I'm Denisse Mari Aguilar. I'm an artist and designer who invites people to reconnect with their inner child — through playful illustration, low-brow humor, and a design practice grounded in curiosity. I'm drawn to the weird, tender ways we make sense of the world!

illustrator & designer

Hi!

my name is

Denisse Mari Aguilar

My background is in visual identity, UI/UX, art for animation, and 3D modeling. I’ve contributed to both animation and mobile app pipelines, with hands-on experience in asset creation and delivery across platforms.

I recently earned my BFA in Design from the University of Southern California on May 2025.

I’m driven by a curiosity to understand how things work—visually, structurally, and emotionally. That’s led me to explore everything from digital interfaces to physical spaces (once as a carpenter’s assistant, where I accidentally stapled my thumb)…

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FEATURED WORK

FEATURED WORK

WalkWay

WalkWay

UI/UX Design

Figma

Adobe Illustrator

A navigation app for people who move through cities without cars, because right now, most navigation tools treat pedestrians like an afterthought.

WalkWay

WalkWay

UI/UX Design

Figma

Adobe Illustrator

A navigation app for people who move through cities without cars, because right now, most navigation tools treat pedestrians like an afterthought.

WalkWay

UI/UX Design

Figma

Adobe Illustrator

A navigation app for people who move through cities without cars, because right now, most navigation tools treat pedestrians like an afterthought.

Roski Portfolio Expo

Roski Portfolio Expo

Social Media Campaign

Design

Visual Identity

Designed a professional, personalized campaign for the Roski Senior Design Show, ensuring students present their work in a way that truly represents them.

Roski Portfolio Expo

Roski Portfolio Expo

Social Media Campaign

Design

Visual Identity

Designed a professional, personalized campaign for the Roski Senior Design Show, ensuring students present their work in a way that truly represents them.

Roski Portfolio Expo

Social Media Campaign

Design

Visual Identity

Designed a professional, personalized campaign for the Roski Senior Design Show, ensuring students present their work in a way that truly represents them.

Heaven Spot

Heaven Spot

Experiential Design

Designed the wristband experience for a conceptual music festival—three nights of music, art, and community at the Graffiti Towers in DTLA.

Heaven Spot

Heaven Spot

Experiential Design

Designed the wristband experience for a conceptual music festival—three nights of music, art, and community at the Graffiti Towers in DTLA.

Heaven Spot

Experiential Design

Designed the wristband experience for a conceptual music festival—three nights of music, art, and community at the Graffiti Towers in DTLA.

Duolingo

Duolingo

Illustration

Figma

Photoshop

Illustrated Duolingo's world characters as an illustration intern for the summers of '23 and '24.

Duolingo

Duolingo

Illustration

Figma

Photoshop

Illustrated Duolingo's world characters as an illustration intern for the summers of '23 and '24.

Duolingo

Illustration

Figma

Photoshop

Illustrated Duolingo's world characters as an illustration intern for the summers of '23 and '24.

Dirty Laundry

Dirty Laundry

Visual Identity

Illustration

Designed Dirty Laundry playing cards, a playful take on the Filipino 'Marites' meme—gossip-loving aunties spilling neighborhood tea.

Dirty Laundry

Dirty Laundry

Visual Identity

Illustration

Designed Dirty Laundry playing cards, a playful take on the Filipino 'Marites' meme—gossip-loving aunties spilling neighborhood tea.

Dirty Laundry

Visual Identity

Illustration

Designed Dirty Laundry playing cards, a playful take on the Filipino 'Marites' meme—gossip-loving aunties spilling neighborhood tea.

Balutan

Balutan

Visual Identity

3D Modeling

Texture Paint

Created a wax melt line inspired by iconic dishes from Guam, using scent as a powerful trigger to evoke nostalgia and comfort for those far from home.

Balutan

Balutan

Visual Identity

3D Modeling

Texture Paint

Created a wax melt line inspired by iconic dishes from Guam, using scent as a powerful trigger to evoke nostalgia and comfort for those far from home.

Balutan

Visual Identity

3D Modeling

Texture Paint

Created a wax melt line inspired by iconic dishes from Guam, using scent as a powerful trigger to evoke nostalgia and comfort for those far from home.

Food as Love (WIP)

Food as Love (WIP)

PUBLICATION

PHOTOGRAPHY

Food as Love is a visual thesis that explores how care, grief, and devotion are expressed through everyday meals. Through scanned leftovers, poverty recipes, and quiet scenes of cooking and cleaning, the project treats food as an emotional archive—where love is shown not just in what we eat, but in what we save, share, and make do with.

Food as Love (WIP)

Food as Love (WIP)

PUBLICATION

PHOTOGRAPHY

Food as Love is a visual thesis that explores how care, grief, and devotion are expressed through everyday meals. Through scanned leftovers, poverty recipes, and quiet scenes of cooking and cleaning, the project treats food as an emotional archive—where love is shown not just in what we eat, but in what we save, share, and make do with.

Food as Love (WIP)

PUBLICATION

PHOTOGRAPHY

Food as Love is a visual thesis that explores how care, grief, and devotion are expressed through everyday meals. Through scanned leftovers, poverty recipes, and quiet scenes of cooking and cleaning, the project treats food as an emotional archive—where love is shown not just in what we eat, but in what we save, share, and make do with.