Harvey Poster

2018

CLIENT

Illinois State University School of Theatre and Dance

THE CHALLENGE

Design a poster advertising the Pulitzer-winning comedy, Harvey.

CONCEPT

The poster was created with watercolors, a more light and delicate material that requires fluidity and openness to mistakes and successes. This material allowed me to create a new environment of Harvey and Elwood’s usual night of playing music on the jukebox. The colors used directly refer back to various 1920s and 30s bars and diners. The martini glass and carrot sit across from each other, implying that our two main characters were just there enjoying each other’s company. The piece all together exemplifies everything about this play, with the charming environment, lighthearted nature of the material itself, and the magical quality seen with the glow of the jukebox and the giant carrot that we can assume is Harvey’s.

The title of the poster was done by hand, much like the background image. Inspired by calligraphy and the more fluid nature of the watercolor, I created this lighthearted text. For the rest of the text, I used the font Gotham, a modern type, to refer back to current times. The comedy originated in the 1940s, but still has lessons that people today can learn, to be more accepting, understanding, and to have more fun.