NASA Morale Patches — Christina Bueno

NASA Morale Patches is an ongoing annual series created for the Chief Health and Medical Officer at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Each patch is designed for the Operational Update Conference and serves as a commemorative keepsake for NASA leadership and medical personnel. Every year's design responds to a unique conference theme while maintaining a consistent visual identity across the series. The challenge was to balance meaningful mission references, storytelling, and symbolism within the constraints of embroidered patch production, creating designs that are both functional and collectible.

Design Process for OH OPERATIONAL UPDATE 2022 Patch

Each patch begins with understanding the conference theme, location, and the story the client wants to tell that year. From there, I research visual references, develop concept sketches, and refine the strongest direction through multiple rounds of client feedback. The final artwork is illustrated using Procreate, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop, balancing symbolic storytelling with the technical requirements of embroidered patch production.

Once the design is approved, I prepare the artwork as a production-ready vector file for the manufacturer. The embroidery team translates the artwork into a digitized stitch file, providing proofs that include stitch direction, thread colors, dimensions, and finish options. I carefully review each proof to ensure the artwork translates accurately from digital illustration to embroidery, making refinements as needed before final production. This collaborative process ensures each patch maintains both its visual impact and manufacturing quality while preserving the integrity of the original design.

From Concept to Production

Using Procreate to Design the 2022 Patch

SECOND Magazine

FREEDOM+