SAMUEL ELLIS
OWNER/FOUNDER
ROCK TOWN RIVER OUTFITTERS
SIGNAGE & ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHICS
Founded by outdoor enthusiast Samuel Ellis in 2017, Rock Town River Outfitters began with a few kayaks on the Arkansas River and quickly expanded into a multi-location business offering kayak and bike rentals, plus guided tours throughout Little Rock and North Little Rock.
To support this growth, Sam partnered with FastSigns, where I worked as a graphic designer. I collaborated with him to understand the brand’s evolving needs and brought his vision to life through tailored signage solutions—from storefront graphics to wayfinding elements. Each piece was designed to boost visibility, enhance the customer experience, and embody the brand’s adventurous spirit.
DOWNTOWN IDENTITY MURAL
Large-Scale Vinyl Garage Door Signage for Flagship Location
SERVICES PROVIDED:
Signage Design
PROJECT SCOPE:
The first design Sam needed for Rock Town River Outfitters was a large-scale vinyl window decal for his flagship location in downtown Little Rock. The objective was to create a visually compelling piece that captured the essence of the brand while clearly displaying the company name, hours of operation, and social media presence.
A unique challenge came from the installation surface: a movable garage door made up of square panel sections. This required a modular, precision-driven design approach to ensure all elements aligned correctly across the segmented surface and maintained readability and visual impact when the door was closed.
DESIGN CONCEPT:
Situated just steps from the Arkansas River, the downtown shop is surrounded by a blend of urban landmarks and outdoor recreation. A nearby bridge—frequented by both pedestrians and cyclists—connects Little Rock and North Little Rock and served as a key visual inspiration.
The design concept integrates the downtown skyline, the iconic bridge, kayakers on the river, and cyclists on city trails, creating a cohesive visual narrative. The goal was to reflect the brand’s mission of connecting people to outdoor adventure while honoring the energy and structure of the urban environment.
The finished piece functions as more than signage—it’s become a recognizable visual landmark in downtown Little Rock, reinforcing Rock Town River Outfitters' identity and celebrating the city’s seamless fusion of outdoor exploration and metropolitan life.
MOCKUP DESIGN
FINAL PRODUCT
RESULTS:
The final design not only met the functional needs of Rock Town River Outfitters but exceeded expectations by becoming a signature visual element of their downtown location. The modular vinyl decal maintained its clarity and cohesion across the segmented garage door, drawing attention from passersby and effectively communicating key brand information at a glance. The design has since become a recognizable fixture in the area, strengthening brand visibility, enhancing foot traffic, and reinforcing the company’s identity as a hub for urban adventure. It continues to serve as both a marketing asset and a piece of public art that reflects the unique spirit of outdoor recreation in downtown Little Rock.
TRAILSIDE SIGNAGE SERIES
Foam Board Signage for Kayak & Bike Rentals
PROJECT SCOPE:
To expand on-site visibility and reach potential customers where they’re most active, Rock Town River Outfitters needed a series of foam board signs placed along the Arkansas River Trail and near kayak docks and rental stations. Entrepreneur Sam Ellis recognized that strong, location-specific signage was key to driving foot and bike traffic directly to his rental hubs for both kayaks and bicycles.
These signs were strategically installed near high-traffic outdoor areas—including paved trails, boat ramps, and popular pedestrian bridges—with the goal of catching the attention of cyclists, joggers, and walkers as they passed. Each design needed to quickly convey core services (rentals and tours), while remaining visually bold and consistent with the brand’s outdoor adventure aesthetic.
DESIGN CONCEPT:
Each sign was designed with clarity, hierarchy, and impact in mind—recognizing that most viewers would be moving quickly past the signs, whether on foot, bike, or in a car. To maximize visibility and retention, both signs featured strong photography, minimal wording, and carefully selected typography and color contrast.
