Low Tide
Poster series, 2024
Overview
Six screen-printed posters for a coastal film festival, each one a different state of the tide, printed in two inks.
- Role
- Designer and printer
- Scope
- Poster series, programme
- Team
- Designer and printer, 1 festival producer
- Duration
- 8 weeks
- Platform
- Posters, programme, social
- Tools
- Illustrator, screen printing
The problem
The festival wanted a series that worked as a set and as single posters, within a two-colour print budget.
Goals
- Work as a set and as single posters
- Stay inside a two-ink budget
- Stay legible from across a street
Success metrics
- Sell-through of printed posters
- Legibility from 5 metres
- Recognition of the series on social media
Research
Methods
- Interviewed the producer and 4 past attendees
- Audited posters from 15 film festivals
- Tested ink swatches on three paper stocks
Key insights
Posters are read in seconds
Most people see festival posters on the move, so one idea has to land fast.
Series reward collecting
Attendees liked buying more than one design if they connected.
Two inks can feel rich
Overprinting creates a third colour at no extra cost.
Who it is for
Sam, 41
Local film-goer and poster collector“I'd buy a set if each one felt different but connected.”
Needs
- Clear dates and venue
- A piece worth framing
Frustrations
- Cluttered posters
- Details too small to read
Defining the opportunity
How might we make six posters that read as one story and still work alone?
Design
One circle and one horizon line, repeated. The circle rises and sets across the series while the inks overprint to create a third colour.
Key decisions
One circle, one horizon
A repeated pair of shapes ties the series together.
The tide as a clock
The circle's position shows the tide state, linked to each screening time.
Hierarchy for distance
Date and venue share one large size, with everything else subordinate.
Key visuals
Testing and iteration
- Round 1: pinned prints on a wall and checked legibility at 5 metres. Dates were too small.
- Round 2: enlarged type and adjusted ink density. All six read clearly from the street.
Results
All 1,200 prints sold out at the festival and the series was reprinted as a limited edition.
Reflection
Strict limits sharpened the idea. Next: an animated version for the festival's social channels.