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selected works of sh a i ly sh a h >> >>
Selected works of Shaily Shah Copyright © 2015 Shaily Shah Written and designed by Shaily Shah All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written consent of Shaily Shah. All respective work shown has been appropriately identified and credited. Any omissions found will be noted and corrected in subsequent editions. website/ shailyshah.com email / hello@shailyshah.com phone / 415.859.8333
highlight / Our minds have the perceptual quality by which an observable thing stands out relative to its environment if deemed important. We highlight this object and permanently embed it within our memories for future references. As a citizen of design, I employ design theories to apply such highlights to things of intrigue and fascination, with the hope of making this world a bit more memorable for everyone.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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project / Safe Catch >>
class / Visual Thinking >>
instructor / David Hake >>
year / Summer 2013
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Instead of providing generic information to an already informed audience, the Safe Catch campaign makes it easier for people to buy ocean-friendly seafood.
SAFE CATCH
growing problem of overfishing through design in a way that would pique peoples’ interest in this environmental issue without adding social pressure. If equipped correctly, an informed consumer can make a choice that helps alleviate the problem on both local and global scale.
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objective / This project intends to address the ever-
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strategy / Catching too much fish without stringent regulations leads to an overall degradation of the global ecosystem, making overfishing a nonsustainable use of the oceans. In this project, I took relatable comparisons and posed the problem as interesting trivia. Thus making the consumer stay intrigued without being reproachful. This was achieved through the diligent use of BTL media like brochures, booklets, calendar cards, labels, POS materials, etc. The concept was to introduce the ‘Safe Catch’ label in the market and help people buy ocean-friendly seafood. Some of the key results that the campaign focused to achieve were — to help consumers and businesses make the right choices for healthy oceans and to create local supply and demand for environmentally-sustainable seafood products.
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project / Peter Greenaway Film Festival >>
class / Integrated Communications >>
instructor / Christopher Morlan >>
year / Spring 2014
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‘Life, Death and Sex in Between’ is a film festival that celebrates Peter Greenaway by exploring provocative eroticism, sexual pleasure and deaths that are prominent in his films.
FILM FESTIVAL
Peter Greenaway, find an underlying theme in each of his films and create materials for a film festival that carried a cohesive design language. My objective was to create complex set of materials that would function together as a whole — from retail environments
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and product lines to brands and books. I was tasked to marry multiple messages with divergent formats — all with a unified approach and holistic aesthetic. strategy / Considered an avant-gardist with a wide access to mainstream cinema, Peter Greenaway’s unique visual language reveals a strong influence by his training as a painter, structural linguist and philosopher. The challenge was to create a rich dramatic experience that matches the stark bold images in the films of Greenaway. The images are influenced by Renaissance painting, its architecture and juxtaposition to nature exploring the limits of provocative eroticism, sexual pleasure and death. I decided to use white cotton, black leather and red velvet to drive across the textures of life, death and sex that were so prominent in all his films. The bold use of colors along with the images made the visual experience very extravagant and grandiose. The festival was designed to speak to the audience — art aficionados, film buffs and Greenaway’s fans who would gather to celebrate his works as a director, painter and writer.
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A Peter Greenaway Film Festival
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day 02 2.00pm – 4.00pm: The Belly of an Architect 4.00pm – 6.00pm: Exhibition of the drawings and paintings of Greenaway. 6.00pm – 8.00pm: Drowning by Numbers
day 01 2.00pm – 3.00pm: Greeting guests with a short musical opera as an ode to the rich music notably found in Greenaway’s films. This will be followed by a friendly introduction to some of his work over complimentary refreshments and drinks. 3.00pm – 5.00pm: The Pillow Book 6.00pm – 8.00pm: The Draughtsman’s Contract
day 03 3.00pm – 5.00pm: The Cook, the Thief, his Wife and her Lover 5.00pm – 6.30pm: A rich visual experience garnished with the reinterpretation of Leonardo’s famous painting, ‘The Last Supper’. 6.30pm – 9.30pm: A special gathering to discuss the director’s work, exchange ideas over playful banter and enjoy the evening over hors d’oeuvres and artful concoctions.
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sight free bliss
project / Blind Book >>
class / Experimental Typography >>
instructor / Stan Zienka >>
year / Spring 2014
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Through type, this book illustrates my blind journey through pockets of a neighborhood, while I relied solely on my senses of smell, sound, touch and a whole lot of faith and intuition.
