BY THE WAY...               







This project was about creating a visual brand for the 2022 Design Thesis Exhibition at Mason Gross School of the Arts. The goal was to capture the graduating class's desire to make a lasting impact at the university and beyond, reflecting their hopes and the limited time they had left before graduation. As a visual branding team member, I helped develop the brand to be used cohesively across various platforms (i.e. website, social media graphics, print materials, exhibition wayfinding, etc.,) ensuring a unified and connected experience.




IDEATION & CONCEPTAs the first graduating class at our school to have an in-person exhibition after the initial COVID-19 quarantine, we all felt the impact that online learning and digital platforms had on our lives. We wanted the concept to reflect how our generation communicates and stays connected. By using text messaging as a key element, we created a brand that showed both the digital and real-world sides of our experiences, making it relatable and meaningful for everyone.

As a class, we chose the thesis title "by the way..." as a nod to the acronym "btw," a common shorthand used online. It also reflects our generation, known as "digital natives."










INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT POSTER ITERATIONS








FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT POSTER ITERATION  





FINAL LOGO LOCKUP
FINAL LOGO

SAFE ZONE









COLOR PALETTE + TYPE









SYSTEM APPLICATION: DIGITAL












SYSTEM APPLICATION: DIGITAL



INITIAL STUDIES

















SYSTEM APPLICATION: EXHIBITION EMPHEMERA & SIGNAGE
To maintain the identity's connection to texting, we asked everyone to select imagery representing their thesis project and created custom emojis for each person.


















CREDITS
Art Direction: McKenna Klein, Sebastian Lijo
Identity Design: Yogini Borgaonkar, Merna Ahmed, Isabella Velasco, Natalie Zurek
Exhibition Design (Display): Kirsten Maiwaldt, Jaylen Ross, Katelyn Moro, Jeff Sorge
Exhibition Design (Emphemera & Signage): Marta Lystvak, Mila Cloidt, Josie Turner
Website (Development): Michael Berliner, Wendy Kim, Rohini Chatterjee
Website (Content): Kermina Tadros, Ayoub Elannani
Social Media Graphics: Lauren Cuzzola, Hana Iqbal

ISABELLA VELASCO — 2025