Graphics Tech Students, Instructor and Alumni Create Christmasland Graphics

Emilie Jenson, Public Information Office
12/20/2023

A popular holiday attraction in Humboldt was recently given a new look with the help of the Iowa Central Graphics Tech students, their instructor, and an alumni.

Kiwanis Christmasland has been a staple near the corner of Fourth Street and First Avenue South in Humboldt for over 40 years, entertaining more than 150,000 visitors in that time. Located in a former city maintenance shed, the plain white structure was in need of a facelift and a little curb appeal, which brought Iowa Central on board.

Graphics Tech Program Coordinator, Jake Zweibohmer, a Humboldt resident and graphic designer, had worked with the Humboldt/Dakota City Kiwanis on previous projects. Zweibohmer’s connections with the club led to an opportunity for students in the sophomore Portfolio 1 class to create designs for new vinyl wraps to be installed on the building’s exterior.

While the designs used for Christmasland were created by Zweibohmer, it was a learning opportunity for students to get real-world design experience working with a client.

Students met with representatives from Kiwanis to get an overview of the project and created custom images that were adhered to the building’s doors and windows by Photoshop to give a realistic picture of what the designs would look like installed.

“That is part of the class; students work with the community and businesses on design projects to experience what it is like to work with a client,” said Zweibohmer. “They create designs, ask questions and get feedback.”

The images, which range in size from 3 feet-by-4 feet to 150 inches were then submitted to Northland Vinyl, where 2022 Graphics Tech graduate Katie Kehoe created the layout, prepared them for print and installed the vinyl images on the building.

The images of reindeer, snowmen, Christmas trees and Santa’s sleigh flying over a city, adorn the windows and doors of Christmasland just in time for the holidays and will create a friendly welcome to the hundreds of visitors who enter for years to come.

“It was a project that really added something to the building,” said Zweibohmer. “It will be seen by a lot of people at a place that creates neat memories kids and families.”