Joanna Gniady's profile

Window design for Barbara

Joanna Gniady
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Window design created by the illustrator Joanna Gniady, showing people drinking soda

Window design for Barbara

 Wroclaw Institute of Culture invited me to design a huge window of Barbara, a culture zone in the heart of Wroclaw, Poland. 
They gave me the theme 'Vanishing City / Trade' – all about Wroclaw's street trade.
And I went wild with ideas.

ILLUSTRATION Window Display black and white Retro drinks digital illustration Character design Illustrator vector art Visual Merchandising

At first, I started gathering old photos from the 70s and 80s, showing people selling and buying various goods straight from the street vendors.

Flower stands at Solny Square were undoubtedly iconic in Wroclaw. However, I yearned for something more unique, uncommon, even a bit bizarre. 
The watermelon sellers seemed closer to my quasi-surreal needs, but it was the photo of a big stand filled with cabbages that caught my attention. Cabbages seemed very cool... until I began creating the initial sketches.
There were two constraints in the project: I could use only one color (white) and had to avoid too many details, as the illustration on the window was made with an adhesive foil​​​​​​​.

As I started drawing flat, white cabbages, they appeared a bit strange and were challenging 
to recognize...

ILLUSTRATION Window Display black and white Retro drinks digital illustration Character design Illustrator vector art Visual Merchandising

I continued my search for something interesting and eye-catching, aiming to bring a smile to older faces and ignite curiosity in the younger generations. After a bunch of hours (and maybe a few coffee breaks), bam! The light bulb above my head finally flickered on!

Picture this: 'saturators' – those quirky soda fountains – turning the communist-era street scene into 
a fizz-tastic, soda-pop spectacle. 

And guess what? One of those nostalgic saturators just happened to be parked years ago 
next to Barbara's doorstep!

ILLUSTRATION Window Display black and white Retro drinks digital illustration Character design Illustrator vector art Visual Merchandising

After a couple of super quick sketches, I knew exactly what I wanted to show and how.

ILLUSTRATION Window Display black and white Retro drinks digital illustration Character design Illustrator vector art Visual Merchandising


Here is the final project:

Window design created by the illustrator Joanna Gniady, showing people drinking soda


And that's how it presents itself on Barbara's window:

Window design created by the illustrator Joanna Gniady, showing people drinking soda
     
   
Window design created by the illustrator Joanna Gniady, showing people drinking soda
   
Window design created by the illustrator Joanna Gniady, showing people drinking soda
   
Window design created by the illustrator Joanna Gniady, showing people drinking soda
   
Window design created by the illustrator Joanna Gniady, showing people drinking soda
    
Window design created by the illustrator Joanna Gniady, showing people drinking soda
   
Window design created by the illustrator Joanna Gniady, showing people drinking soda
   
Window design created by the illustrator Joanna Gniady, showing people drinking soda
   
   
Window design created by the illustrator Joanna Gniady, showing people drinking soda

Thank you!

Let's be in touch:

jo@joannagniady.com
Window design for Barbara
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Joanna Gniady's profile

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Joanna Gniady's profile
Wrocław, Poland

Window design for Barbara

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