For the University of Brighton LGBT+ Society, the client and I agreed that modern, mono-line illustrations would update the society’s look and feel. Incredibly contemporary, warm and welcoming, we chose to give the society a mainly white and pastel colour palette.
As the LGBT+ community’s colours tend to be represented by bright rainbow colours, it usually makes for a weak design that can seem garish and overbearing. By unifying the design with a pastel colour scheme, we provide a concise, sturdy aesthetic.
The plus sign is integral to the design. The connotation is threefold; the sign as part of the name (the sign indicates other sexual orientations), the plus sign as a symbol of inclusivity, and the sign as sparkles (in line with happiness, a carefree attitude, and embracing feminine attributes).
Taking note from the original designs, we updated the leaf design that the LGBT+ Society appropriated from the University of Brighton. The leaf appears as part of the branding for the university, and so it was important to use the leaf to indicate university pride. The leaf contains the plus sign, which makes up the stem and serves as a symbol of stability and reliance; the LGBT+ Society is a welcoming and supportive community. Meanwhile, the leaf itself contains sharp spikes, which, along with the dashed lines around the circle, symbolising fingerprints, indicates individuality, a vital aspect within the community.
The design is complimented with Quicksand, a light, sans-serif mono-line typeface that harmonises well with the illustrations.
In the first design for a series of banners fit for Facebook events, new illustrations related to the event’s nature will be made. In the Halloween banner, images of pumpkins, skulls and cats circle around the bottom left like a mandala. However, where it is cropped in half, it represents a rainbow shape.