BLIND BOOK undertaking of extensive research, writing, image gathering and of course, design. The main source of research material was my own environment. I was to mentally and physically record things that I saw, heard, touched and smelt as I went about my daily
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objective / The blind book is a result of a large
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routine. These recordings were then to be the fuel for my writing and designing of a visual book that typographically told my story. strategy / It’s a regular ritual of mine to pick a locale from a stack and set out to make microculture maps of this quirky city which is slowly becoming my home. For this project, I set out to document one such journey through a neighbourhood, but this time with my eyes closed! I decided to blindfold myself and take a sightless tour of one of San Francisco’s coziest neighbourhoods — Bernal Heights. I had walked a block with my eyes closed once before and the experience was a memory that was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. This book tells my story, what I ‘see’ with my ears, nose, skin; and my inner musings as I try to make sense of what’s around me.
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sight free bliss
And today I decided I am going to stay blind for a little longer.
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s pa c e b e y o n d w o r d s
project / Borders Rebrand >>
class / Nature of Identity >>
instructor / Hunter Wimmer >>
year / Fall 2014
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Information and learning are like two peas in a pod. Through a reformatory rebrand, Borders transformed itself from being just a warehouse of information to a space that goes beyond the written word.
BORDERS REBRAND
the essence of the Borders brand and distill it. The objective then was to catapult the brand into an entirely new category while remaining true to its core essence. strategy / Borders was a publicly held bookchain that
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objective / This rebranding project aimed to identify
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revolved around forming a community of people and providing them with knowledge and entertainment. After conducting an extensive research on bookstores around the world and how this business looks like in the tech-driven future, I came up with a new plan for Borders based on their core objective. Instead of just being a bookstore, the new Borders would aim to be a brand that fosters a communal feeling and connects people through a shared learning experience. It would be a place for a young audience to gain knowledge from other people in their own community. The new mark for Borders is a combination of an owl and the infinity symbol conveying knowledge, wisdom and connection. In the infinity symbol, the circles sit side by side, implying equality between opposing forces, while converging at a single point. The sign epitomizes the idea of “Two becoming one” and it stands for wholeness and completion. The mark makes a simple and bold graphic statement that can be adopted on different platforms.
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minimum size: 30mm / 80 px / 1inch
minimum size: 12mm / 32 px / 0.5 inch
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THE EXPERTS
THE DOERS
THE MARVELS
THE VISTA
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w i l d h e a r ts b e at
project / Wedding Card Design >>
team member / Rahul Sawant >>
year / Fall 2014
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Using various printing techniques, I was able to create beautiful wedding invites that were a balanced combination of simplicity and sophistication.
WEDDING CARD DESIGN
me to design my own wedding card. And with over six hundred guests on the list, the pressure was pretty high. We wanted to maintain the traditional Indian design aesthetics while adding a touch of the modern to the cards. We created illustrative patterns based on
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our personalities, muses and quirks that accompanied elegant typography. We used a combination of letterpress and foil-stamping for printing the card and laser-cutting to create the outer sleeves with pinpoint precision. The result was a wedding invite that was a cut above the expected and left people in genuine excitement for the upcoming wedding.
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project / Merrell Packaging >>
class / Package Design 2 >>
instructor / Michael Osborne >>
year / Fall 2014
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A brand-new packaging was created to launch Merrell’s campaign for its summer range of products by compounding aerial topographic imagery with contrasting diagonals and superimposed textures.
MERRELL IN-STORE PACKAGING
campaign for Merrell and to design a system while exploring a wide range of three-dimensional packaging possibilities. We were to draft a marketing brief, conduct research to develop designs that visually reinforced the brand and to create packaging with a
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objective / The aim was to create an in-store packaging
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strategic design perspective on brand development. strategy / Merrell embraces the amazing diversity and unique sense of adventure that California offers at every turn. This in-store packaging system was designed to launch their new campaign for the summer, encouraging people to go camping, hiking and exploring the great outdoors with Merrell’s new product range. With a revolutionary shoebox and ingenious packaging, the summer collection was sure to spark enthusiasm that propels and prepares the customers for their adventurous journeys. The design language used images of aerial photography, topographic maps & satellite photographs with deep contrasts, scaling diagonals and superimposed textures to reinforce the thrill of adventure while keeping the original feeling of the Merrell brand intact. We were able to engineer true product innovation that was backed by multidimensional design strategy.
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cross over lines
project / Sacred Space >>
class / Sacred Geometry >>
instructor / Mark Reynolds >>
year / Fall 2014
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These constructions represent the definition of my sacred space. The lines and arcs align with the planes of the earth, sun, moon and the stars to construct cosmic balance.
