Octon Originals

08/11/2023

A new illustration, by yours truly, just hit the MosaicML blog! I had fun channeling some retro-futurism for the topic of LLMs and Secure Code Evaluation.

The turnaround was tight, so I strategically chose to focus on negative space and dramatic lighting to help keep the shapes minimalistic. Hope you dig the vibes!

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07/20/2023

Excited to share that I've joined Databricks! Yesterday it was announced that DB had completed its acquisition of MosaicML, which makes me a freshly onboarded “Brickster.”

Peep this animation with the sound on. Transformer model architecture is at the heart of the generative AI, which led me to create some Transformers inspired sound effects.

2023 is shaping up to be the most exciting rollercoaster year of my career. Big thanks to my MosaicML fam for bringing me along on this generative AI ride.

05/31/2023

New work, new job! A lot has happened career-wise since being laid off. I embraced freelance full-time, working on a variety of fun projects with some awesome clients. One of those clients, an artificial intelligence company called MosaicML, enjoyed working with me so much that they offered me a full-time position as their Senior Brand Designer! Today is my first “official” day in fact.

One of the first projects we worked on together resulted with this butterfly, which feels really symbolic given how transformative the last couple months have been for me. More than ever I understand my overall worth, ability and potential. Freelance has been really rewarding but this new opportunity is without a doubt the best direction for me and my family. I expect new challenges and I welcome each and every one of them.

While it’s been therapeutic to fly under the radar, I don’t plan to avoid social media forever. I’ve just been busy with work while trying to be present for my family. I really value the relationships I’ve established here and elsewhere on the internet. Growing my audience was always a goal, but more than ever I just want to reconnect and solidify existing bonds. I look forward to sharing more of what I’ve been busy working on and seeing what you’ve been up to as well.

As always, sending a whole lotta good vibes your direction. Hope all is well on your side of the tracks.

Sincerely, Jarod

P.S. - If you’ve been laid off recently and are having a tough time applying for full-time positions, try freelancing for a bit. My last two employers were originally my clients. You never know what opportunities can arise when networking. It’s much easier to negotiate your worth when you’ve already established a healthy working relationship built upon good communication and trust.

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03/14/2023

Life Update: I was recently impacted by downsizing and laid off from Orbit. The news was sudden but not completely unexpected. On the low I’ve been thinking about making a change but I thought I’d have more time to make a plan. More than ever I could use some amplification or direction. If you know of any senior level positions that fit my skill set, please send me the details. In addition, I’d like everyone to know that I’m open to new freelance opportunities.

I’m also excited to share my new website, which I cranked out the last week. It’s a work in progress but there’s no better time to share than now. I’m also experimenting with a new monogram / lettermark for a brand refresh. Head over to jarodocton.com to check everything out.

I’ve really enjoyed my time working at Orbit but I’m also really excited for the future. Thanks to everyone I was able to meet and collaborate with over the last two years as an Orbiter. I’ve learnt a lot and I’m a better person from my experience. Let’s talk soon!

Sincerely, JSO
[email protected]

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Jarod Octon is an illustrator, designer, and art director with a passion for creating eye-catching works that inspire and capture the imagination. With years of industry experience, he approaches each assignment with creativity and enthusiasm, bringing his unique perspective to every project.

02/19/2023

Happy Birthdaaay, to meee! Today is the oldest I’ve ever been, and the youngest I’ll ever be again. It’s been interesting reflecting on my life and how it’s progressed so far. If you could have told 7 year old me that I would become a professional artist, with a wife and son, my 7 year old brain would have exploded. 🤯 One thing is for sure, I did it my way. I followed my dreams until they became reality. Hoping one day I can accomplish enough worth compiling into a coffee table book, but until then I’m gonna keep reaching for the stars. Thank you so much for keeping up with me and my creative output. I look forward to another year of growth. Cheers! #1984

02/13/2023

My idea for a USPS postage stamp celebrating LOVE. 💌 Atomic Love: Just like a real atom, a single atom of love contains within itself tremendous amounts of power. ⚛️

It’s been a while since I last vocalized my interest in stamps, there’s quite a few in my collection of personal works in fact. I’d love to be tasked with the creation of an official USPS stamp one day. If I were given the chance, I know something special would result from such a collaboration.

I’ve heard words are powerful and if you really desire something you should speak it into existence. So that’s what I’m going to do. Does anyone know someone willing to bet on little ol’ me? Additionally, would you be willing to throw my name into the mix? I may not be as popular or as seasoned when compared to others, but I’m confident in my ability to play with the best of them. Just assign me the mission and I’ll do my best to exceed the vision.

Postmarked with love, Jarod Octon. 📬

02/08/2023

Would you stay here? 🍄 There’s not mush-room but you’ll find the amenities charming. 🎶 Illustrated in Procreate for fun. 🎨

01/26/2023

NEW WORK! 🚀 I had the pleasure of helping create Orbit’s Year in Community. Similar to Spotify Wrapped, Orbit users were given a unique in-app experience celebrating their community wins for 2022. I handled the art direction, illustration and design. This carousel highlights such work and some of the ways we presented the user’s stats.

Shoutout to Colin Loretz, a fellow Orbiter and engineer wizard. He spearheaded the project and hit your boy up in late November to help out. It wasn’t until mid-December though that I began working on the art direction. The deadline was Frodo-short so we hustled our way through the holidays to January 17th for an early 2023 release. We were exchanging a nonstop blitz of Figma and Slack comments right up until the end.

It was a ton of fun working with Colin and Malki Davis, another awesomely talented software engineer. Thank you both for helping bring this project to life and for withstanding my relentless barrage of updates and requested changes. Your patience and understanding is greatly appreciated. With that said, much love to ANYONE that has dealt with my perfectionism. I don’t mean to drive ya’ll crazy, it’s just a byproduct of my o.c.d. 😅 lol

Each slide is pretty close to being in order as one might experience it in real-time, minus the u.i. breakouts at the end and some art I’m saving for later. 😉 I added some familiar faces that are close to my heart to help mock-up a slide. If you’re not included, doesn’t mean I don’t love you too. 😘

Overall I’m really stoked on the final result. There were some additional things I wanted to include, such as animations, typography treatment and some u.i. tweaks, but overall the project was very well received by the Orbit community. It will be really cool to see how we can elevate the experience for 2023.

Hope you enjoyed this spotlight! Big thanks to everyone that has continued to circle my orbit. I’ve experienced some real wishy-washy cats during my career but I see the real ones shining through. If you feel inclined to help a homie out, please like, comment or share to help amplify the “gravity” of this post. Peace yo. ✨

01/11/2023

Quick Procreate time-lapse of my recent illustration! ✏️ I’m trying step outside my comfort zone and have some fun with reels. I think the best part of this video might be my narration 😆

Jarod Octon ⚡️ Illustrator shared a post on Instagram: "Quick time-lapse of my recent illustration! ✏️ I’m trying step outside my comfort zone and have some fun with reels. I think the best part of this video might be my narration 😆 Let me know what you think! ✦ ✦ ✦ ...

01/06/2023

Welcome to Tomorrowland, otherwise known as 2023! I’m coming in hot with some brand new illustrated sci-fi vibes. Drawn in Procreate. I’m excited to keep the creative flow flowing. Hoping to make this my most productive year yet. What should I create next though?

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01/05/2023

Wifey told me don’t over think it, so here’s a quick wip showing what I’m up to tonight. Drawing a wavy lined exoplanet in Procreate. Nothing crazy but the final should look legit. Stay tuned for the full illustration.

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