What started as a way to better refine my Illustrator skillset, became what is currently a 7 year old wholesale and retail business. A skyline design of New York City was my inspiration to piece together what was, in my mind, the most iconic and most loved landmarks in Kansas City.
The challenge was to follow design principles while also staying true to the ‘heart’ of the city. Smaller landmarks can be just as if not more important than the buildings that makeup the skyline, and it was important to strike the harmonious aesthetic between space and balance.
Once an initial color palette was set, the brand started to come to life. As the designs grew in popularity, requests for additional cities started to pour in.
After completing Shopify tutorials, I built the website in three days to keep up with the demand and the archive of city designs. The platform hosts both e-commerce order fulfillment as well as a Wholesale portal for stores to easily place their orders.
As years passed, championship celebration designs, alternate Kansas City compositions, and special edition color palettes were created for specific target markets.
One of the most exciting custom projects was the commission from a local business in the Crossroads for a two story mural designed on the front of their building as window perforation. There were several challenges: Keep the same classic aesthetic of the Cityscape brand, add customization for a unique and robust, layered composition, work around the building elements ‘hiding’ 30% of the design, and rely on the viewer’s eye using closure to complete the picture without sacrificing crucial landmarks.
Prints and tees developed into a full line of merchandise. It was important to keep the brand aesthetic cohesive, but I focused on the key elements of the designs’ personality.
They all conveyed a fun, yet sophisticated and artistic way to bring your favorite city into your home, interact with nostalgia of your hometown, or to gift these experiences to new homeowners, newlyweds, or the biggest fan in Chiefs Kingdom.
As the business has grown, partnerships for client gifts have developed and a focus on designs engraved into wood-based products has become a staple aesthetic within the brand.