Brief
For the Valley Christian High School Sadie Hawkins Dance, the theme was “Wild Wild West.” The goal was to communicate the theme in a creative and engaging way without relying on overly typical Western imagery. To achieve this, I designed the promotional materials in the style of an old Western newspaper, using typography, layout, and texture to evoke the theme subtly and authentically.
Within the design, I incorporated a hidden storyline and an easter egg that encouraged students to interact with the poster. Students who pieced together the clues and followed the instructions were able to win a free ticket to the dance, adding an element of discovery and making the promotional piece more memorable.
The final design balanced thematic influence, creativity, and school branding, resulting in a promotional graphic that captured the spirit of the event while offering students a fun, puzzle-like experience.
Event Marketing • Print Design • Creative Direction
Sadie Hawkins Poster Mockup 2
Sadie Hawkins Poster Mockup 3
Sadie Hawkins Ticket Mockup 1
Final Digital Exports
Process Work
The process for creating the Sadie Hawkins Dance promotional design began with developing a storyline that connected directly to the theme. Members of the Associated Student Body (ASB) were photographed and featured as characters within the narrative, each playing a specific role that contributed to the Western newspaper concept. Their inclusion added personality, humor, and authenticity to the overall design.
To match the aesthetic of an old Western publication, the photos were edited in black and white with added grain and grunge textures. This gave the images a vintage, worn quality that supported the theme without relying on overly obvious Western graphics.
The final version of the design required only minor adjustments, mainly involving updated event information rather than changes to the visual direction. This allowed the concept, layout, and storytelling to remain consistent and strong from the first draft through to the completed piece.
