MR GAVEUP - How to be alone
E.P Artwork, Photo Editing, Social Media Content, Motion Graphics & Video Editing, VFX
MR GAVEUP is an independent artist who chooses to remain anonymous, using digital art and visual manipulation to conceal his identity rather than relying on traditional masks or face coverings.
“How To Be Alone” is MR GAVEUP’s debut EP, featuring five singles, each exploring a different visual interpretation of anonymity. For the final single, “Worn Down,” we wanted to create a visual connection between the single artwork and the EP cover, which were being released around the same time.
To achieve this, I developed an overexposed, glowing treatment that obscures the artist’s face and creates a surreal, almost otherworldly quality. The same visual language was carried across the EP artwork, social media content, and promotional imagery to create a cohesive identity for the release.
CLIENT: MR GAVEUP YEAR: 2024-2025
This project was a collaborative effort with many contributors, including:
Dusty Kessler – Creative Director / Photographer
Jack Tumen – Videographer
Scott Hutchinson – Lighting / Assistant
EP Cover Artwork
Photo Editing & Social Media Content
For this project, I was asked to manipulate photographs taken by Dusty Kessler for social media and digital content. I wanted to take the surreal, glowy effect from the EP cover art and bring it into different environments. The idea was to make it feel like he exists in our world, but with a glow that makes him feel slightly surreal.
Through color grading and digital manipulation, I created different moods and atmospheres within each photo while maintaining a consistent look and feel throughout. With the EP and the visualizer for “Worn Down” being released around the same time, I wanted these visuals to feel connected to the EP cover and visualizer, creating a cohesive visual identity across the entire project.
Video Editing & Motion Graphics
“Worn Down” was a last-minute addition to MR GAVEUP’s debut EP. Because of the timing, there wasn’t an existing creative direction or production plan for the song. With each of the other singles having its own visual world, we needed to develop something new — and quickly. This is where the glowy effect came in.
I was given folders of clips shot by Dusty Kessler on his iPhone. From there, I sequenced the footage and began developing the visual treatment. I used motion tracking, color grading, and texture to create the final look and bring the footage into the surreal, digital world established by the EP.
Below, I’ve shown my process from the initial motion tracking through the color and texture treatment. From there, I was able to take the same glowy effect and apply it to the lyrics in the final visualizer and the accompanying social media ad, keeping everything feeling cohesive with the rest of the release.
MOTION TRACKING
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
Color & Texture Treatment
Final Visualizer
Social Media Ad