Being Commissioned for Event Posters

It was a pleasure once again to work with Cal State Fullerton on this event poster design. I took a low resolution image and created this cover by painting and retouching areas of the original image. After retouching I removed the text from the original image and replaced it with the text I was asked to include. I did not have much control over how the text layout ended up because of the amount of it, but I did have control of the image underneath. The colors are very striking in this image.

I learned early in my career as a designer that the more important thing to learn in this field is how to make your clients happy. Sometimes you have to let go of your attachment to a particular style and follow the direction the project is taking you in. For this poster I did that. I did not focus on designing the text in a typographically creative way because the image below the text is the focal point. I didn't want the beauty of the text to detract from the image itself.

For commissioned work it is more important to make sure the client's needs are met, rather than your own style is visible in the work. Personal projects are a space where an artist's personal style can be shown with full visibility. Money always complicates the matter. Unless we worked like fine artists and created the art before we ever had a client, we cannot create as if it were for just ourselves. The reality is design is a commodity, a thing that is purchased. Until a designer can accept this fact he or she will find themselves in conflict with the client perpetually.

If you would like to see some of my personal projects head over to my Instagram.