Creative inspiration has a way of arriving unannounced. Sometimes it slips into unexpected moments, like when we’re walking around the block. Other times it smiles at us as we travel far from home, immersing ourselves in cultures different than our own.
Like Italy.
Last fall, I took off for an Italian adventure just as Angela Woodward, of International Crane Foundation (ICF), and I were starting a multi-piece project for a fundraising event. The event was a good ten months away and while we had basic ideas in mind, we were still in the early stages of brainstorming. If you’re looking for inspiration, what better place than Italy, right?
Surprisingly, in spite of their unparalleled magnificence, it wasn’t the masterpieces of the Vatican, the Renaissance of Florence, or the Alps at Lake Como that summoned my temporal lobe. It was this simple banner hanging on a wall in Cortona. Such an eye-catching advertisement—the banner, that is, not the van:-). I liked its partitioned layout, with the grayscale vs. color. I admired the clean and bold style. Ideas began to formulate how we could do something similar for the “then and now” we wished to convey with our event pieces.
Backstory: Legacy of Hope
Our fundraising event is a Legacy of Hope Gala commemorating the 80th birthday of George Archibald, co-founder of ICF. George is a fascinating ornithologist and conservationist credited for saving whooping cranes from extinction—if you’ve seen videos of a guy dancing with cranes, that’s him.
Because the gala is targeted to high-end donors, its corresponding pieces needed an air of sophistication. We wanted the pieces to impress the importance of the event and, ultimately, the work of ICF. Early on, we brainstormed with the invaluable American Printing of Madison and decided on poshy touches such as a die-cut, embossed foil, and soft touch finish.
Research + Brainstorming = Inspiration
Imagine my glee when Angela mentioned we’d have access to the gorgeous photography of Michael Forsberg. Believe me, a kid in a candy shop had nothing on me as I read his book Into Whooperland and picked out photos for our pieces. Michael, who incidentally is also the gala’s keynote speaker, generously made them available.
Michael’s work sparked other ideas as well, particularly our use of the embossed foil. One of the core principles of graphic design is “don’t use a technique just because you can.” In other words, make sure it contributes to your message. Yes, embossing foil would bring an element of sophistication to our pieces. And absolutely, it would reflect light and create a tactile experience. But as Angela and I brainstormed, we wanted to further the purposefulness of foil to tell our story.
Voilà, The Whooper Highway.
Here’s a bossy note from me—if you’re the least bit fascinated by birds and their migration, take six minutes and watch this video. Michael Forsberg, in partnership with Cornell Lab of Ornithology and 422 South, crafted this engaging narrative of the whooping crane’s migration. Not only is it informative of cranes and the preservation of land necessary to sustain them, it also marks our embossing Aha! moment. Michael’s flight patterns became the unifying element in our pieces; a curving, gold underline drawing the viewer’s eye left to right and inviting them to open and explore.
An Inspired Portfolio
I wish you could feel these pieces. Every facet of the invitation, from its velvety finish to the way it fits into the envelope, is well-thought and intentional. They’re proof that creativity thrives on a village—a diverse ecosystem of perspectives, collaborators, and supporters.
From Italy to Canada. From an advertisement to a migration. From our own backyard of meetings, brainstorming sessions, and conversations. That’s how it happens with creativity—when we open our eyes, the world will inspire us.
