Silver Buffalo is a leading licensed product design and home décor company based in New York City, and this case study highlights how Harley Design Studios contributed to the creation of licensed product graphics, digital illustrations, and consumer product designs for some of the world’s most recognized entertainment brands. Known for producing officially licensed merchandise for Disney, Marvel, DC Comics, WWE, Paramount, Star Wars, Hasbro, Pokémon, and more, Silver Buffalo develops products sold through major retailers such as Target, Walmart, and Amazon. My role focused on creating original artwork and graphic design in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop while working within the structure of established brand standards, helping turn approved concepts into market-ready retail products.

The process involved collaborating with licensors, reviewing official style guides, studying character trends, and making sure every design aligned with licensing requirements while still feeling creative, fresh, and commercially strong. This experience strengthened my ability to design within strict visual systems without losing originality, a skill that is essential in licensed merchandise design and retail product graphics. Many of my approved designs were produced across mugs, water bottles, posters, towels, and other consumer goods, giving me direct experience in the full design-to-retail pipeline. Seeing my work on shelves in stores like Target and Walmart made the experience especially meaningful and reinforced my understanding of brand storytelling through merchandise, licensed character design, and the balance between creativity, compliance, and market appeal.