Tyrone Drake

Tyrone Drake is a Professor in the Department of Graphic Design at ArtCenter College of Design, where he has influenced numerous students over 17 years of graduate and undergraduate teaching. His career spans over two decades in graphic design, branding, and visual communications, with notable collaborations in architecture, music, film, and luxury hospitality.

• B.F.A. from ArtCenter College of Design (1996)
• Design Director at University of Southern California School of Architecture (6 years)
• Creative Director for Natsun America Apparel Company
• Branding Consultant for Pendry Hotels San Diego

Drake's research interests center on the intersection of jazz improvisation and graphic design, drawing inspiration from Miles Davis to create dynamic relationships between text, image, and space. His work explores how typography can embody motion and cultural narratives, particularly within African American identity and avant-garde design movements.

As an educator, Drake has taught portfolio design courses at USC and currently shapes design pedagogy at ArtCenter. His practice integrates expressive typography, architectural branding, and socially conscious visual communication, often addressing representation through projects like the 90/300 exhibition that highlights Black alumni contributions in design.

Professional highlights include:

• Design consultancy for Los Angeles architecture firms and American Institute of Architects
• Album packaging for Ringo Starr and jazz reinterpretation projects like Shades of Blu
• Title sequence design for Netflix's Resident Evil series
• Rebranding work for Vegas.com and Pendry Hotel San Diego

Drake maintains active engagement with cultural institutions through exhibition design, including the Broad Stage rebranding at Santa Monica College and solo exhibitions at Hoffmitz Milken Center for Typography.