Kamin Science Center

Artist: Shane Pilster
Project Lead: Wicked Pittsburgh
Client: Kamin Science Center of Pittsburgh
Date: August–September 2025
Media: Vector illustration, spray paint, CNC-cut wood
Primary Elements:
136” x 136” illustration wall
Custom exhibit and section typography
Painted CNC-cut exhibit title

Sports 360 is a permanent exhibit at the Kamin Science Center exploring the science of sports and Pittsburgh’s role in athletic innovation. During a major rebrand and facility upgrade, Wicked Pittsburgh brought me on to develop graffiti-inspired illustration and typography that Kamin’s design team would then use to add to the visual foundation for the exhibit. The project was fast-paced, highly collaborative, and delivered under a tight ten-day production window.

Wicked involved me from the very beginning, including early emails, site visits, and client meetings, and encouraged direct communication with the Kamin team throughout the process. That access proved essential. The first phase of work needed to be completed within ten days of contract approval so the Science Center’s in-house design team could immediately begin building signage, graphics, and displays from the artwork.

I was tasked with creating a large-scale graffiti-style vector illustration wall, designing typography for the exhibit title and four main sections, and painting a CNC-cut version of the Sports 360 title. The illustration wall in particular was critical, as it would be reused and adapted across dozens of applications throughout the space. Speed, clarity, and flexibility were key.

Knowing the exhibit would be experienced by kids, families, and visitors of all ages, I focused on typography and illustration that felt energetic, legible, and rooted in graffiti culture without becoming overwhelming. Early sketches explored a wide range of ideas before narrowing in on a direction inspired in part by Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, using mixed letter styles, textures, and comic-in-motion energy.

All illustration and typography were fully vectorized, color-separated, and production-ready. The main exhibit title was sent to CAD and CNC-cut at Gallery AFK in Braddock, PA. I painted the final eight-foot-by-two-foot wood piece to match the original concept. The sign was installed at the exhibit entrance alongside custom paintings by Max Gonzales and Scott Brozovich, with additional interior contributions by Ashley Hodder and Sef1.

• Developed graffiti-style illustration and typography for the exhibit
• Designed a 136” x 136” vector illustration wall used throughout the space
• Created exhibit title and section typography systems
• Painted CNC-cut exhibit title signage
• Communicated directly with the client to iterate quickly under tight deadlines
• Delivered production-ready assets early to support additional artists

Delivering assets early allowed me to share approved artwork and style guidance with the other collaborating artists, giving them a strong foundation to build from or reinterpret. The illustration wall and typography became part of the visual backbone of Sports 360, informing signage, graphics, and wayfinding throughout the exhibit.

From start to finish, the project was collaborative, fast-moving, and creatively rewarding, and it stands as a strong example of how graffiti-informed design can function within educational and institutional spaces.