NY Nico


Welcome to New York — NY Nico Challenge Submission

Concept Development · Illustration · Hand-Drawn Typography · Cultural Commentary

For New York Nico’s citywide design challenge celebrating NYC culture, I created an original hand-drawn cartoon inspired by the irreverent graphic tees that defined downtown Manhattan in the ’80s and ’90s—particularly those found on St. Mark’s Place with slogans like “NEW YORK FUCKING CITY” and “Welcome to New York, duck motherf**er.”*

Designed as a love letter to the city I grew up in, the piece nods to a rawer, more unfiltered era—before New York became more polished. My concept reimagines that attitude through animated letterforms: an “N” and a “Y” locked in a tongue-in-cheek standoff that captures the chaotic humor and authenticity only true New Yorkers understand. Every element—from the exaggerated poses to the bold, vintage-style linework—was drawn by hand to channel that distinct downtown energy.

Roles & Contributions:
• Concept & Illustration Development
• Hand-Drawn Cartooning & Typography
• Visual Narrative & Composition Design
• Cultural & Historical Design Inspiration Research