Kayak Sign
Using a moody photograph of a lone kayaker on the Arkansas River, the image featured water fading from light grey to deep blue—mirroring the sky above. This gradient informed the color palette and layout. A solid dark blue text block was created from the water’s darkest tones to house large, high-contrast typography.
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Headline: “KAYAK” in Neue Aachen Black, matched to the deep blue of the water
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Subheadline: “The Arkansas River” beneath it in smaller scale
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Main Callout: “RENTAL & TOURS” in bold, light grey Bebas font for strong readability
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Footer: Website URL flanked by Instagram and Facebook icons, maintaining a clean and consistent visual system
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Branding: White Rock Town River Outfitters logo anchored in the lower left
Bike Sign
Echoing the structure of the kayak sign, the bike version utilized a vibrant photograph of a cyclist on the iconic Big Dam Bridge, with warm orange and pink sunset tones reflecting on the Arkansas River below. This color palette shaped the design’s visual rhythm.
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Headline: “BIKE” in white Neue Aachen Black, set in a bold orange text block at the top
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Subheadline: “The Arkansas River Trail” in smaller scale below
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Main Callout: “RENTAL & TOURS” in bold Bebas at the bottom within a dark grey text block (pulled from the bridge’s concrete)
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Footer: Website with Instagram and Facebook icons, identical in layout to the kayak signage
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Branding: White Rock Town River Outfitters logo placed in the lower left for brand consistency
The consistent use of typography (Neue Aachen Black and Bebas), strategic color contrast, and balanced imagery ensured the two signs worked cohesively as a branded series.
RESULTS:
The Trailside Signage Series effectively elevated Rock Town River Outfitters’ presence along the Arkansas River Trail by placing visually striking, brand-consistent signs directly in the path of high-volume outdoor traffic. The bold design and clear messaging helped:
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Increase visibility near key trail access points, boat ramps, and pedestrian bridges
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Drive direct foot and bike traffic to rental locations
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Strengthen brand recognition with cohesive visual elements across multiple touchpoints
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Improve wayfinding for new and returning customers seeking rentals and guided tours
Both the kayak and bike signs have since become trusted directional tools and visual cues for outdoor enthusiasts, helping solidify Rock Town River Outfitters as a go-to hub for riverfront recreation.
Samuel Ellis reached out to FastSigns for these signs.
This work was created during my time as a Graphic Designer & Print Production Specialist at FastSigns
CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS POLICE DEPARTMENT
Brand Identity Standardization
Custom Vector Artwork for Signage and Promotional Use
PROJECT SCOPE:
The City of Fayetteville, Arkansas Police Department was preparing to move into a new headquarters and required bronze signage that faithfully represented the department’s visual identity. However, no high-resolution or vector versions of the official badge and patch artwork existed, which made professional fabrication challenging.
I was brought in to recreate these emblems as precise, scalable vector files that could be used not only for signage, but for all future promotional and branding needs.
As part of the process, I visited the former police headquarters to examine existing signage and printed materials. This revealed an important issue: inconsistencies in the way the badge and patch were being reproduced, with multiple versions in circulation and no established standard.
DESIGN CONCEPT:
The primary goal was accuracy and consistency. I approached the design by:
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Carefully studying embroidered patches, existing signage, and archived materials
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Digitally redrawing the badge and patch with high attention to detail
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Ensuring linework fidelity and scalability for a range of materials—from small print items to large-scale signage and cast metal
Throughout the process, I kept the core identity and symbolism of the department intact, while resolving inconsistencies that had developed over time.
Once I presented these discrepancies to the Police Department Administration, they agreed to adopt my updated vector artwork as the new official standard moving forward.
Official Police Patch
Vector of Police Patch
Official Police Badge
Vector of Police Badge
RESULTS:
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The bronze signage for the new headquarters was successfully fabricated using my vector files
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The department adopted my artwork as the official version for all future branding and promotional materials
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This created a unified and authoritative visual identity for the Fayetteville Police Department, reinforcing professionalism and public trust
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My design files now serve as a long-term asset for consistent reproduction across platforms, ensuring clarity and visual integrity
Motion Graphics
Construction Progression of New Police Headquarters
PROJECT SCOPE:
As part of a long-term media initiative, the City of Fayetteville Police Department had my Media Services Department produce a construction progress video documenting the development of their new headquarters. Drone footage, captured over time by my team member Neal, was edited into a full-length video for both horizontal and vertical formats, designed for social media, internal presentations, and public communication.
