For this poster, designed to promote the Orangutan Jazz Festival at Dudley Zoo, my aim was to creatively merge two contrasting themes: the character of the Orangutan and the energy of jazz music.
During the brainstorming stage, I explored various ideas to connect the two elements visually, such as depicting the orangutan interacting with jazz instruments by holding or swinging from them. This playful concept helped set the tone for a design that felt both lighthearted and lively, reflecting the improvisational spirit of jazz.
A key feature of the design was integrating the orangutan into the typography itself. I developed a custom solution where the silhouette of the orangutan formed part of the word jazz, positioned cleverly between the two z’s to create a visual illusion of the animal occupying the negative space. This added a distinctive and memorable focal point while keeping the design cohesive.
When considering the poster’s layout, I wanted to reflect the freeform and rhythmic nature of jazz through flowing, less rigid arrangements, without losing the structure typical of music event posters. A challenge of this design was accommodating a large amount of essential text, such as event details and performer listings, while maintaining clarity and visual hierarchy. Since the poster was to be printed at a large format, I carefully balanced type size, weight, and placement to ensure all information was legible from a distance.
This project allowed me to experiment with type manipulation, illustration integration, and compositional balance, while solving practical challenges such as text density and readability within a large-scale format. It also reinforced the importance of playfulness and creativity in poster design, especially for events like music festivals that invite energy and personality.
