The Concept
A VERY POP CULTURE CHRISTMAS.
A Very Alternative Christmas is a charity project to sell an alternative range of Christmas cards based on Christmas films and music that everyone loves. The cards are then sold online and at events around Leeds, with the profits donated to Simon on the Streets.
32 different cards were designed and riso printed to provide a younger audience with alternative Christmas card giving options. I project managed this brief as well as designing 6 of the cards, whilst the others were designed by course mates.
Elizabeth Tyrer
Brief #11
OUGD603
A Very Christmas
Research
Research included looking at a range of popular Christmas card styles, including hand rendered, illustrative cards and ones employing humour, most notably Lazy Oaf. These cards informed my concept and the designs that I created as they signalled what
was popular with a large audience and what would sell. I also looked into other Christmas cards that referenced popular culture, such as Home Alone inspired cards which are very popular online.
Elizabeth Tyrer
Brief #11
OUGD603
A Very Christmas
Research
Elizabeth Tyrer
OUGD603
Brief #11
A Very Christmas
The Development
Development included creating a logo for the christmas card collection, which I wanted to be playful, but also neutral and adaptable to each different movie/song title. I went with a simple sans serif type logo that includes an arrow, which I made into a stamp so that it
was easier to reproduce many times. For the cards, I developed each of my entries by first hand drawing type and imagery that related to the films, either directly or more subtly depending on which audience I felt it suited, before digitally editing them into my designs.
Elizabeth Tyrer
Brief #11
OUGD603
A Very Christmas
The Design
Elizabeth Tyrer
OUGD603
Brief #11
A Very Christmas
The Design
I used both digital and hand rendered methods to create my 6 designs, and the designs are intended to appeal to a similar audience to the actual films and music they were inspired by, for example the Scrooged card references the TV programming that is
featured in the film and is aimed at a more adult audience, whilst the Miracle on 34th Street card references the hand made signs created in the film by kids in support of Santa. I wanted my designs to be more unique than what is usually available on the high street.
Elizabeth Tyrer
Brief #11
OUGD603
A Very Christmas