Emily ChristensenShiftSpace Gallery will roll out a new brand identity this fall, thanks to the efforts of graphic design student Nicklaus Lawrence.
Lawrence created the branding in his Studio Practice class last spring. In the course, students produce client-based work for university entities and nonprofit organizations.
“It was a pretty fun class,” Lawrence said. “I liked being able to work with an actual client and having restrictions.”
Courtesy of Nicklaus LawrenceLearning how to work with clients is crucial, said Jim Hellman, head of the graphic design program. Designers don’t always get the information they need in a timely manner, and sometimes it’s important to question what clients say they want.
“[Designers] are not just hired hands,” Hellman said. “They need to use their heads, too.”
Kristin Beal visited with the studio class in her capacity as gallery manager for the School of Art, Design and Creative Industries.
“When she came in to talk to use, she wanted the focus to be on the artwork, so I kept the logo very simple” Lawrence said.
ShiftSpace is an off-campus, student-run gallery funded by the WSU Student Government Association. The gallery will take up residence in Groover Labs this fall.
“ShiftSpace is all about getting real-world experience, so having a student design our branding was ideal,” said Beal. “We’re thrilled with what Nick came up with.”
Lawrence worked within Wichita State’s color palette and used Klavika, the university’s official font. But the wordmark’s all-caps type treatment and tilted “I” give the gallery its own separate identity.
Multiple students tackle each project in the studio class. Four took on the ShiftSpace branding challenge last fall, and three students did so this past spring.
Lawrence was inspired both the designer Sagi Haviv as well as Dustin Youngman and Phillip Roth, the other students who created their own designs for ShiftSpace. Talented classmates pushed him to work harder, he said.
This summer, Lawrence interned with Visual Fusion, where he designed advertising for Splurge magazine and worked on small design projects. The senior also serves as the fundraising chair for the WSU Graphic Design Guild.
Lawrence will continue to expand the gallery’s identity as a member of the ShiftSpace Student Group.
“I’m looking forward to working on the Instagram and social media branding,” he said. “I like to challenge myself to learn to media and new ways of doing design work.”