BIG IDEAS PROMO LETTERS
I planned, designed, and built large wooden letters for the Big Ideas promotional campaign for McMaster University Faculty of Engineering. These letters were used in many events - student, faculty, and alumni focused - and were extremely effective in promoting the campaign.
The letters as decoration for the annual McMaster Faculty of Engineering Gala, with many of the past Deans of Engineering.
Design Requirements
The goal of this piece was to create photo props and event decoration for a year-long campaign. These letters were to be sat on and interacted with by the general public.
Design Process
I designed this project in Adobe Illustrator. I created custom typography based on the McMaster brand guidelines while considering their intended purpose, for example adding flat bottoms to rounded letters. The vector-based design was easy to transform into G-code and I worked closely with the water jet technicians to ensure the best result.
Construction
To create this prop, 1" thick MDF was waterjet cut at an on-campus workshop. Eight layers were glued and screwed together, then sanded and painted to create the final thickness required.
Building Process
I utilized a campus workshop to construct the letters. With guidance from the shop technician, I learned to use a plunge router, random orbital sander, and other power tools.
Assembly
First, I sanded the edges of one MDF layer. For each additional layer, I glued, screwed, then used the router to smooth the transition between pieces. Finally, the whole piece was sanded, primed, and painted with the branding colours.
Reception
Overall, this project was extremely successful. These letters brought brand recognition to Big Ideas and Faculty events. The overall campaign won gold at the CASE Awards which recognizes outstanding work in higher education organizations in North America for marketing and special events.