Art Festival Poster
Client: Suttons Bay Art Festival
Problem
The committee that organizes the annual Suttons Bay Art Festival needed a poster to advertise and promote the event. The poster needed to appeal to the festival’s audience while clearly communicating event information and representing the character of the local art community.
Solution
Research was conducted on Suttons Bay, its art community, and past winning posters to understand audience expectations and selection criteria. Based on this research, an illustrated scene of sailboats drifting into a sunset was created, allowing the artwork to take visual priority.
Typography was selected to complement the sail colors while remaining legible against the darker background, creating cohesion without competing with the illustration. The poster was designed in Adobe Illustrator, with added texture in Photoshop to introduce depth and warmth. With the festival text provided and full creative freedom for the visuals, the design focused on capturing the nostalgic atmosphere of a Northern Michigan summer evening while functioning as both event promotion and a collectible art piece.
