“Blanchet House”
Winter 2022
Project Overview
I was appointed Art Director for this project to leverage my expertise in poster design and lead a team of four illustrators under a strict one-month deadline. In this role, I managed the end-to-end creative direction, aligned multi-disciplinary artistic styles into a cohesive visual narrative, and steered team dynamics.
The Client
Blanchet House was located a few blocks from my campus in Portland, Oregon. They have been a beacon of hope, dignity, and essential aid since 1952. Operating on the core values of solidarity and non-judgmental support, they provide fresh meals, clothing, and transitional housing to vulnerable communities. A unique pillar of their holistic model is owning the very farm that produces the food served in their downtown café.
Conceptual Strategy & Mood Board
During our initial discovery meeting, our team was deeply moved by the farm-to-table pipeline operating within Blanchet House's programming. This organic, community-driven loop inspired us to lean into nostalgic, heartwarming visual storytelling.
Drawing whimsical animation references from films like A Bug’s Life and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, we curated a vibrant mood board to establish a unified color palette and stylistic direction before moving immediately into the sketching phase.
Initial Sketches
First Pitch Sketches
Watercolor IllustrationsDeveloped by team illustrators Harvey Seaman & Gabby Ferroggiaro.
Finished Posters
In Action
This is a volunteer, Sylvia posing with our test posters in the kitchen. Sylvia celebrated her 86th birthday by volunteering to serve lunch in Blanchet House’s cafe. She shows up pretty much every week to volunteer and is loved by all guests and staff.
