Kayla Williams

[ Labour Rights, Strikes, and the Enduring Fight ] one of my second-year works, won a gold pin in the 2025 Best Awards \ Student Graphics last week, and I’m absolutely stoked! \\ Labour Rights is a printed publication that explores the history of labour movements in Aotearoa New Zealand. It offers a non-exhaustive retelling of key moments in the country’s industrial and union history, a collective memory of work, resistance, and solidarity. From the early 19th century to the present day, this publication reflects on how strikes, union action and organised labour have shaped not only working conditions, but the broader social and economic fabric of our nation. \\ Set in both Silva Text by @blackletra and Roboto by Christian Robertson. The screen-printed cover and front matter are printed on @colorplan_papers New Blue and Baghdad Brown, the colours referencing their own histories in working culture. \\ Photography by myself @autartanddesign #graphicdesign #publicationdesign #bookdesigner #bestawards2025 #autartanddesign #screenprinted #bookbinding #editorial #goldpin

[ Tools for Type ] one of my third-year works also won a gold pin in the Best Awards 2025 \ Student Graphics category last week… the one that caught me by surprise on stage! \\ Tools for Type explores the creative tension between experimental typography and the restrictive effects of perfectionism. The publication responds to a common challenge faced by many designers: the paralysis that arises from striving for flawless work before even beginning. The project was an opportunity to rethink this mindset by embracing imperfection, failure, and process as essential and valuable parts of creative practice. \\ Printed on a variety of collected papers including Fabriano 90gsm @gordonharrisartsupplies and 70gsm @the_drawing_room_christchurch using both digital and Risograph printing. \\ Photographed by myself @autartanddesign #graphicdesign #bookdesign #bestawards2025 #goldpin #editorial #archival #experimentaltypography #analoguemaking #paper #autartanddesign

Pretty lost for words!! one of my first year projects — waha o Tāne — won Bronze at the Best Awards last night!!! All I have to say is the biggest thank you to @caroline.powley and @hajian_george — would not have been possible without all of your help and guidance!! [Swipe to see my work on display at AUT earlier this year + some of my process for this project] #bestawards #bronze #communicationdesign #graphicdesign #publicationdesign #publication #autartanddesign

Some serious buziness here… After a few draft versions I finally got round to making my first round of business cards (the next round could definitely do with some crafting refinement but still pretty stoked with how they came out). Next up — finish my website!! [screen-printed with @permaset_aqua s/c ultra blue] #businesscards #personalbranding #selfpromo #designidentity #communicationdesign #graphicdesign #permasetaqua #ultramarine

Gimlet Display: An exploration of heritage and memory (2023) A type specimen booklet made in my first semester as part of our learning layout conventions and InDesign. We were tasked with choosing a typeface that reflects our Pepeha. I chose Gimlet Display by @djrrb as it resembles elements I found in various family documents and photographs with its balance of both classical and contemporary characteristics. #typespecimen #typespecimenbooks #publication #publicationdesignlayout #type #typeface #gimletdisplay #djrfoundry #pepeha #communicationdesign #graphicdesign #graphicdesigner #heritage #layoutdesign #indesign

MPAs Campaign (2023) MPAs, short for Marine Protected Areas, is an oceanic awareness campaign for The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, that I made for my core studio paper. After observing a lack of relationship between issues facing the marine environment and people, represented in oceanic awareness campaigns, I decided to bring the two together in terms recognisable in our socio-economic environment. This led me to creating an election-like campaign, relevant and relatable to our given target audience - Gen Z. #oceanawareness #oceancampaign #awarenesscampaign #marineconservation #marineprotectedarea #haurakigulf #haurakigulfmarinepark #graphicdesign #graphicdesigner #autartanddesign #communicationdesign

The Hidden Agenda (2023) A short photographic narrative that was the product of my first semester taking the Photographic Practices minor. In response to exploring where I am and what stories I can tell in a chosen photographic genre. I chose to form a documentative narrative that visually extends research I completed as part of my capstone project, at the end of my BSc degree in 2021. Which follows the effects and dynamics of urban redevelopment in Roskill South, Auckland. This is a small and by no means complete representation of this altered landscape. But is the beginning of something I’m in the process of developing further bringing a wider selection of photographs alongside my research together in a publication. #publication #publicationdesign #communicationdesign #communicationdesigner #autcommunicationdesign #urbanphotography #urbandevelopment #photographicnarrative #documentaryphotgraphy #photobook #kaingaora #graphicdesign #graphicdesigner #autartanddesign

Waha o Tāne (2023) A black and white, multi-section publication for In-Print Publication Practices. e koekoe te tūī, e ketekete te kākā, e kūkū te kererū. the tūī chatters, the kākā cackles, the kererū coos. In response to this whakataukī, the publication brings together te tangi a te manu, birdsong, of six birds native to Aotearoa. From land and sea, north and south, together they form waha o Tāne, a birdsong chorus. Each section explores a different typographic focus: form, pattern, image, expression, long form & rhythm. Supplemented with QR code audio files of each bird’s song, concluding with waha o Tāne, a birdsong chorus, inside the back cover. Typeface: ITC Galliard by Matthew Carter Internal fold art_ floral cyanotype, pen & gestural ink drawings. Front & back cover screen printed with @permaset_aqua supercover white. Inside back cover multi-layered screen print with @permaset_aqua custom grey, standard white, and CCG aquasheen black. Paperstock_ @gordonharrisartsupplies [Covers] Colourfield 250gsm Jet Black [01] Colourscope 135gsm Pale Grey [02] Colourfield 100gsm Kraft [03] Transparency ~120gsm [04] tbc [05] Colourscope 135gsm Mist [06] tbc #publication #publicationdesign #multisectionbinding #communicationdesign #communicationdesigner #autcommunicationdesign #birds #birdsong

One square metre___ I really enjoyed this technical, it pushed me to work with what I had [landscape and equipment]. To try and see things in ways other than how I might typically approach photographing an environment. #onesquaremeter #graphicdesign #graphicdesigner #communicationdesign #typeface_menodisplay #typeface_chakrapetch #square #blackandwhitephoto

One square metre____ A little in-class activity for my photography minor > make a photo book in LrC with photos from a restrictive technical activity [pick a spot, demarcate_roughly_a square metre around you and take photos of your surroundings]. *Don’t mind the photo quality…they were taken on my phone :) #streetphotography #blackandwhitephotography #bwphotography #popofcolor #booklayout #graphicdesign #graphicdesigner #photobook #onesquaremeter #iphonephotography #lightroomclassic

Typographic explorations no. IX \ Found letters [part 2] #typography #typographic #typographicexperiment #blackandwhitedesign #graphicdesign #graphicdesigner #graphicdesigners #graphicdesignstudent #letterforms #foundletters

Typographic explorations no. VIII \ Found letters [part 1] #typography #typographic #typographicexperiment #blackandwhitedesign #graphicdesign #graphicdesigner #graphicdesigners #graphicdesignstudent #letterforms #foundletters