THIS PROJECT IS CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED
This project is actively being built and will continue to grow with research, visuals, and real-world collaboration.
I didn’t grow up around lowriders or custom builds, and I definitely don’t know how to rebuild an engine—but I do understand what it means to create something that feels like you. This project started as pure curiosity after stumbling into a world that felt completely unfamiliar but oddly aligned with how I think about design, identity, and expression. The more I looked into it, the more I realized this isn’t just about cars—it’s about time, intention, and building something that actually means something.
As a designer, I’m used to working digitally—clean files, grids, undo buttons. This project pushes me out of that and into something more physical, imperfect, and real. I’m approaching it as an outsider on purpose: observing, learning, asking questions, and trying not to pretend I know more than I do (because I don’t). If anything, this is me figuring it out in real time—and hopefully turning that process into something visually strong, thoughtful, and worth looking at.
Full Case Study Available 2027
Last Updated: April 2026
Hero Image Needed
Outsider Looking In
Exploring Kustom Culture Through Craft, Community, and Identity
Full Case Study Available 2027
Built. Not Bought. Observed. Reimagined.
A cultural design project exploring kustom car craftsmanship through an outsider’s perspective—bridging hands-on creation, identity, and community with editorial storytelling and merchandise design.
Project Snapshot
“Outsider Looking In” is a multidisciplinary design project that explores kustom car culture through an observational and creative lens. Rooted in storytelling, this project blends editorial design, merchandise development, and cultural research to translate a hands-on, community-driven craft into a visual and digital experience.
Through this work, I aim to document and interpret a space I am not originally part of, highlighting the values of individuality, craftsmanship, and identity while bridging the gap between physical creation and digital storytelling.
Role: Editorial Design, Merchandise Design, Cultural Research, Brand Exploration
Timeline: Ongoing Project | 6–12 Months
Tools: Figma, Illustrator, Canva, Procreate
Type: Editorial Design, Cultural Study, Merchandise, Brand Identity, UX & Product Design
“Outsider Looking In” is an ongoing design project exploring kustom car culture through an outsider’s perspective. Through research, interviews, and visual documentation, the project translates craftsmanship, identity, and community into editorial storytelling and merchandise design. The goal is to capture and reinterpret a hands-on creative space while bridging physical craft with digital and brand expression.
Image Needed
About Me
I’m T.M. Cruz, a multidisciplinary designer working across social media, branding, UX, and visual storytelling. My work focuses on translating ideas, communities, and experiences into intentional design systems that feel both human and visually compelling.
Through my platform, Sur de Muerte, I explore darker, grunge-inspired aesthetics while pushing into new creative territories that challenge my perspective as a designer. I’m particularly interested in how design exists outside of traditional digital spaces, within culture, identity, and the things people build with their hands.
I am currently preparing to relocate to Northern California in late 2026, where I plan to continue expanding my work across creative communities, design, and storytelling.
Why I Chose This Project
This project began with curiosity. Coming from a design background rooted in digital and visual work, I wanted to step outside of my comfort zone and explore a space defined by physical craftsmanship and community.
Kustom car culture represents more than aesthetics—it reflects time, effort, identity, and pride in creation. As someone who values storytelling and intentional design, I was drawn to the parallels between building a car and building a brand: both are deeply personal and rooted in expression.
This project allows me to observe, learn, and reinterpret a culture that is unfamiliar to me, while respecting its authenticity and translating it through my own creative lens.
Connection to My Master’s Program (MBA – Digital Marketing)
“Outsider Looking In” directly supports my development within a Digital Marketing MBA by exploring how culture, identity, and community influence brand storytelling and audience engagement.
Through this project, I am analyzing how niche communities build organic loyalty, how visual identity emerges without formal structure, and how storytelling can be translated across physical and digital platforms.
This work bridges creative design with strategic thinking by examining:
Community-driven branding and authenticity
Audience connection through storytelling
The translation of physical craft into digital content and campaigns
Opportunities for social media, merchandise, and brand expansion
These insights will inform my approach to digital marketing by grounding strategy in real-world culture rather than purely theoretical frameworks.
Potential Collaborators / Featured Communities
This project may include observational research, interviews, and visual inspiration from individuals and groups within the kustom car and craftsmanship space.
Featured Individual(s):
NP (@__________)
Clubs / Communities:
DK
Instagram: @__________
Website: __________
DSS
Instagram: @__________
Website: __________
Additional Contributors (if applicable):
Name / Handle: __________
Platform: __________
Image Needed
Image Needed
Image Needed
My Hopes for This Exploration Project
I’m going into this project knowing I don’t fully understand this world yet—and that’s kind of the point. I want to take my time observing, asking questions, and learning from people who are actually in it, instead of assuming anything from the outside.
My goal is to create something that feels real, visually strong, and respectful to the culture I’m stepping into. I’m not trying to define it—I’m trying to understand it, and translate that experience through my own lens as a designer.
If anything, I hope this project pushes me out of my comfort zone, helps me grow creatively, and opens the door to new ways of thinking about design, community, and storytelling.
Project Direction
This project will result in:
A full editorial spread (8–10 pages)
A merchandise capsule inspired by kustom culture
A Sur de Muerte blog feature
A portfolio-ready case study
Image Needed