For my Text course in my Creative Technology & Design program, an introduction to graphic design, we were given the text and information for 13 symphony performances occurring as a part of the annual (and now fictional) Colorado Symphony Classics season. The 20 page PDF assembled all of the information in varying type, size, and weight, and we were instructed to organize the information on the back of a single 11” by 17” poster mailer. We were asked to keep all of the information, and to keep effective communication as well as aesthetics in mind when laying out the type. Another consideration was that the poster would be folded up into eighths and mailed, and had to incorporate a mailing section. We were additionally restricted to 3 spot colors for the entire poster.

I decided to lay out my information in a calendar-like grid, reading left to right and cascading down the page. The overall theme was bright and abstract, and contained some inspiration from jazz posters from the 1970’s and 80’s. I abstracted some classical orchestra instruments on the front of the poster to continue my minimal but colorful theme, and carried this onto the back of the poster while maintaining the same color scheme. I learned how to fit a large amount of important information into a small space, and to consider how to convey the necessary information in a visually pleasing manner. Designing the front of the poster was fun and exciting, but the nitty gritty of the detail work of the back of the poster mailer was the true (and enjoyable) challenge for my detail-oriented self.