About Me
Emily Kurth
I'm a visual designer and brand thinker from San Diego, focused on turning ideas into clear, intentional visuals. My work includes visual identity, social media graphics, t‑shirt design, and early stage brand strategy, all centered on helping brands find a visual voice that means something.
I've built a foundation in industry tools and digital workflows, working with Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop to create graphics and layout-based pieces. I pay attention to consistency, hierarchy, and typography, and I'm comfortable managing assets and adapting work across different platforms and screen sizes so it stays cohesive.
I'm particularly drawn to early stage and entrepreneurial projects, and I use AI tools and new technology to make my process more efficient, from idea exploration to iteration. I'm still building experience, but I'm motivated by the challenge of taking loose concepts and shaping them into visuals people can see, understand, and get excited about.
Get in TouchBackground
Education
Bachelor of Science | California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Class of 2027
Major
Graphic Communication
A comprehensive study of print, digital, and visual media production, combining technical skills with creative problem-solving across typography, layout, and visual communication.
Concentration
Integrated Brand Development
A personalized curriculum I designed that focuses on developing cohesive brand identities, from strategy and positioning to visual systems, packaging, and multi-platform applications.
Minor
Business Entrepreneurship
Foundational business principles in marketing, strategy, and customer and venture development, providing tools to launch and grow a creative practice.
Portfolio
Graphic Design
2026 Cal Poly Hockey Fundraiser T-shirt design
2025 Cal Poly Hockey Fundraiser T-shirt design
Apparel design for Roguewave, a surf brand start-up
Apparel design for Roguewave, a surf brand start-up
Apparel design for Roguewave, a surf brand start-up
Cal Poly St. Patrick's Day UGS design contest winner
Portfolio
Brand Work
MWR Aquatics
Developed logo iterations for the Masters swim program at North Island Naval Base in San Diego, prepared print-ready files for apparel and promotional graphics, and organized all digital assets into the correct formats for future use.
Roguewave
Collaborated with the founder of Roguewave, a startup in the consumer audio electronics space, to develop a complete brand identity and style guide, including color palette, typography, messaging, and applications across digital and print touchpoints.
SLO Thrift
Created a refreshed logo and brand style for a local thrift shop to better reflect its values and mission. As part of a team in a variable data marketing course, contributed to a full campaign workflow strategy that engaged customers at each stage of the marketing funnel.
Color2Me
Supported an early-stage AI-based paint startup with market research and customer development. Conducted user interviews, analyzed survey data, and helped the founders identify key insights to guide their early positioning and next steps.
Portfolio
Class Projects
Design Thinking
Campus Library
Redesign
Campus Library Redesign
Design Thinking
As part of a Design Thinking course, this project centered on reimagining the Cal Poly campus library as a more inclusive, student-centered space. Working through each phase of the design thinking process, the team conducted interviews, identified pain points, and developed concepts to improve the library experience for a range of student needs.
Entrepreneurial Strategy
I Heart Jane
Company Case Study
I Heart Jane Company Case Study
Entrepreneurial Strategy
A company case study on I Heart Jane, a cannabis marketplace platform connecting dispensaries with consumers. This project examined the company's business model, competitive positioning, and growth strategy, resulting in a detailed written report and accompanying presentation developed for an Entrepreneurial Strategy course.
Digital Typography
Recipe Booklet
Design Layout
Recipe Booklet Design Layout
Digital Typography
A recipe booklet designed in Adobe InDesign using an original recipe and original food photography. This project focused on applying typographic principles, consistent style guides, and clean layout systems to bring a personal recipe to a polished, print-ready format.
Flexographic Printing Technology
Sticker Imposition
& Design
Sticker Imposition & Design
Flexographic Printing Technology
An exploration of industrial printing mechanics — flexography, offset lithography, gravure, and more — with hands-on application designing sticker files from scratch. Work included preparing press-ready imposition layouts and running the designs on large-format industrial printers in the workshop.
Say Hello
Let's Work Together
Open to freelance work, internships, and early-stage brand projects.
emily@kurth.org
Portfolio
Social Media
Social media coordinator for Cal Poly Roller Hockey, where I create and schedule game-day graphics, recap posts, and promotional content to build the team's presence and keep fans engaged throughout the season.