The Whole Story

Hi! My name is Karly Martin. I have a passion for unique design that incorporates creativity and comedy. I believe true unique thinking arises when you allow yourself to find inspiration from anyone, anywhere, and anything. When I was 7 years old, I had no access to design programs or tools, so I wrote stories in PowerPoint and used the shape tools to make illustrations. At 11 years old, I got to use Illustrator for the first time, and I made myself business cards to hand out with my Logo for “Phodeo Graphic Design.” My first ever client was my friend Faith, who asked me to make a logo for her Jewelry stand, for which she commissioned me $6. Score!
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‍At 13, our family dogs Shipley and Ruger had an unexpected litter of puppies. With that, Martin Lake Labradors of Houston was born. It was my job to make the website, logo, google ads, and take pictures of all the dogs and puppies. That’s when I got my first DSLR camera and discovered my love for photography. Our very first puppies were $800 each, and today every puppy goes for $3000.
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In 2021, I started working for iNSPIRE Academy, where I taught Photography, Photo Editing, Graphic Design, Sewing, and Cooking to kids ranging in age from 6 to 14. From the ages of 12-16, I was in Theater, which is where I learned improv, which influenced me to be more creative and incorporate comedy and irony into my design thinking. I eventually left the Theater because I’m not good at singing, dancing, or being loud. Still, I learned a lot of valuable lessons about creativity from it that I carry into my work.
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I attended San Jacinto College for my Associate’s in General Studies, and the University of Houston for my Bachelor’s in Digital Media. In my time at UH, I enhanced my skills in design and photography, as well as expanding my toolbelt to include videography, branding, UX, 2D Animation, 3D scanning, and more.
Karly standing in a kitchen with stone tile backsplash and stainless steel stove.Karly wearing headphones focused on sewing pink and white plaid fabric with a Brother sewing machine.Karly wearing headphones sketching clothing designs in a notebook while holding a cracker.Karly pinning pleated burgundy fabric onto a duct tape dress form in a workspace.Three people cooking together in a kitchen, one stirring a pot on the stove while a child whisks batter in a pan.Karly working at a desk with a drawing tablet, sketchbook of storyboard frames, and computer screen showing cartoon character expressions.Karly wearing headphones sketches on fabric at a sewing workspace with multiple sewing machines and a laptop displaying a bunny design.