Downtown San Diego Insider's Guide

I owned art direction and design for the Downtown San Diego Insider's Guide, a folded city guide made so readers had a useful, beautiful reference. One side opens on a skyline and ballpark spread with a bucket list, a self-guided walking tour, and photo blurbs for each of Downtown's neighborhoods. The reverse side, Tour Like a Local, lists attractions, museums, theaters, and parks beside a walking map. I built the layout on flexible grids so dense listings, photos, and callouts could share a spread without crowding. I kept the cartography legible with color-coded districts, walking and bike paths, trolley lines, and a clear key. Cover panels like A City on the Bay and Sunsets on the Bay sit beside one-day itinerary pages. I edited the photography and ran press checks for color fidelity. The page shows that process, from an early proof with photo placeholders to press-check photos of finished spreads. The guide became a trusted keepsake for visitors and locals.