// 01 — CoverCarman / Creative — 2026
// Capabilities Deck — 2026
Creative direction,
accelerated by AI.
John Carman / Carman Creative
Virginia Beach / Philadelphia / Brooklyn
// 02 — HelloCarman / Creative — 2026
John Carman / Creative Director & AI Strategist
// Hi, I'm John
I've spent my career helping brands
make sense of complexity.
20+
years across brand, web, packaging, product
100+
projects shipped — agency, in-house, studio
3
cities — VA Beach, Philadelphia, Brooklyn
4
AI-native creative systems in production
// 03 — ServicesCarman / Creative — 2026
What we make. Together.
Brand Identity/ 01
Brand Identity
- ↳Strategy
- ↳Mark + System
- ↳Editorial Voice
- ↳Launch Toolkit
Web Design/ 02
Web Design
- ↳UX + UI
- ↳Tokens + Components
- ↳A11y baked in
- ↳Storybook + Docs
Packaging/ 03
Packaging
- ↳Structure + Surface
- ↳Print Specs
- ↳Production Ready
- ↳Sustainability
AI-Powered Creative/ 04
AI-Powered Creative
- ↳Custom GPTs
- ↳Variant Production
- ↳Critique Loops
- ↳Team Enablement
// 04 — Brand-in-a-Day OSCarman / Creative — 2026
// AI Lab / Flagship
Brand-in-a-Day
OS.
A token-driven launch kit. Start with a brief, end the same day with a tokens file, type system, mark sketches, component library, and on-brand social cuts.
color/bg#080808
color/surface#141414
color/accent#1cb791
radius/soft12px
type/displayFraunces
// 05 — Style Guide That Talks BackCarman / Creative — 2026
// AI Lab / In Beta
Style Guide that
answers back.
An AI-native brand bible. Designers ask, “show me a hero in this voice” — and get on-system outputs in your tokens, every time.
Three options — all on tokens, all in voice.
// 06 — Campaign FactoryCarman / Creative — 2026
// AI Lab / Concept
Campaign
Factory.
One campaign idea fans out to social, print, motion, and web — all on tokens, all in voice, all production-ready.
16:9 Web Hero4:5 IG Portrait9:16 IG Story1:1 IG Feed2:3 Print5:2 Banner
// 07 — AtelierCarman / Creative — 2026
// AI Lab / Concept
Atelier — a senior
eye on every draft.
A custom GPT trained on your design system and house POV. Reviews work-in-progress, writes feedback in your CD voice, catches drift before it ships.
Off-brand
Craft
Clarity
Opportunity
// hero v3Find your line.
New collection, made to be used.
1234// 08 — Selected WorkCarman / Creative — 2026
Selected work.
01 / Product / Brand DesignColony Coffee Co.
2025 / 8 weeks
02 / Health & Human Services / Web DesignFriends Rehabilitation Program
2025 / 6 weeks
03 / Music / Graphic DesignHarrison Bounds
2024 / 6 weeks
04 / Military Support / Web DesignSpecial Forces Trust
2024 / 12 weeks
// 09 — ProcessCarman / Creative — 2026
Four principles.
I.Understand the problem first.
Then design and technology can solve it.
II.Design systems, not screens.
Tokens, components, governance — work that scales without me.
III.Use AI to expand judgment.
Not to replace it. Modern tools, classical taste.
IV.Lead with clarity.
Thoughtful process, meticulous craft, on time.
// 10 — EngagementCarman / Creative — 2026
How to work with me.
/ 01
Project
A defined scope, shipped
Best for: launches, identity refreshes, single-channel campaigns. Fixed scope, clear timeline, weekly check-ins.
4 — 12 weeks
/ 02most common
Retainer
Steady creative direction
Best for: scaling teams, ongoing brand work, multi-channel programs. Monthly engagement, embedded in the team.
3 — 12 months
/ 03
Fractional CD
Senior eye, part-time
Best for: startups without a full-time CD, or teams needing a strategic upgrade. Two days a week.
6 — 18 months
