DESIGN APPROACH, SIZE AND FOLD

Knowing that this was a mailer-invitation I took a different design approach than I would have if this invitation was going to be put into an envelope to be mailed. For that reason, I wanted the invitation itself to be inviting and not too big. I chose an 11×6-sized document as I felt it was just the right size when folded. As for the fold, I decided to do a gatefold to give it that welcoming feel I was going for. It’s almost like the invitation is opening its arms and reaching out for a hug when you open it, rather than it just opening from one side which can feel a little cold.

COLOR

I decided to use Pantone 7743C because when I think of sanitation workers I think of green uniforms, which they probably wear to represent a cleaner and healthier environment. As requested I used black as the second color. By mixing the two I was able to create photos with a dramatic feel to them, almost cinematic. I wanted the images to reflect the scale of the job they undertake daily; keeping the streets clean is a big (cinematic) and laborious (dramatic) task.

PAPER

To keep with the tough theme, I’d like to print the invitation on Mohawk’s Radian White 100 cover, which is an original Mohawk shade on vellum paper. This thick paper would represent the strength of the sanitation, and though the color is describe as “radiant” it’s more of an off white, which I wanted in order to make the images look tough and not so “shiny” as they would on a coated paper.

TYPEFACES

As for the typefaces, I used “IMPACT” as the main font because it does just that, it leaves an impact, a sense of strength, big and bold like the will of the sanitation workers. I then added “Arial” as the secondary font in a much smaller font size in order to add scale to the invitation, further representing the scale of a sanitation worker’s job.

WHAT I LEARNED

For the first time, I had to think the entire project from beginning to end before beginning. Having to decide the type of paper I wanted to print on, guided my design decisions. Once I decided I wanted the invitation to be strong yet inviting, all of my choices from images to fonts were easier to choose.