Once Upon A Pancake Breakfast

Once upon my middle school years, we had an annual Pancake Breakfast fundraiser in school. I was a 6th grader, and it was my first American Pancake fundraiser ever. Everything was an eye opener for me -- from the whole school being there on a weekend morning, all with families and friends, to the line of olds and youngs waiting to get their pancakes and scrabbling for the free sausage coupons. The experience is something I secretly cherish. One of those that leaves a feathery mark on me.

If I were to design a poster for the Pancake Breakfast, it would have to be extremely economical, as it is a fundraiser. Chances are, any school event notices would be printed on a black and white copy machine, and color is not an option. (Unless you use a color paper to begin with, which I should explore as a separate project.)

Perhaps, one day, I will get to work on a similar project. For now, I will reminisce the good old days. Ah, the smell of the sweet syrup...

Mock Project: My Poster of Swim Instructor

There is a section in my local library where they stock postcards and flyers of events happening in the community, and I spotted a postcard asking people to become a Red Cross certified swim instructor. The first thought I had with that postcard was: If it were up to me, I would make it visually more fun than just some text and a stock photo.

So I went home and drew this poster.

If I were to design poster for the American Red Cross Pool Lifeguard and Swim Instructor...

I would make the pool with a David Hockey style of water reflection. There is something very luring and calm about the way he does water.

I would make the kid look like he is excited, curious and a little scared. At least that was how I felt when I first learned how to swim.

The text and logo can be at the bottom, with only the main slogan. As Edard Tufte called it, "Confusion and clutter are the failure of design, not the attributes of information."

Mock Project: My Poster of LA Marathon

If I were to design a poster for LA Marathon...

I would pour in what I think is the nicest of LA -- our ever bright sunshine. What best to capture light but a dab of the California Impressionist palette?

I would also showcase our signature palms. What other big metropolitan city has that, really?

A fun self-made mock project. What an enjoyable way to make me think I've done some work out~! :)