Song Poster

Song Poster

This project challenged me to convey emotional content without images, as well as using text as the primary vehicle for messaging.

At A Glance

Date
May 2025
Project Type
Typography
Client
ART253: Design Systems
My Role
Designer
Tools
Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign

Process Work

My process behind this project was one of much learning! Before any design ideas began, our class was randomly assigned a song that we would be using as the foundation of a song poster. Specific restrictions were given on image and illustration use, and therefore this project was to be completed using the title of the song only. In this case, I was to use “When Doves Cry” by Prince.

Sketching & Ideation

Initial sketches included outlines of birds, specifically doves, as well as elements that were relevant to Prince as an artist. My early inspiration included the cover of “Purple Rain” and live performances of the song itself.

Brainstorming color palettes was an easy task, as the shade of purple associated with Prince and “Purple Rain” is simply iconic!

Revision

My initial ideation is always a chaotic process, and this project was no exception. My revisions still remained around the purple, black, and white color palette, but I was still really attached to the idea of using actual birds. I was determined to make them work somehow, so I was trying out using their silhouettes, outlines, and more. Unfortunately, most of them resembled chickens…

Fine Tuning

Finish Line

The final variation for the Song Poster came to a close! I opted for a delicate, script typeface to represent one side of Prince’s dialogue in the song, and a dark and bold typeface for opposition. The intricate weaving of the two is in place to represent these two individuals, as well as the relationship that is discussed in the song. This project taught me to not take definitions so liter (meaning no real birds here…), but to look deeper into meaning and context within.

Full Details

Classification

Project Category
Academic Teaching
Medium/Disciplines
Print Digital