emily simpkin
Visual Communication Designer based in Pōneke Wellington.
I am passionate about using design to make information accessible to educate and inform about issues that matter to me.
Mapping the London underground
My concept is an overview structure moving from past to present focusing on the influence and importance of the map, and how it provides a clear way to communicate complex information. I used the design principles of the original map to inform my visual narrative using data visualisations, legible and meticulous typesetting, 45 and 90-degree angles, as well as circle and line graphics.
Ripple
Ripple is an applied educational deck-building card game that educates children aged 12–14 about phytoplankton, its important roles on our planet, and how climate change is affecting these roles. Ripple is a game-based science communication resource specific to Aotearoa, featuring local marine life and te reo. This project confirmed my interest in designing for living-world science education and distilling large amounts of information into a structured system for easy education.
I also developed class resources for teachers and students to provide context for where my game could be seen. The teacher resource is a walk through of a hypothetical lesson plan following a card arrangement task similar to my game structure. The kids resource is a workbook designed to deepen the kids understanding and stimulate curiosity about topics surrounding phytoplankton, the ocean and climate change.
Takahē:
Back from the dead
Takahē: Back from the Dead is three information design posters about the Takahē, why they're endangered, and what is being done to save them from extinction. IIID Award Winner and Universal Design Award Winner.
Takahē in trouble
Takahē In Trouble is a children's card game themed around the threats the Takahē face in the wild and what can be done to help them. Based on Happy Little Dinosaurs by Unstable Games. IIID Award Winner and Universal Design Award Winner. It is targeted at children ages 8+.
Zing
Zing is a chocolate bar brand infused with local New Zealand coffee to give you that extra kick when you need it.Zing is a coffee chocolate brand that is unique, original, and local. It supports fair trade and organic production. Zing values revitalisation and provenance. Considering current macro trends, Zing was created for the young professionals and on the go people looking for a pick me up. It is specific to New Zealand, using local coffee brands and incorporating the social trends of socialising at a cafe.
Blue Green
This project had a business centred objective, where the client needed a brand identity that showed their credibility and position as a specialist in their field. The brief was to find a solution that communicated professionalism as opposed to personality in order to succeed in gaining trust and authority in her field. It needed to be a solution which also communicated the meeting of 'nature and build', and refers to the essence of their practice as an ecologist. Using vibrant blues and greens, I combined simple line graphics with deep gradients. The lines are a combination of solid squares and organic rounded forms. Together these elements also communicate that the client is secure and authoritative, yet can also be adaptive to their surroundings. It shows their strength in navigating solutions, listening and responding.
Freelance Project.