I was responsible for creating a motion graphics title sequence that would introduce the video in a way that was visually engaging, on-brand, and reflective of the civic importance of the project.
DESIGN CONCEPT:
To align with the themes of planning, growth, and civic development, I created a hand-drawn, black-and-transparent map of the new police headquarters as the central visual element.
The motion design featured a “magically appearing ink” animation effect, giving the impression that both the map and title text—“New Police Headquarters” and “Construction Progression”—were being written in real time on a textured parchment-style background. This effect brought a sense of intention and craftsmanship to the visual narrative.
Design highlights included:
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A warm, white parchment paper texture to evoke a sense of formality and planning
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Typography and layout optimized for both vertical (social media) and horizontal (presentation and archival) formats
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A clean, civic aesthetic that balances approachability with professionalism
RESULTS:
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The animated title sequence was successfully integrated into both versions of the final video
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The piece added a polished, branded introduction that elevated the professional quality of the production
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It helped communicate the significance and scale of the headquarters project to a broad audience
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The video has been used across social platforms, internal city briefings, and public engagement events, with the motion graphics playing a key role in viewer impact and retention
CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE ARKANSAS POLICE DEPARTMENT
The Fayetteville, Arkansas Police Department reached out to the Media Services Department of Fayetteville, Arkansas.
This work was created during my time as a Media Specialist in the Media Services Department
THE MANE DO PRODUCT SUITE
Full Visual System for a Modern Hairstyling Brand
PROJECT SCOPE:
The Mane Do is a hairstyling brand created for women in their late 20s who express their individuality through hair—whether it’s curly, coiled, straight, sleek, or wild. As part of a brand launch concept, I developed a complete visual identity system, including:
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Logo and branding
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Packaging design for a range of haircare products
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Stationery and mockups for marketing and brand materials
This project was approached as a professional branding engagement, with a focus on versatility, product consistency, and emotional appeal. A second version is in the works to showcase the brand’s evolution and visual refinement.
DESIGN CONCEPT:
The Mane Do branding celebrates feminine creativity and self-expression through hair styling. Every element was crafted to reflect a modern, fashion-forward customer who takes pride in looking polished while maintaining a playful edge.
Key design features include:
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Color Palette: A mix of shades of pink, black, and white, symbolizing beauty, strength, and versatility
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Logo Design: A pink gradient flower with a silver gradient stamen and a single silver earring, nodding to the idea of women who put in just enough effort to look stylish and feminine—like placing a flower in their hair
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Typography:
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Logo Font: Urban paintbrush-style typeface representing the boldness and creativity of hairstyling
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Supporting Fonts: Elegant, legible cursive paired with a clean serif for balance and readability across packaging and stationery
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Packaging Concept:
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Black backgrounds to convey sophistication and shelf impact
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Stylized hair textures in shades of pink (or grey/white) that reflect different product types
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Hierarchical font layout with pink primary text and white secondary text to enhance readability and visual appeal
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The visual language is cohesive across the product line—creating a brand experience that’s tactile, feminine, and expressive.
RESULTS:
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Delivered a complete visual identity system that feels targeted, bold, and emotionally resonant
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Created packaging designs that balance luxury and individuality, appealing to a beauty-savvy demographic
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Developed a logo and visual tone that reinforce personal style and self-care as core brand values
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Designed mockups and collateral that clearly communicate the brand’s point of view and product variety
A full “before and after” case study is planned to showcase the growth and direction of the brand as it evolves from concept to a more polished, real-world application. A second version is in the works to showcase the brand’s evolution and visual refinement.