SACRED SPACE
exploration into how the principles of sacred geometry affect the circle, sphere and wheel, as well as touch the celestial bodies and the universe. We started defining what space was most sacred to us — be it physical or emotional. And based on this definition, we were able
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objective / This project aspired to be a visual
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to reflect our interpretation of “sacred” upon these art pieces using geometric constructs. strategy / Knowledge comes from many external sources through everyday life but wisdom & true knowledge comes from within oneself. Based on this belief, I chose to create geometric designs on three auspicious symbols described in Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism—Purnakalasha, Swastika and Minyugala. Purnakalasha is a symbol of abundance and the source of life. I created this icon taking the concept of earth moon and circling the square to drive this idea of life and divinity, using the pitcher as earth and the lotus as moon. The Swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles. Minyugala is a symbol that depicts the flow of divine life in the cosmic ocean, and consists of two fishes, which usually appear vertically parallel and turned towards each other. I created this piece using vesica piscis as the base of my creation.
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light bright futures
project / GE Annual Report >>
class / Type Systems >>
instructor / Tim Carpentar >>
year / Fall 2013
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The GE report broke the traditionally drab format of data presentation and strove to strike a one-on-one conversation using seamless visual language and making information fun & interesting.
GE ANNUAL REPORT
General Electric brand, the objective was to recognize the design of typographic elements as a primary core of graphic design, and to explore the issues of content as they apply to current graphic design arenas that range from traditional print into new-media applications. strategy / With a simple yet futuristic content design,
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objective / While redesigning the annual report of the
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the GE annual report spoke to current shareholders and investors with the goal of attracting a younger audience for future investment opportunities at the company. The layout showcased illustrated designs of technology developed by the brilliant GE engineers. The typography throughout the book is clean and minimal, and provided the reader with a good visual hierarchy of content. The digital version of the report used videos, touch-functionality, animation of graphics and imagery to add interactivity and start an immersive conversation with its current and future shareholders.
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project / Music Poster >>
class / Experimental Typography >>
instructor / Stan Zienka >>
year / Spring 2014
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Different techniques were used to distort light, color and type to create a chaotic experience that bared the soul of my song.
GIVE ME MORE
a rationale for interpreting a piece of music through typography, imagery and layout. After choosing the music track, we wrote down, gathered and researched every idea, emotion, metaphor and visual that we associated with the song. We then used projectors
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to compose different pieces onto various surfaces to create more dimensional design solutions. strategy / I chose to work with the “Give me more” soundtrack by Fever Ray for this project. My personal interpretation of this song was — ‘As humans, we are always desiring, craving for something more. In that state, we lose our kindness, and become harsh and unfriendly. Our selfishness permeates all our senses and we forget to see the bigger priorities of life. We are crushed by it as it fills us up, satisfies us in a way that makes us neither want nor need anything or anyone else.’ I used beautiful italic type-lockups and paired them with singular bold words to create interesting fusions of forms. Techniques like distortion of light, folding, rough textures and graphics were used to create a chaotic visual experience that conveyed the meaning of the song in a very typographical manner.
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stick shift media
agency / Flying Cursor Interactive >>
job title / Senior Designer >>
year / 2010 - 2012
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Working as a designer in a tightknit agency helped refine my visual aesthetics and develop a sense for finding pragmatic design solutions.
FLYING CURSOR INTERACTIVE
in Mumbai which was my work home for over two years. We helped brands in creating conversations that were not just relevant, but interesting, inspiring and rewarding. Working in a small design studio, I got a chance to work hand in hand and learn from
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description / Flying Cursor is a digital design agency
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a very experienced team of copywriters, developers and designers. I was able to establish an understanding of how to manage content, conduct extensive research, distill information and create meaningful design that spoke to the audience. disclaimer / The creative copyright of all the work showcased in this chapter belongs to Flying Cursor Interactive and was a collaborative effort of the team that I was a part of.
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MATSYA CRAFTS
company was a big challenge. The website was designed to show all the things that matsya stands for; their earthy and organic products, rural artisans, traditional Indian craft & culture, the services they offer and much more.
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description / Doing justice to this small but growing
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Streamlining all these aspects, we created different motifs and icons which were a blend of all Indian art forms. Every page was designed differently using illustrations, copy and photographs to tell a story. client / Matsya Crafts deliverables / Website, Promotional materials link / www.matsyacrafts.com
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MOKSH ZIP
version of Moksh, the fitness centre. Using a dark background made the slab serif typeface and the images look vibrant, while the logo colors — bright green and pink, became the eye candy of the website. Being content-heavy, all the information on the site has
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description / Website design for Moksh Zip, the prêt
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been laid out with easy navigation and sections for the visitors and potential members. client / Pritish Nandy Communications deliverables / Website
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CHILDRENS FILM SOCIETY INDIA
site with a different content flow while keeping the wide global audience in mind. The website was designed using minimal elements and child-like illustrations to stay away from the overly amateur look of the previous website.
