GHOSTBAT/John de Campos

I do illustration and design work that is cool and weird. It’s usually very different than most people are used to. I like that. I like subverting norms and connecting with people who appreciate weird things. I work well with others and tend to feed on other people's passions and help them execute their vision. I’ve accomplished a lot of cool things. 

My board game publishing company Terrible Games has raised over $160K on Kickstarter. I ran all those campaigns and they were all funded. The first game I ever co-designed and did art on has an average rating of 7.5 out of 10. That’s a pretty good first time out. I know how to communicate with international manufacturers but also fulfill thousands of pre-orders. I give great feedback btw and also know how to take it - I shine when working with an enthusiastic and genuinely excited team. I co-founded the Baltimore Rock Opera Society, a now 11-year-running non-profit arts organization that creates all original rock operas. I have co-written/composed & performed a bunch of original rock operas. Not a lot of people can say that. I’m the founder of Bit Gen Gamer Fest and co-founder of Grim Reefer Fest, two awesome ongoing day-long music festivals that have drawn tens of thousands to Baltimore City for live music. I’ve performed music at the Kennedy Center and with a full orchestra. Anyway, let’s get back to my visual art. 

Here are some of my most notable clients:

Exalted Funeral, +1 EXP, National Bohemian Beer, Salt Lake City Weekly, Goonda Beer Smith, 15 Four Productions, Shanklin Media, MC Chris, Chris LaMartina, Shonen Knife, The Dead Milkmen, MAGFest, 89.7 WTMD Radio, Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, FunDaMEntal Games, Best at One Games, Charm City mead works, Oliver brewing company, Baltimore Magazine. There are more, a lot of them are burgeoning metal bands.

Here are some of the things I can make/do:

  • Board game things, like all of them (boards, cards, boxes, meeple, product design, etc.)

  • Character design

  • Apparel

  • Packaging design

  • Posters

  • GM screens

  • Comics

  • Storyboarding

  • Scriptwriting

  • Ad-copy

  • Promotion materials

  • Logo design

  • Traditional media (watercolor & Canvas painting)

  • Murals

  • Manufacturing logistics

  • Project management

  • Game design

Beyond my professional life, I'm a proud father and devoted partner accompanied by a dog named Goblin and three cats: Pico, Habanero, and Taco. Cooking is a passion, and live music ranks just below playing board games with loved ones on my list of favorite things.