REN BUENDIA
graphics | games | ux/ui
ABOUT ME
Hi, I'm Ren.I've been creating since long before I had access to the internet. Video games introduced me to an entirely different world. Digital forms became my artistic medium, and now I do everything from making videos on social media about my favorite video games to making video games about my experiences growing up in the world we live in.
GALLERY
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Radiate the World
Graphic assets developed during internship with Radiate the World
Ad Mockup
Radiate x EDMTrain Social Media Promotional Post
Spring Festival Social Media Giveaway
GiveThanks x Radiate
Mascot Hoodie Design
App Store Panel
PERSONAL PROJECTS
Solo projects. Created in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.
Spotify Reskin - Created for an art class assignment. I was tasked with creating a redesigned UI/UX design of an audio app of my choice. I chose to reimagine Spotify in a pink, cutesy aesthetic that takes inspiration from scrapbooking and stationary.
Spotify Reskin - Additional Mockup
Mousepad Design - Composited fake gameplay using elements and repurposed assets from Valorant. Personalized to fit a cute pink aesthetic and was later printed into a physical mousepad.
Love Live! Poster - This is one of the first projects I created in Adobe Illustrator. I was aiming for a Newtype Magazine aesthetic with crowded type and flashy highlights. Was later manufactured into a physical tapestry.
Genshin Impact Poster - Was later manufactured into a physical tapestry. Takes assets related to the character, Ganyu, from Genshin Impact and compiles these motifs to create an elegant, yet flashy, poster design.
Tapestry Project - A physical tapestry design for my desk. Compiles and parodies my favorite media, brands, and interests. Meant to look like a corkboard or public bulletin.
Mitski Tote Bag Mockup
Mitski Tote Front
Mitski Tote Back
Mitski Shirt Mockup
Mitski Shirt Back
Beatopia Poster
SLUG GAMING SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS
All were created in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.
Summer Splash Valorant Tournament Social Media Graphic - Made in Adobe Illustrator for Summer Splash 2024, an online collegiate esports event. Solo Project.
Slug Gaming Blue Roster 2024 - Solo Project - Created in Adobe Illustrator for introduction of 2024 UCSC Blue roster. Follows official Slug Gaming branding guidelines and color palette.
Slug Gaming Blue Roster 2023 - Solo Project - Created in Adobe Illustrator for introduction of 2023 UCSC Blue roster. Follows official Slug Gaming branding guidelines and color palette.
Valorant Watchparty Event Social Media Post - Solo Project - Made for Slug Gaming VCT Americas Community Watchparty. Follows official Slug Gaming branding guidelines and color palette. Made in Adobe Illustrator.
Slug Gaming Fan Jersey Promotional Advertisement Social Media Post - Solo Project - Follows official Slug Gaming branding guidelines and color palette. Made in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.
Slug Gaming Spring Give Social Media Bingo Story Template - Solo Project - Made for officers to post on their individual Instagrams and raise money for Spring Give, a campus-wide club fundraising event.
WHITNEY HIGH SCHOOL GRAPHIC DESIGN
All were created in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.
Lights, Camera, Dance
Dance Alternate Poster
4WRD Dance Show
Orchestra / Choir Poster
Band Concert Poster
Little Women Cast 1
Little Women Cast 2
Ball Invite (Gold)
Ball Invite (Silver)
Homecoming Poster (L) - Personal contributions: Color palette choices, vehicle design, and luggage props). Made in collaboration with Clarissa Su (Background Design), Katelyn Vu (Wildcat Design), and Kaylee Holyoak (Information Design).
Homecoming Poster (R) - Personal contributions: Color palette choices, vehicle design, and luggage props). Made in collaboration with Clarissa Su (Background Design), Katelyn Vu (Guitar Design), and Kaylee Holyoak (Information Design).
Ball Poster (Alt.)
Ball Poster (Alt.)
Grease Musical Poster - Made in Collaboration with Clarissa Su (Subject Design) and Marie Kim (Typography Design)
Junior Prom Invite
WHS Avenue Banner
Softball Poster
Baseball Poster
LCD Shirt
D2H2 Shirt
Powderpuff Shirt
Powderpuff Shirt (Alt.)
WHS Spirit Wear
WHS Spirit Wear
GAME DESIGN
generic dating* simulator
static between us
who will cook for you?
lumberjack luv
sword's revenge
Starsong Stage Stars - TTRPG
Starsong Stage Stars is a narrative tabletop RPG inspired by K-Pop/J-Pop idol culture. Players take on the roles of rising idols balancing ambition, public image, and the emotional bonds within their group. As a designer, my goal was to create a system that feels emotionally expressive, accessible, and thematically cohesive; one that highlights the tension between public image and personal identity while encouraging collaborative, character-driven storytelling.
PROCESS
who will cook for you?
"who will cook for you?" is a short, interactive, text-based game about a daughter-mother bond over soup and ideal husbands and the prioritization of parents.
process
i started by writing the story in google docs, focusing first on voice and tone. the format allowed me to map out the branching dialogue naturally, as if i were scripting a play or a conversation. i emphasized repetition, tension, and warmth — elements that would feel familiar and intimate to players.once the structure felt solid, i translated the story into twine, coding each passage and decision point manually. this process involved breaking the linear text into interactive chunks and thinking about pacing, logic, and how the player’s choices would shape emotional tone rather than plot.the game was designed to be short and quiet — no puzzles, no winning — just the slow unfolding of priorities, small heartbreaks, and quiet care. the final product is fully authored and coded by me, and reflects both a narrative and technical effort to center story over spectacle.
made in twine. 1300+ words.click here to read the script for this game
sword's revenge
sword’s revenge was my entry for pirate jam 16, where the prompt was to create a game where the player controls a weapon instead of a wielder. i ran with the idea of a cursed sword seeking revenge — something fast-paced, weird, and a little bit funny: "you’ve been turned into a sword by a magician and want your revenge!"
process
my focus was on the visual and modular design of the sword itself. i created all the sword sprites from scratch using piskel, with each component—handle, blade, aura, and eye—designed as separate layers. this modularity allowed for a wide variety of sword combinations, animations, and possible upgrades down the line. in addition to the modular weapon design, we decided to reuse sprites i had made for a previous game my team had made called little leaf alchemy:
while the game was ultimately scrapped and shelved, the asset system and art direction were a big part of the process. it was a good exercise in working within constraints (a tight deadline, a quirky theme), and in building a visual identity that could scale with gameplay ideas.
sprites created in piskel.this game has been scrapped and graveyarded, but you can check out what remains of it at this link.
made with unitydevelopment team: sploogegunkcredits:
- gavin malit (development)
- thatrell (ideation)
- ren buendia (art)
