Final logo
Design Conversations is a lecture series hosted at RIT by the Vignelli Center for Design Studies in collaboration with DesignMilk. These lectures from industry professionals and contemporary design heroes bring enriching and inspiring perspectives to the RIT community. Drawing from the Vignelli brand, I created a unique visual identity for the Fall 2024 lineup.
I drew a lot of inspiration from the work of modernist designers such as Jacqueline Casey, Muriel Cooper and of course Massimo Vignelli! I wanted the posters to say a lot without much visual clutter, but still be eye-catching to students regardless of simplicity. The goal was to apply the modernist sensibilities of these designers in a contemporary context that would appeal to possible attendees.
Sketches
I was drawn to the image of a spark, representing the connection and inspiration that can come from attending these lectures. Each student may gain something different from hearing what each speaker has to say, which I represented in different line lengths and thicknesses. One thought I had was to make a unique icon representing each speaker's body of work, but I was concerned they may not seem like a cohesive system.
Or, in this case, look like a total Target rip-off.
The style we decided to explore further was extremely minimalist, a style quite outside my wheelhouse. Despite this, it was interesting to explore maximum impact with a rather spare approach to the elements.
I liked this, but felt something was missing. Text and names alone weren't enough to distinguish them from one another, especially from a distance, which is how the primary audience (students) would likely see them when passing to and fro.
The final posters added these colorful circles, which connected each poster to one another and the full suite of posters. Each color is representative of something in each speaker's career, as is the shape of their individual spark. For example, the yellow in Chris Bailey's is drawn from Bailey Brand Consulting's logo, and Chuck Cerankosky's spark is evocative of a martini glass, as Cerankosky is the founder of the Rochester Cocktail Revival and the creative force behind several bars and restaurants in the Rochester area such as Radio Social, Good Luck, and more.
Finally, I created a motion graphic to be projected in Wegmans Theater before each lecture begins. Drawing once more on the 'spark' motif, these little fireworks again are representative of the different 'aha!' moments attendees will have when hearing these lectures.
Then some promotional Instagram grid posts....
...as well as some story posts.