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description / Our goal was to redesign an existing
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ICFFI is one of the largest and most colorful children’s film festivals in the world. More than a hundred thousand children travel from little villages and towns from across India to view high quality international children’s cinema that they would never be exposed to otherwise. The design of the microsite was colorful yet simple and made it possible for the client to showcase schedules and information without adding clutter. client / CFSI India deliverables / Website, Microsite, Print collaterals link / www.cfsindia.org
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look skin deep
project / Master’s Thesis >>
class / Directed Study >>
instructor / Hunter Wimmer >>
year / Spring 2015
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This thesis project is a culmination of one and a half year of extensive research, design thinking and problem solving on a topic addressing the beauty standards in modern Asia.
MASTER’S THESIS
certain beauty norms. In India, fair skin was always considered high status & beautiful. Whereas people with dark dusky skin were looked down upon as ugly or of lower class. I have dark tan skin and I often had
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why this topic? / I grew up in a society surrounded by
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people suggesting different fairness creams for my face. They made it seem that it would much harder for me to find the right life-partner or a good job because of the color of my skin. Hence through my thesis, it is my goal to get young Asian women to appreciate their unique features instead of being slaves of the societal standards of beauty. strategy / The standard of beauty is changing the face of eastern Asia. Literally. The Western idea of what is beautiful has infiltrated Asian culture and influenced how we Asian women view ourselves, making us feel unworthy, unlovable and ugly. Photomanipulations, make-up, and plastic surgeries have created hyper beauty images that no one, not even the models themselves, can live up to in real life. As a result, too many Asian women are starting to look alike.
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defining an audience  / The traits and strengths attributed to these archetypes serve as a general description of the overall personas. These cards tell a story of an archetype which helps in personifying an idea without making it personal. Instead of giving them individual names, I have given the archetypes different handles that were derived from their traits. The attributes given to them helped me in identifying a few people around me who could fit the same description.
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SOCIETY & MEDIA BOMBARDMENT
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100%YOU IS A PROJECT THAT AIMS ON GETTING YOUNG ASIAN WOMEN TO APPRECIATE THEIR UNIQUE AND NATURAL SELVES INSTEAD OF ADHERING TO UNREALISTIC BEAUTY STANDARDS SET BY THE SOCIETY.
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conducting an event  / For the 100%You event, we invited young Asian females from China, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand and Japan to participate and celebrate their unique beauty. The event gave them a chance to see beauty through a different lens by taking part in a photo-session. It was a place for young women to get their voice heard and show what makes them beautiful and one-of-a-kind. These natural portraits were then compared with photo-manipulated ones, showing these women the results of extreme surgery and getting them to appreciate the unique imperfections of natural human features.
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Faithful friends & family, Mom & Dad, Aai & Baba, Rahul Sawant, Rajvi Shah, Riddhi Sawant, Stephanie Fernandes, Geo Monjes, Tim Murakami, Ziv Tsau, Fanny Yu, Ying Wang, Pear Weerawong, Huilin Miao, Eri Takatsuka, Jolin Tsai, Vivi Hsu, Vanessa Lin, Hanisha Amin, Dudley Duberry, Tim O’Connell, Raji Punjabi, Elizabeth Hemingway, Andy Wu Incredible instructors, Phil Hamlett, Hunter Wimmer, Mary Scott, David Hake, Stan Zienka, Tim Carpentar, Jeremy Stout, Carolina de Bartolo The coolest Flying Cursor team, Parag Gandhi, Shamika Khanolkar, Tejas Hingu, Shahul Hameed, Shruti Ganu, Tanaya Kaji, Evans Rebello
THANK YOU NOTE To you, the special people in my life, Thank you, thank you and thank you! You have given me constant love, support and votes of confidence everytime I needed them. It would have been nothing short of impossible for me to have made it this far without you. You have been my muses, compasses, anchors, napkins and safety-nets. I always knew how busy you guys were, and pages would not contain the deep gratitude that I have for every single one of you for helping me out. Forever grateful, Shaily
Selected works of Shaily Shah
book title/ Highlight website/ shailyshah.com email / hello@shailyshah.com phone / 415.859.8333 school / Academy of Art University, San Francisco course/ MFA Graphic Design department director / Phil Hamlett department chair / Mary Scott typefaces / Mercury, Campton Bold photography/ Kamin Jaroensuk kaminphotography.com paper / Mohawk white 100# text printer / Graphic Imagery, South San Francisco bindery / The Key Printing & Binding, Oakland