Selected Work – The New York Times — Elliot Salazar

ELLIOT SALAZAR ☺︎

Designer, Illustrator & Art Director

A quiet yet witty, perfectionist originally from West Texas. He now lives and works in New York City where most recently he was helping shape design, branding, and creative strategy at TikTok.

Currently, he is freelancing at The New York Times. He also doesn’t drink coffee or eat avocados – weird, right?

Contact

+ elliot.e.salazar{at]gmail.com +

[INDEX]

→ Portrait by Simone Noronha

CV ↘︎

Education

School of Visual Arts
MFA – Designer as Author and Entrepreneur Program
New York, New York

Texas Tech University
BFA – Communication Design
Lubbock, Texas

OPEN TO FREELANCE / FULL-TIME OPPORTUNITIES ☆

Experience

The New York Times
Freelance Designer, Art Director
[2025 – Present]

Leading the Marketing Social team's refresh of the @mynytimes design system and creative strategy through typography, illustration, and motion graphic elements.

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TikTok
Senior Creative Lead
[2023 – 2025]

Focusing on design, creative strategy and art direction for marketing projects, events, social content and in-app e-commerce campaigns for the launch of TikTok Shop in the US.

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Instagram
Brand Designer
[2021-2022]

Helping shape a variety of brand touch-points across product, editorial, and experiential. Lead designer for @design, including the #BlackDesignVisionaires grant program and art directed Instagram cultural moment digital stickers.

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Virtue Worldwide
Senior Designer
[2019-2021]

Virtue is the creative agency born from VICE, thus contributed to a variety of projects with clients like Urban Decay, Beats by Dre and Cholula Hot Sauce, new business pitches, and internal projects for the agency.

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Refinery29
Senior Designer
Social Media
[2014-2018]

Oversaw editorial and branded content for all social channels for both the Design and Social teams. If you’ve liked, double tapped, or retweeted an R29 social post then you’ve probably seen some of my work!

• Designer [2015-2017]
• Freelance Designer [2014-2015]
• Editorial Design Intern
[2014-2015]

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Warby Parker
Graphic Design Intern
[2013-2014]

As a bespectacled intern by day and graduate student by night (I was pretty busy then) I worked on design assets for collections and other special collabs.

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Texas Tech University
Graphic Designer
[2011-2012]

Worked with faculty, staff, and students in developing new projects for the School of Art and Landmark Arts Galleries – brochures, exhibitions designs, and recruitment materials.

• La Ventana Managing Editor
[2008-2011]
• Rec Sports Marketing Designer
[2009-2010]

Organizations

AIGA NY Board of Directors
Communications and Social Media
[2017-2020]

Awards & Honors

Society of Illustrators 66th Annual: Advertising & Institutional Jury [2023]

AICP Next Awards Judge,
Category: Influencer [2023]

#ArtOnLink World Pride Featured Artist [2019]

Chandelier Creative – Mermaid Ranch Artist In Residence [2018]

The Young Ones: Advertising & Design Student Competition Juror [2017]

Print Magazine Regional Design Award [2017]

Ace Hotel: New York Artist in Residency Program (#AceAIR)

AIGA Command X Competition [2016]

Speaking Engagements

School of Visual Arts, MFA Design
Guest Lecturer
New York, NY

Laguna College of Art + Design
Guest Lecturer
Laguna Beach, CA

Shillington School Of Design
Guest Lecturer
New York, NY

Press

AIGA Eye on Design
Planoly
Newspaper Club
Brand Therapy Podcast

Download Resume

Last Updated 26.02.13

SELECTED WORK [WIP]

The New York Times TikTok Instagram Virtue Refinery29 AIGA NY Freelance ☺︎

The New York Times

↓

“All the News That's Fit to Post on Instagram"
Social design and art direction for @mynytimes.

@mynytimes Design System

⎯

Leading the Marketing Social team's refresh of the @mynytimes design system and creative strategy through typography, illustration, and motion graphic elements.

Design AND ART DIRECTION: Elliot Salazar

@mynytimes Essentials Series

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[1] Priya Krishna, NYT Food Reporter

Learn more on @mynytimes
Illustration: Alice Des

[2] Stephen Hiltner, NYT Travel Journalist

Learn more on @mynytimes
Illustration: Joost Stokhof

[3] Eric Asimov, NYT Wine Critic
Illustration: Sarah Maffei

Learn more on @mynytimes

[4] Alissa Wilkinson, NYT Movie Critic

Learn more on @mynytimes
Illustration: Simone Noronha

Design AND ART DIRECTION: Elliot Salazar

@mynytimes Behind The Photo Series

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+ Bad Bunny Talks Coming Back Home on His ‘Most Puerto Rican’ Album Yet

+ How Sarah Sherman Makes Audiences Squirm

+ Who Is That Masked Man? The Orchids Aren’t Telling

+ An Actor’s Guide to Big Feelings

[1] Behind the Photo: Amanda Webster

Learn more on @mynytimes

[2] Behind the Photo: Alexand Genova

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[3] Behind the Photo: Gaurionix Rodriguez Jr.

Learn more on @mynytimes

[4] Behind the Photo: Amy Kellner

Learn more on @mynytimes

Design AND ART DIRECTION: Elliot Salazar

@mynytimes Social Content

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[1] Cookie Week Feature

Learn more on @mynytimes

[2] 30 Greatest American Songwriters Feature

Learn more on @mynytimes

[3] Best of 2025 Lists

Learn more on @mynytimes

[4] Mother’s Day Headlines

Learn more on @mynytimes

Design AND ART DIRECTTION: Elliot Salazar

@mynytimes Interview Series Content

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[1] Q&A with Ligaya Mishan, Restaurant Critic

Learn more on @mynytimes

[2] Q&A with Vanessa Friedman, Fashion Critic

Learn more on @mynytimes

Design AND ART DIRECTTION: Elliot Salazar