
AnimeUSA
Since 2012, I have been an illustrator for Washington, D.C.-area convention AnimeUSA. My work began as con signage featuring their mascot, Kaede, represented in different ways to accompany the yearly theme. As the years went on I was asked to continue contributing and have since done promotional posters, interior pamphlet art and convention badges. I have seen the convention move to a new venue since I began with them, and am excited to continue exploring new work and horizons.

AnimeUSA 2016 Badge
Client: AnimeUSA
Convention Year: 2016
AnimeUSA 2016 had a theme of the Meiji Restoration. Inspired by the ukiyo-e referential technique I used in 2013, I decided to utilize the same concept again and looked up artwork from the Meiji period for concept and composition references.
This is badge artwork designed for staff and volunteers and references Watanabe Nobukazu.
This work is the property of Alexa Polito and licensed to AnimeUSA. Kaede is the property of AnimeUSA. Watanabe Nobukazu is the author of the referenced historical artwork.

AnimeUSA 2016 Badge
Client: AnimeUSA
Convention Year: 2016
AnimeUSA 2016 had a theme of the Meiji Restoration. Inspired by the ukiyo-e referential technique I used in 2013, I decided to utilize the same concept again and looked up artwork from the Meiji period for concept and composition references.
This is badge artwork designed for the host club and references Toyohara Chikanobu.
This work is the property of Alexa Polito and licensed to AnimeUSA. Kaede is the property of AnimeUSA. Toyohara Chikanobu is the author of the referenced historical artwork.

AnimeUSA 2016 Badge
Client: AnimeUSA
Convention Year: 2016
AnimeUSA 2016 had a theme of the Meiji Restoration. Inspired by the ukiyo-e referential technique I used in 2013, I decided to utilize the same concept again and looked up artwork from the Meiji period for concept and composition references.
This is badge artwork designed for the convention health and safety team and references Tsukioka Yoshitoshi.
This work is the property of Alexa Polito and licensed to AnimeUSA. Tsukioka Yoshitoshi is the author of the referenced historical artwork.

AnimeUSA 2016 Badge
Client: AnimeUSA
Convention Year: 2016
AnimeUSA 2016 had a theme of the Meiji Restoration. Inspired by the ukiyo-e referential technique I used in 2013, I decided to utilize the same concept again and looked up artwork from the Meiji period for concept and composition references.
This is badge artwork designed for the backstage team and references Utagawa Kuniyoshi.
This work is the property of Alexa Polito and licensed to AnimeUSA. Utagawa Kuniyoshi is the author of the referenced historical artwork.

AnimeUSA 2016 Badge
Client: AnimeUSA
Convention Year: 2016
AnimeUSA 2016 had a theme of the Meiji Restoration. Inspired by the ukiyo-e referential technique I used in 2013, I decided to utilize the same concept again and looked up artwork from the Meiji period for concept and composition references.
This is badge artwork designed for convention staff and volunteers and references Tomioka Eisen.
This work is the property of Alexa Polito and licensed to AnimeUSA. Tomioka Eisen is the author of the referenced historical artwork.

AnimeUSA 2016 Badge
Client: AnimeUSA
Convention Year: 2016
AnimeUSA 2016 had a theme of the Meiji Restoration. Inspired by the ukiyo-e referential technique I used in 2013, I decided to utilize the same concept again and looked up artwork from the Meiji period for concept and composition references.
This is badge artwork designed for the maid cafe and references Toyohara Chikanobu.
This work is the property of Alexa Polito and licensed to AnimeUSA. Kaede is the property of AnimeUSA. Toyohara Chikanobu is the author of the referenced historical artwork.

AnimeUSA 2016 Badge
Client: AnimeUSA
Convention Year: 2016
AnimeUSA 2016 had a theme of the Meiji Restoration. Inspired by the ukiyo-e referential technique I used in 2013, I decided to utilize the same concept again and looked up artwork from the Meiji period for concept and composition references.
This is badge artwork designed for convention staff and volunteers and references Watanabe Nobukazu.
This work is the property of Alexa Polito and licensed to AnimeUSA. Watanabe Nobukazu is the author of the referenced historical artwork.

AnimeUSA 2014 Badge
Client: AnimeUSA
Convention Year: 2014
AnimeUSA 2014 was the first year I designed badge artwork for the convention. This badge was designed for convention staff.
This work is the property of Alexa Polito and licensed to AnimeUSA.

AnimeUSA 2014 Badge
Client: AnimeUSA
Convention Year: 2014
AnimeUSA 2014 was the first year I designed badge artwork for the convention. This badge was designed for convention guests.
This work is the property of Alexa Polito and licensed to AnimeUSA.

AnimeUSA 2014 Badge
Client: AnimeUSA
Convention Year: 2014
AnimeUSA 2014 was the first year I designed badge artwork for the convention. This badge was designed for the convention health and safety team.
This work is the property of Alexa Polito and licensed to AnimeUSA.

AnimeUSA 2014 Badge
Client: AnimeUSA
Convention Year: 2014
AnimeUSA 2014 was the first year I designed badge artwork for the convention. This badge was designed for the backstage team.
This work is the property of Alexa Polito and licensed to AnimeUSA.

AnimeUSA 2014
Client: AnimeUSA
Convention Year: 2014
Every year involves a new version of Kaede, AnimeUSA's mascot. This year was intended to be decora and street-fashion inspired.
This work is the property of Alexa Polito and licensed to AnimeUSA. Kaede is the property of AnimeUSA.

AnimeUSA 2013 Poster
Client: AnimeUSA
Convention Year: 2013
The theme of AnimeUSA 2013 was the Edo period of Japanese history. This illustration began an experiment I would revisit in 2016 of referencing Japanese ukiyo-e painters and artists in composition and posing. This piece illustrates the mascot of AnimeUSA as the legendary figure Miyamoto Musashi in an Utagawa Kuniyoshi print of Musashi killing a giant beast.
This work is the property of Alexa Polito and is licensed to AnimeUSA. Kaede is the property of AnimeUSA. Utagawa Kuniyoshi is the author of the referenced historical artwork.













Client: AnimeUSA
Project Duration: 2012 - Present
All work is the property of Alexa Polito and licensed to AnimeUSA. Kaede is the property of AnimeUSA. Historical works referenced are attributed to Tomioka Eisen, Toyohara Chikanobu, Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Utagawa Kuniyoshi, and Watanabe Nobukazu.