CNN Digital
CNN Multi-Platform Video System
Branding & Design
Short-Form Vertical System
Template framework for fast-turn social video across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube Shorts.
Multi-Platform Video Branding
Screen elements and reusable templates used daily by video production teams to support breaking news, explainers and editorial videos across CNN’s digital, social, streaming and in-app platforms.
Led the art direction and design of a scalable visual system for CNN’s digital platforms, built for use across marketing, social, on-air video, streaming and mobile.
Managed cross-functional design work with editorial, product, video, social, marketing and production teams.
The system was designed to keep CNN video consistent across horizontal and vertical formats, while still allowing producers to move quickly on breaking news, daily explainers and social stories.
All templates were created and maintained in After Effects, enabling 350+ video producers to create 5,000+ videos and stories on quick turnarounds globally, across English and multilingual teams (Spanish and Arabic).
CNN on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts
Vertical Video Samples:
Art direction & brand design lead: Elisa Solinas
Motion Designer: Agne Jurkenaite, Taylor Su, Patrick Gallagher
Managed cross-functional design work with editorial, product, video, social, marketing and production teams.
The system was designed to keep CNN video consistent across horizontal and vertical formats, while still allowing producers to move quickly on breaking news, daily explainers and social stories.
All templates were created and maintained in After Effects, enabling 350+ video producers to create 5,000+ videos and stories on quick turnarounds globally, across English and multilingual teams (Spanish and Arabic).
CNN on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts
Vertical Video Samples:
Art direction & brand design lead: Elisa Solinas
Motion Designer: Agne Jurkenaite, Taylor Su, Patrick Gallagher
CNN Digital
CNN Motion
Motion Branding
Motion reel of work I currently lead as Art Director for CNN Motion, alongside a multi-talented, international team of designers.
CNN’s internal motion graphics team developed an updated identity for CNN Motion to support a wide range of stories across digital platforms. We chose Poleno for the logo, with a modified “O,” as it offered the a bold and flexible vibe.
The refresh gave CNN Motion a clearer presence inside CNN Digital which has supported our work within our dept and across teams.
Visit our CNN Motion site on cnn.com
Projects listed:
00:02-00:04 Extreme Heat
00:04-00:07 Skin Whitening Creams
00:09-00:12 Nigeria: Kito
00:13-00:17 Beyond the Binary
00:18-00:20 Pelicot Case
00:21-00:23 Beyond the Binary
00:23-00:25 QAnon Letter
00:26-00:28 Air Pollution
00:29-00:31 Heartbreak and the brain
00:32-00:34 QAnon Letter
00:35-00:37 Tipping Interactive Quiz
00:38-00:40 Skin Whitening Interactive
00:40-00:41 Women are tired
00:44-00:46 Fitness Interactive Quiz
00:46-00:49 Good news generator
00:49-00:51 Russian casualties
00:52-00:54 PTSD Soldier
00:55-00:57 The Hippie Trail
00:57-00:59 Skin Whitening Creams
01:00-01:02 Chance Encounters
01:03-01:06 Rewiring the brain
CNN’s internal motion graphics team developed an updated identity for CNN Motion to support a wide range of stories across digital platforms. We chose Poleno for the logo, with a modified “O,” as it offered the a bold and flexible vibe.
The refresh gave CNN Motion a clearer presence inside CNN Digital which has supported our work within our dept and across teams.
Visit our CNN Motion site on cnn.com
Projects listed:
00:02-00:04 Extreme Heat
00:04-00:07 Skin Whitening Creams
00:09-00:12 Nigeria: Kito
00:13-00:17 Beyond the Binary
00:18-00:20 Pelicot Case
00:21-00:23 Beyond the Binary
00:23-00:25 QAnon Letter
00:26-00:28 Air Pollution
00:29-00:31 Heartbreak and the brain
00:32-00:34 QAnon Letter
00:35-00:37 Tipping Interactive Quiz
00:38-00:40 Skin Whitening Interactive
00:40-00:41 Women are tired
00:44-00:46 Fitness Interactive Quiz
00:46-00:49 Good news generator
00:49-00:51 Russian casualties
00:52-00:54 PTSD Soldier
00:55-00:57 The Hippie Trail
00:57-00:59 Skin Whitening Creams
01:00-01:02 Chance Encounters
01:03-01:06 Rewiring the brain
TED Conferences
TED Women 2019: Bold + Brilliant
Event Branding & Design
Event Guide & Printed Materials
Programs, schedules, wayfinding and on-site collateral built from a single modular system to stay consistent while adapting to different formats and use cases.
Foil stamping by Paperchase Press
Speaker & Artist Promotions
The modular visual designs extended to speaker and featured artist promotions, including printed assets and digital placements. Each piece balanced individuality with consistency, allowing speakers to stand out while clearly belonging to the TED Women identity.
Modular Identity System
The visual identity was built as a modular system rooted in a flexible gradient language. Shapes, color transitions and type could be recomposed across physical and digital touchpoints without losing cohesion. This allowed the brand to scale quickly while staying expressive.
