Designing Influence. Drawing Attention.
Over the past 23 years, I've served the visual communications needs of organizations, businesses and authors. My visual branding solutions, graphic designs and illustrations have helped many of my clients triple their business and build their fan base.
If You Need A Reliable Creative Partner…
Retainer relationships are ideal for small- to mid-size businesses and organizations needing the flexibility of a project-based designer plus the range of services that agencies provide.
The advantages of booking a designer on retainer is that I can to invest in my clients' successes over the long term, and you can benefit from consistent billing, ongoing work and the assurance that all your visual branding and marketing communications are consistent no matter what channel and platform you use.
Businesses and organizations retain me because they want to
- Stand out with graphic assets that assist them in telling their story in an authentic voice
- Build influence with their audience online and in print through quality visual identity program that is consistent across all platforms
- Work with a designer who has the maturity, experience and skill to understand their goals and craft meaningful designs that draw attention to their purpose.
- Work with a designer they can trust, who understands the investment they are making.
Authors and publishers work with me for my visual style and because they want to
- Work with an illustrator who can also design a book or publication from cover to cover
- Work with an illustrator who has highly-developed drawing and design skills
- Work with an illustrator who understands how pages, books and publications are structured.
Consultations, Reviews and Audits
Do you want to discuss ideas before committing to a full design project?
Do you want help with design or brand strategy for your business or organizattion?
Are you a creative freelancer wanting advice on your portfolio, marketing and promotion, vision and mission, setting goals, or business skills?
Are you a student in need of some extra help with color theory or design theory?
Do you want an honest and practical portfolio review?
I consult with businesses, organizations, students and fellow freelance creatives. Consultations are via phone or Skype or, if you're local, in person. Consulting rates are available upon request. Full payment is required in advance.
➧ Pre-project design strategy session
➧ Graphic audit of your existing visual assets, with recommendations
➧ Student and graduate portfolio reviews
➧ Business tune-ups for creative freelancers
Am I Your Designer?
To join my client email list to receive updates and project announcements, click here.
If you are seeking a reliable creative partner to develop and implement your visual branding, I may be the right person for you. Please consider the following:
All my work — digital and print — is custom-designed and tailored specifically for each client. I am worth the investment you make to have a high quality, memorable and consistent brand.
I don’t offer discounts. I offer value.
I guarantee my estimates within 15% of the original amount, as long as the project scope does not change. If a project scope is amended or altered, I will supply a change order before proceeding.
I don’t work on spec. If you are unsure we're the right fit, I can create a limited number of concepts for a determined fee to help you decide whether to proceed with a fully-realized project or campaign.
I don't pitch or compete with other designers for a project. My portfolio proves my thinking, skill and creative ability.
I don’t respond to RFPs. Instead, I consult with my client and develop a creative brief that addresses their needs and goals and allows for the necessary research, concept development, testing, design development and production.
I require a non-refundable advance of at least 50% before I begin a project.
I do not accept every project offered to me, or every client who is referred.
About My Article Content
Clients and students ask about my approach and philosophy, and how I have been able to maintain a successful creative business.
I write about what I know, which includes design, drawing, illustration, branding, copyright, and freelance business. It may seem eclectic, but it's all related.
On Eye Level I focus on helping you understand the substance of design, the designer-client relationship and how to manage your design assets. I also help fellow and emerging creatives launch and maintain their freelance businesses.
My 5 Most Popular Blog Posts
Portrait Commissions
Do you want a portrait of yourself, a loved one, celebrity or hero? Visit my portrait commissions page to learn about my process and creative fees.
As an event producer, I have used the services of Alvalyn Creative on multiple shows for the past five years. She has always amazed me with her creative vision and original designs that work well in many mediums. I think why I love working with Alvalyn is her ability to understand and embrace the client's vision and thus is a great contributor to the event's success.
Mary-Catherine McBride
President, GoBeDo Productions, Inc.
My Approach
Design is not decoration.
Just because someone labels it “design” does not mean that it is design, and not all design is good design.
Good design and illustration get noticed, and elevate the entity they represent. Design is not decoration.
The difference between design and art is a matter of function. Decoration looks good while design and illustration inform, engage, educate, motivate, excite, compel, move, impact and surprise. They add value and are assets to a business.
To be effective, design and illustration require intelligent creative thinking, and are the result of good judgement, evaluation, analysis and the strategic application of aesthetic principles.
My Studio
Established in 1994, Alvalyn Creative is a nationally-acclaimed visual branding and illustration studio located near Thousand Oaks, California, that creates compelling, custom visual communications for print and digital media.
Alvalyn Lundgren is the founder and design director. She is known for her depth of creative thinking, breadth of expertise and excellence in crafting the right solution. Clients deploy her work to grow their businesses, increase their influence and draw attention to their goods and services.
Alvalyn is a well-rounded, seasoned professional known for intelligent design solutions, delightful and brilliant illustrations, common sense, and easy communication. She excels in the ability to bring an idea to life, to tell a story and engage the viewer via colorful narrative illustrations. She establishes every design solution upon solid aesthetic principles, achieving balance, order and beauty which support the design’s function and lead to effective results for the client.
Her clients include the City of Los Angeles; California State University, Northridge; Southern California Edison; Conejo Valley Days; New West Symphony; Downtown Santa Monica; Malibu Chamber of Commerce; Meeting Professionals International — Southern California Chapter; and the Ventura County Community Foundation.
She is a graduate of Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, and has completed additional coursework in design thinking and in marketing at Stanford University and Wharton College, respectively.
Since 1993 she has served as an adjunct instructor at UCLA Extension teaching courses in design theory, color theory, design history and drawing, and is developing online curriculum in those subjects which she is launching under her own brand. She is also teaching design and branding courses at Art Center College of Design.