemporary surroundings, letting the world I inhabit shape the worlds I create.

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