Zenith
The Zenith Project is the final project Seniors at Freestyle are assigned. Unlike other projects, Zenith gives almost complete creative freedom for students to brainstorm, design, and follow through on a project they are truly passionate about. This always is an amazing opportunity for students to grow as creators while also having the support and resources from Freestyle’s community and teachers to help along the way.
When it came time to design and create our Zenith projects I knew I wanted to create something that was able to tell people’s stories. Growing up as Gen 1, I have always been told the story of my parents and how they ended up living in California. They taught me about where I came from and how California has helped both their families build a better life in a place where everyone is accepted and loved. I used this as the basis for my research paper that covered the story of small businesses run by immigrants and how they slowly have been bought out by larger companies. Although I enjoyed learning about the business owners and how their companies began, I enjoyed hearing the story of how they got to California even more. This made it clear to me that I should focus my Zenith on telling stories and documenting how unique California is.
Other aspect I knew I wanted to incorporate in my Zenith was photography as well as graphic design. As I began brainstorming I decided I would challenge myself by photographing not just California but as many heart shaped things I could find around California. This ranged from rocks on the beach, my teachers necklace, even a snowball heart my friend created. The more I photographed the more I realized I could find this shape everywhere I went and that it was a good metaphor for the love people have for their state. Mixed in with the interviews and photos I collected I really wanted to improve and use my graphic design and marketing skills as well. That is why I decided to create a book, brand, as well as a consumer products in my final project. I was able to collaborate and collect interviews sharing 5 stories from people moving from all over the world to California. Although challenging to find people willing to share so much of their lives I was happy with my end result.
Zenith Process
The photos in the gallery below show the process of logos, graphic design elements, and photos throughout my Zenith production. As I worked on these elements together you can see how my style and look for my final project evolved. I had multiple drafts of my graphic design elements as well as my logo and fonts.
Final Product: Golden State Stories
Linked above is the final instagram account I have created for Golden State Stories. Currently showcasing my favorite photos and elements from my book, I hope to continue expanding this brand to show more stories and interviews of people who have found a home in the golden state.
Redbubble Store
Linked above is also the Redbubble store I designed for the brand. You can find both old versions and new versions of stickers, phone cases, and other merchandise to purchase all based on the book and brand of the project.