Lauren Hodges

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Years of Experience

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Audiobooks Narrated

Illustration of a smiling woman with medium-length brown hair and glasses against a peach background, wearing a black top with a moth design.

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Product Launches

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Twitch Streams

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Industry's Served

Illustrator and designer based in Athens, AL with a flair for the creative and a love for all things hands-on.

View My Portfolio

My Process

Every project is a little different, but here’s how I typically roll.

01

Dream + Doodle

I kick things off with inspiration-fueled brainstorming — think Pinterest rabbit holes, color palettes, and sketching ideas on my tablet. It’s the part where I chase the sparks.

Stylized glowing schematic of a computer case with multiple cooling fans mounted on the top, front, and bottom panels, and a dual graphics card setup inside with a cylindrical cooling component.

02

Collaborate

Design is better together. I share ideas early, gather feedback, and stay open to inspiration from clients, coworkers, or even a well-timed meme. It’s a conversation, not a solo quest.

White NZXT computer case with transparent side panels displaying internal components like cooling fans, a large graphics card, liquid cooling tubes, and a circular temperature display showing 32 degrees Celsius, illuminated with blue LED lights on a dark background.

03

Polish it Up

This is where everything comes together — strategy, style, and a bit of secret sauce. I refine the design until it’s ready to launch, share, or ship with confidence.

A sleek white computer case with multiple illuminated cooling fans, a large graphics card, and a circular CPU liquid cooler displaying a temperature of 32 degrees Celsius.

My XP

A quick scroll through the quests, side missions, and boss fights that shaped my design journey.

NZXT

Senior Graphic Designer

I lead global product launch campaigns from concept to execution, blending strategy, storytelling, and design across web, social, email, and paid media. I integrate AI tools like ComfyUI and Flux Gym to streamline workflows and empower my team, while also contributing to 3D rendering, web design in DATO, and global asset localization. From playful social campaigns to polished product launches, I keep things creative, efficient, and on-brand.

2021 – 2025

Freelance

Graphic Designer + Illustrator

As a freelance designer, I’ve partnered with clients across industries — from local businesses and nonprofits to tech firms and public figures. Highlights include work with Cook’s Pest Control, LSINC, The Schools Foundation, DeepTarget, and author Kevin Allocca, as well as campaigns for community, education, and faith-based organizations.

2013 – 2021

Rocket City Digital

Lead Designer

At Rocket City Digital, I juggled everything from logo and web design to animated graphics and WordPress development, all while managing multiple projects and communicating directly with clients. I also led the company’s rebrand, mentored a design intern, and helped shape creative direction in client meetings.

2018 – 2019

Red Sage Communications, Inc.

Graphic Designer

At Red Sage Communications, I grew from Web Production Artist to Graphic Designer, leading collaborative web and logo design sessions to align creative direction with client goals. I also developed messaging for key projects, improved internal workflows, and trained a new design hire by building out team documentation.

2014 – 2016

Auburn University's Office of Professional & Career Development

Graphic Designer

At Auburn University’s Office of Professional & Career Development, I created ad campaigns and industry-specific posters for student career fairs, collaborating with the design team to deliver high-quality work on tight deadlines.

2012 – 2013

Skills & Expertise

A handy toolkit of the creative, technical, and strategic skills I bring to every project.

Like a good pretzel, my creative process is all about balance. A little structure, a little play, and just the right amount of salt. And yes, I illustrated this one myself. Snacks and sketches are kind of my thing.

Illustration of a golden-brown pretzel sprinkled with coarse salt, placed on a white napkin on a sketchpad, with two markers resting nearby.

Core Design Skills

Illustration, brand identity, campaign design, and layout wizardry. I blend strategic thinking with creative flair to craft visuals that tell a story and get results.

Tools & Software

Photoshop, Procreate, Illustrator, InDesign, Figma, After Effects, Blender, Keyshot, DATO, Shopify CMS, Webflow, Jira, and a sprinkle of AI magic with ComfyUI, Flux Gym, Claude, and ChatGPT.

Adobe Photoshop logo with stylized letters 'Ps' in white on a blue square background.
Adobe Illustrator logo with the letters 'Ai' in orange on a gradient dark orange square background.
Adobe InDesign logo with white letters 'Id' on a pink rectangular background.
Adobe After Effects logo with white letters 'Ae' on a purple square background.
Adobe Acrobat logo featuring a stylized red 'A' on a white background within a red square.
Figma logo consisting of five colorful circles and rounded shapes arranged vertically in red, orange, green, blue, and purple on white background.

Creative Expertise

From illustrated social campaigns to polished B2B visuals, I work across print, digital, and web. I build cohesive brand systems and adapt them seamlessly across every platform.

Development Know-How

I design with developers in mind and bring frontend-friendly thinking to every build. I work comfortably in Webflow, WordPress, and Shopify CMS to help bring designs to life.

Awards & Certifications

Some proud moments, official kudos, and creative milestones that have leveled up my journey.

2025

Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design

2023

Raspberry Pi Essential Training

Mark Niemann-Ross

2022

Blender 3 Essential Training

David Andrade

2016

Silver Addy

Red Sage Communications, Inc.

Kind Words

Apparently, I’m not the only one who enjoys my work. Here’s what some wonderful humans have said after teaming up with me.

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...Throughout our time working together, Lauren consistently elevated every project she touched. She approaches new challenges with enthusiasm and insight, combining her creative instincts with strategic thinking to deliver designs that not only look outstanding but also drive real results.

Smiling bald man wearing glasses and a red plaid shirt standing outdoors with modern glass buildings in the background, featuring a green curved banner at the bottom left with the hashtag #OPENTOWORK.

Jin Kim

Creative Director - NZXT

White NZXT logo text centered over a purple-tinted background showing a computer setup with headphones and a PC case.
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I thank my lucky stars for finding Lauren!  She is super talented and highly versatile.  By that, I mean that she has worked on such diverse projects - from entirely redesigning our website to marketing campaign content for our customers and product user interface design. And always, always she has exceeded our expectations.

Portrait of a woman with medium skin tone, curly dark hair, wearing a black blazer and a pearl necklace, smiling gently.

Preetha Pulusani

CEO - DeepTarget

DeepTarget logo with a stylized radar target symbol on the left and the tagline engage. cross-sell. measure. on a dark background with faint network lines.