MIAD Senior Thesis

Milwaukee Transit Design Project

The Milwaukee Transit Design Project is a celebration of Milwaukee and Transit Design through Illustration. The illustrated posters, bus wrap, and payment cards celebrate transportation design history and the City of Milwaukee, while also recalling the optimism that was prevalent in illustration and design of Mid-Century America. I wanted to design a project that would bring happiness to Milwaukeeans. I was inspired by Milwaukee Transit Design, the London Underground, Mid-Century American illustration, and 20th Century British illustration and design.

Risograph Posters

These series of three posters spur riders to ride MCTS to experience the sights and wonders Milwaukee has to offer. I was inspired by posters of the London Underground as well as the bright colors of the Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Company passes. These drawings were digitally drawn then Risograph printed to achieve a vintage feel.

M-Card Concepts

These concepts for redesigns for the M-Card were inspired by vintage passes from the Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Company. I found these passes during my research, and I wanted to pull inspiration from a piece of transit design history, specifically, from Milwaukee. I chose to highlight a deer, a winter scene, City Hall, Miles (See below), Wisconsin cheese, and a 1920 Milwaukee street car.

Illustrated Map of Milwaukee & MCTS Bus Routes

This map features sights and places of Milwaukee. Inspired by the simplicity of Harry Beck’s map of the London Underground and the bright colors of Risograph printing and Mid-Century American Illustration, this map takes a playful and a more illustrative approach to the high frequency MCTS bus routes. Although this map is not accurate enough to rely on, this map is a fun way for bus riders to explore the city.

Bus Wrap Concept

I wanted to apply my illustrations to a different surface than what I am used to (clothing and print). I thought this would be a fun way to bring this project to a real world application. This concept features illustrations found throughout my project and places them on a bus, inviting riders to ride the bus throughout Milwaukee.

Meet Milford “Miles,” the Bus Driving Dog

He is inspired by mascots used frequently in Mid-Century America. He wears a bus driver’s uniform and is the hypothetical friendly face for Milwaukee Transit.

MKE Pattern

Inspired by the illustrations by Edward Bawden for the book, London A to Z, and the moquettes of the London Underground, this pattern highlights the sights of Milwaukee. This pattern, hypothetically, would be a moquette used on Milwaukee buses. I wanted to apply this pattern to products the public could purchase. This was inspired by the items sold in the shop at the London Transport Museum.

Application
Box

Socks

Pet Bandanas

Wooden Pins

Mug Design

I wanted to further develop the merchandise portion of my thesis. Originally, I was going to apply my pattern to a mug, but I wanted to make an original design to work on the curved surface. I was inspired by my Moomin mug. My favorite mug inspired me to create a design featuring the fun characters found in my pattern on an enamel mug. I communicated with Enammo, a custom enamel company based in Latvia to make my vision come to fruition.

Coasters

These coasters were created to use as a giveaway item to those attending the Thesis exhibition. I found coasters to be fitting because of Milwaukee’s brewing history!

Exhibition Space

Here is my final Thesis spot at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. It was fun to expand my illustration into a three dimensional space. I enjoyed using decals of my illustration to brighten up the space and bring my work into the real world. Planning the layout was a new experience for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.