Hello! My name is Karianne Blank
I'm a Vancouver-based graphic and web designer. This site is a portfolio of some of my favourite projects. Please look around! Projects are listed from newest to oldest. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch: karianne.blank@gmail.com or twitter
Front Magazine
Client: Western Front // Role: Art Director & Designer
I designed the quarterly publication from June 2009 until its closure in June 2011. Content was co-curated with the editor, Reanna Alder. Published through Western Front, Front Magazine was a fixture of Vancouver's arts and culture scene for over 26 years. During my tenure as Art Director I fully redesigned the magazine, saving over 50% of previous printing costs and garnering many reader compliments.
Western Front Brand Update
Client: Western Front // Role: Designer
I chose a more contemporary typeface and specified a new approach to using the logo, as well as brighter colours to reflect the new curatorial team's style of programming. This brought in a feeling of newness while respecting the integrity of the logo.
A New Deal Fundraiser
Client: Western Front // Role: Design and Illustration
Below, invitations for Western Front's 2010 Auction fundraiser, themed around the New Deal era.
InTheLittleHouse.com
Client: Littlehouse, Inc // Role: Design, Wordpress Setup and Custom Theme
Littlehouse Inc, a local children's toy company, wanted a new web presence to match the simplicity and honesty of their product. I delivered a clean design with easy-to-use management features. You can see it here.
Signal & Noise 2010
Client: VIVO Media Arts Centre // Role: Designer
Signal & Noise is a festival of experimental film and video. The Signal & Noise 2010 identity was applied across multiple platforms including program guide, website, email announcements, and video.
Wong Family Feast
Client: Wong Family // Role: Designer
Written by Joanna Wong, this 100-page book is a crossover between philanthropist Milton Wong's family history and the story of the Chinese community in Vancouver. Accentuated with recipes from Wong family members, the book was illustrated with archival images and family snapshots, incorporating many different types of information in each page.
Tiny Access
Client: Access Gallery // Role: Designer
Knowing that people are more likely to donate when they feel they receive a gift in return, I created inexpensive but distinctive pledge cards which turned into tiny assemble-it-yourself, to-scale models of Access's gallery. The recipient is invited to use the tiny space for their own tiny exhibitions. This piece was very popular with members and donors.
Access Gallery Branding Update
Client: Access Gallery // Role: Designer
The logo was based on a doodle by a member, which I paired with a suitable typeface and visual treatment. I created easy-to-use templates and branding guidelines so the constantly-changing volunteer roster could come in and easily produce postcards, brochures, and other materials as needed.
Email Futurism
Client: Self // Role: Writing and Design
Based on an imaginary dialogue between the founder of the Italian Futurist movement, Filippo Marinetti, and famous early Modernist typographer Jan Tschichold, this piece can function as a deadpan, Helvetica-only, grey-on-grey poster, or it can be overlaid with panels of cheesy sci-fi fonts.
The Green Side of Transit
Client: BC Transit // Role: Designer
I was the sole designer on a major ad campaign promoting the greener side of transit. This campaign went on to win an award from the Canadian Urban Transit Association and became Canada's national green transit campaign for 2007, implemented by local designers in all of Canada's urban centres.
Other information
Me me me
Linkedin // CV (pdf) // Twitter
Just casual posing with some photo theory books, no big. (Photo by Sarah Race)
Currently
Since February 2011 I've been a Marketing and Communications Coordinator in the Development and Alumni Engagement Department at UBC. I can't share that work on this website yet, but if you contact me I can show it to you in-person.
Testimonials
The chronology is as good as anything Edward Tufte would design.
-Vancouver Sun Blogs
Referring to the 4-page timeline of the history of Front Magazine which I created for the last issue.
Karianne is a brilliant designer. She was a dream to work with in my role as copy-editor of Front Magazine. Her layout and concepts were always inventive, her intentions were clear, and her style of communication was timely and to the point. She was always receptive to suggestions and ideas, and quick to respond. It was always a delight to see what new designs and layouts she'd come up with for each new issue, and I highly recommend her skills if you're after a look that's stylish, precise, and playful, just like Karianne!
-Sarah Caulfield