Set a thousand years after the fall of an industrialized civilization, Kingdom of Karza is a steampunk science-fiction series of warring kingdoms, ancient powers, and a struggle for the future of Karza. I translated the series’ distinctive visual identity into a collection of merchandise designed to let fans carry a piece of the kingdom with them, from apparel to everyday accessories.

Quick Facts

  • Client: Bemai Productions
  • Industry: Film Production
  • Project Type: Merchandise Creation
  • Roles: Creative Director, Designer
  • Tools: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop
  • Skills Demonstrated: Vector Illustration, Typography, Composition,  Image Compositing, Graphic Adaptation for Screen Printing

Key Takeaways

  • Developed a signature visual identity for the franchise.
  • Determined how the identity’s visual language should behave across different applications.
  • Traditional graphic design and production workflow. No AI-assisted design tools were used.

The Challenge

To take a fictional world with a post-apocalyptic/steampunk mythology, kingdoms, characters, and visual symbolism and translate that world into a coherent visual language.

Design Process

The  represented a main plot point within the storyline of the series. So it made sense to explore a variety of iterations with it prominently featured. The color options and the typeface I chose provided the right amount of fantasy and whimsy to support the concept of royalty being the central theme in a steampunk universe.

Deliverables

  • Men’s/Women’s/Unisex Apparel Graphics
  • Messenger Bag Graphics
  • Mobile Device Cover Designs

Tools & Workflow

Design Software

  • Adobe Illustrator (vector design and production assets)
  • Adobe Photoshop (color adjustments)

Design Disciplines

  • Merchandise Design
  • Apparel Design
  • Illustration
  • Brand Extension

What I Learned

Visual storytelling takes many forms. Having access to the storyline IP of the series was helpful in creating the steampunk brand mark and signature key. It was a rare opportunity to not only establish the brand, but to also translate the symbolism into wearable and everyday products that extended the world beyond the screen.