Laurels

Introduction

I recently worked with John and Laurels, a unique bar in Whitley Bay that hosts various events, including theatre, comedy nights, and music events. From my first-hand experience of visiting the bar, Laurels has a playful brand style that doesn't take itself too seriously. It also prides itself on creating amazing shows and discovering new upcoming artists in the North East of England.

The Brief

John initially approached me to create a poster design for an upcoming show called Doomgate, a dark comedy set in the rural outskirts of Northumberland. After seeing how I got on with that, he wanted a further six posters designed for various other plays Laurels would be hosting.

The Process

For the posters, John gave me a brief description of each play and some ideas of what directions he wanted to take with the design. I wanted to ensure each poster had a similar design style for a consistent brand identity but could also stand out. After researching each storyline, I began sketching out various concepts and directions we could go for each poster, which I sent to John for feedback and to see what direction he wanted to go in. I then digitally created each poster using a mixture of Procreate and Adobe, sending the designs for rounds of feedback and changes before signing off on each of the posters. Once he was happy, I edited each layout so he could post them on Laurel's social channels and as Facebook cover photos.

One of my favourites was 'Stake Out', about a woman who is convinced her ex-boyfriend is a vampire. For this, I came up with the idea of dripping vampire fangs, and the blood was in the shape of a broken heart. It was tied to the North East with a Geordie twist on the vampire theme.