On 11-Apr-2010, IISc Alumni Cell is organising ‘Science & Technology Run’ or better known as ‘SnT Run.’ I got a chance to do the branding work. I have handled the branding of SnT Run of 2008. People liked the banners and posters very much: especially the ‘shoelace’ one. Read the full story here.

So here I am, trying to outrun myself.

I am doing three separate designs for SnT Run 2010. They are:

1. Logo Design
2. Poster Design for publicity
3. Banner design for the event

In this post, I am explaining only about the item 2: ‘Poster Design for publicity.’

Initial Ideas

I exactly know what I am NOT going to do this year. I am not going to use the imagery of a robot running. I am not going to use shoelaces. Although the run happens in the green campus of IISc, I am thinking about a race track. I am thinking about the markings on the turf. Then I have a view of somebody running towards the camera. He is running to me as if there is not much time left for the event. Wait, can ‘he’ be the date on which the SnT Run is happening?

The setting of the stage

This photo is taken by Sanja Gjenero (Lusi) from Croatia. Thank you Sanja for allowing me to use this photo.

Applying Gaussian Blur to a feathered selection showing depth
3D rendering of ’11 April 2010’ in SolidWorks 

Arranging the numerals and alphabets and applying blur

Adding shadows and applying blur

Adding the SnT Run logo on to the turf

The idea was that the date of SnT Run is approaching, so don’t be an onlooker, be a part and so ‘Better run…’

This is the finished poster. Click to enlarge.

Environment friendly posters are Green!

‘Run for science, run for environment’ is selected as this year’s SnT Run theme. Nowadays whenever people think of environment or eco-friendliness, the ‘green’ colour fills their imagination. So I am told to come up with a green version of the poster.

Desaturated image
 

‘Feathered’ track

Adding original image in the background

Adding a green layer on top of the feathered track only

Changing the opacity of the green layer and applying ‘Overlay’ blending mode

This is the finished green poster. Click to enlarge.

I will be writing about the other two designs (logo and banner) soon.

More Photos of SnT Run 2010 are uploaded here.

Software: Photoshop, SolidWorks
Design Date: 07-Feb-2010

Dear reader, we wish you a happy and prosperous New Year 2009! May all your dreams come true…

When a stranger calls…
“Hello, we need to design a poster. Will you help us?”
“Oh… Sure. When is the deadline?”
“Today afternoon. Don’t worry, it is very simple. I have thought about the whole thing. You just place the logo below a photo and give a nice caption. That’s all. It will hardly take 10 minutes for an ‘expert’ like you in Photoshop. What do you say?”
“…”

Typically, this is how a work comes to me. 90% chance is that I reject that work. First, I need to think and invent an idea. Second, that needs time. Third, if you have already decided what to do, then why come to me?

But the person who contacted for the Poster design work surprised me.
“I have committed a deadline. But don’t worry, take your time. Three days, you say? OK, no problem. Please do whatever you want to make the poster a popular one.”
Since then, he has become one of my friends.

Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore is celebrating its Centenary Year. In connection with this, IISc Alumni Association organized a Science & Technology Run on 7th December 2008 inside the campus. I just landed on the job to design a promotional poster for the event. This will appear in newspapers and the posters will be sent to different institutions in Bangalore, I am told.

Run IISc, run…
In the given time, I submitted four designs. Two of them were selected.
Yes, the graphic alone can project the message of ‘Science and Technology Run’ very clearly. Because of its ‘too-obvious’ nature, I didn’t want to send this to the concerned people. But the heading was perfect – ‘Science & technology runs in Bangalore.’ After much thought, I pressed the ‘send’ button. The graphic is created by Rodolfo Clix.

This design was very simple and became very popular. The basic idea came from the word ‘race,’ then ‘seat belt,’ then ‘fasten the seat belt’ and finally arriving at ‘fasten the lace and go’ since we are dealing with a run rather than a car race. Later this poster was converted into banners and a wonderful stage backdrop by the event management people. The simple lace and the white background were the USPs. This graphic is created by Zsuzsanna Kilián.

‘Be there’ was the tagline I gave in all the posters. If the tagline was a white text placed on a dark band, the effect would have been more compared to the present design.

Not so lucky

This design was not selected for the campaign because of reasons unknown to me. I was trying to add a down to earth feeling to the poster. A playing child in a village setting led to the very famous ‘Catch me if you can…’ I understand that Sören Rudolph took this photo in Kenya.

This design also was not so lucky like the ‘Strings.’ A pair of used running shoes is lying on the floor. The photo was looking natural. ‘Make them run…’ was thus born. These Puma Mostros belong to Simon Cataudo.

The Event
Almost 1500 people participated in IISc Science and Technology Run on 07-Dec-2008 and it was a great success.
You can see some photos of this event at:
IISc Centenary Gallery
Accounts of the event are available at:
Croakers’ diaries!
IISc Life

Acknowledgements
Following are the people whose work I used in the designs.
‘Running technology (Gump)’ by Rodolfo Clix, Sao Paulo, Brazil
‘Strings’ by Zsuzsanna Kilián, Budapest, Hungary
‘Running Child’ by Sören Rudolph, Wernigerode, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany
‘Running shoes’ by Simon Cataudo,  Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, Great Britain

Software: Adobe Photoshop CS3
Design date: 23-Nov-2008