Installation & On-Site Design
Physical applications, stage graphics, large-scale signage and environmental installations. The system was translated into dimensional space and applied across the venue to create a unified, immersive experience. *Photo credits: TED Conferences
Designing for a TED event meant thinking about scale as the visual system supporting a large, multi-day conference across physical spaces, digital platforms and motion.
I came up with the master designs for TED Women 2019 as a modular framework built around color, gradients, typography and graphic forms, so it could function in many formats without feeling repetitive.
The key visual elements and guidelines covered event signage, printed materials, digital assets and motion. The designs were produced with print and production teams, creating a unified visual experience throughout the event.
View more details about the conference here
Role: Art Direction, branding design
Team: Mike Femia, Maya Sariahmed, Sarah Lee, Mina Sabet-Bogan, Martha Estafanos
Event Photography: Marla Aufmuth, Callie Giovanna
December 4-6, 2019
Palm Springs, CA
I came up with the master designs for TED Women 2019 as a modular framework built around color, gradients, typography and graphic forms, so it could function in many formats without feeling repetitive.
The key visual elements and guidelines covered event signage, printed materials, digital assets and motion. The designs were produced with print and production teams, creating a unified visual experience throughout the event.
View more details about the conference here
Role: Art Direction, branding design
Team: Mike Femia, Maya Sariahmed, Sarah Lee, Mina Sabet-Bogan, Martha Estafanos
Event Photography: Marla Aufmuth, Callie Giovanna
December 4-6, 2019
Palm Springs, CA
CNN Digital
Mercury in skin whitening products explained
Animated Explainer
Interactive page
The visual language was extended into an interactive experience, following the same style guide created for CNN’s As Equals, allowing deeper exploration of reporting and data around skin whitening. 
Skin whitening affects many melanated communities worldwide. For this piece, we developed a decolonized and accessible visual approach to examine how skin-lightening products are used across Black and brown populations.
A monochrome palette, collaged skin textures and universal figure gestures led viewers through facts and data, while frame-by-frame animation visualized the toxic effects of mercury as particles.
As art director, my role was to guide a visual language that felt personal, tactile and respectful without reinforcing stereotypes.
This video was picked up by the World Health Organization and UN for their own educational programmes and workshops across West Africa.
Check out the CNN interactive page
Editor: Meera Senthilingam
Senior Producer: Ladan Anoushfar
Art Direction: Elisa Solinas
Design and Animation: Agne Jurkenaite, Emma Beinish, Jue Gong
Additional Animation: Patrick Gallagher, Taylor Su
Sound Design: Sofia Couciero
Awards:
2023 Emmy for Outstanding Graphic Design & Art Direction
2023 Society of Publication Designers Gold Medal
A monochrome palette, collaged skin textures and universal figure gestures led viewers through facts and data, while frame-by-frame animation visualized the toxic effects of mercury as particles.
As art director, my role was to guide a visual language that felt personal, tactile and respectful without reinforcing stereotypes.
This video was picked up by the World Health Organization and UN for their own educational programmes and workshops across West Africa.
Check out the CNN interactive page
Editor: Meera Senthilingam
Senior Producer: Ladan Anoushfar
Art Direction: Elisa Solinas
Design and Animation: Agne Jurkenaite, Emma Beinish, Jue Gong
Additional Animation: Patrick Gallagher, Taylor Su
Sound Design: Sofia Couciero
Awards:
2023 Emmy for Outstanding Graphic Design & Art Direction
2023 Society of Publication Designers Gold Medal
CNN Digital
The dangers of finding love online as a queer woman in Nigeria
Interactive Storytelling
Being a queer woman in Nigeria means constantly watching your back online for abusive individuals or gangs trying to catfish, attack, or “convert” you because of your sexuality. CNN investigates this abuse, locally known as “kito.”
More role was about helping shape the look and tone of the visuals. We used color, layout and animation to hold the tension of the story while keeping the experience emotive, clear and respectful.
Check out the full story on CNN’s interactive page
Reporters: Adie Vanessa Offiong and Ian Wafula
Commissioning Editor: Meera Senthilingam
Editor: Eliza Anyangwe
Animator: Taylor Su
Designers: David Blood & Taylor Su
Developers: David Blood and Lucas Seidenfaden
Visual Editor: David Blood
Art Director : Elisa Solinas
Audio Editor : Matt Dempsey
Photo Edito : Sarah Tilotta
Awards:
2024 Silver Lovie and People's Lovie Winner in Websites & Mobile Sites: News & Politics
More role was about helping shape the look and tone of the visuals. We used color, layout and animation to hold the tension of the story while keeping the experience emotive, clear and respectful.
Check out the full story on CNN’s interactive page
Reporters: Adie Vanessa Offiong and Ian Wafula
Commissioning Editor: Meera Senthilingam
Editor: Eliza Anyangwe
Animator: Taylor Su
Designers: David Blood & Taylor Su
Developers: David Blood and Lucas Seidenfaden
Visual Editor: David Blood
Art Director : Elisa Solinas
Audio Editor : Matt Dempsey
Photo Edito : Sarah Tilotta
Awards:
2024 Silver Lovie and People's Lovie Winner in Websites & Mobile Sites: News & Politics