Karen Gao “Go Getter”
Karen is a designer prioritizing her strong hands on abilities, disciplined eye for detail and organizational proficiency to set her thinking apart. She designs with relevancy, honesty and substance at heart, knowing as a communication designer, she is given greater opportunities to share her voice.
01Rebranding, Interactive, WayfindingBeloved by Vacouverites and tourists alike, Aquabus brings a quirky attitude to commuting. The updated brand retains their vibrant essence while breathing modern breaths to the traveling experience along False Creek. Experience the thrilling journey by water and pick up some of the latest merchandise from their new website.
02Type pairing, layout, art directionChoosing a quieter approach for the art direction, Karen focused on rhythmic patterns to flow the English and French text, creating consistency through the spreads. In addition, she converted each sidebar into page inserts to bring greater functional layouts to the readers. Finally, the treated photography paired with hits of blue provided the necessary breaks and emphasis to the long passage.
03Branding, WayfindingThe Strathcona Park Lodge Rebranding was a labor of love for Karen. Karen visited SPL at fifteen where she experienced first hand their committed effort to improve Canada’s outdoor education industry through outdoor pursuit. With this project, she brings focus to the camp’s strong values for environmental stewardship, outdoor education growth and cooperative structures through implementations of graphic standards, wayfinding and campaigning.
04Campaign, Event, AdvertisingThe Prized Fair is the manifestation of four years worth of rigorous design education coming to an end. Each student is a prime cut of meat precisely and thoroughly bred by the Wilson School of Design to satisfy the refined palette of the industry.
