Creative Block is a conceptual conference centered around addressing mental health issues for people in creative fields, including artists, designers, writers, and musicians. I chose to focus on mental health because of its relevance to those in Generation Z, including myself and my peers, who are currently entering the workforce and learning how to approach and heal from issues such as imposter syndrome and burnout.
While researching, I noticed that mental health design often relies on visual tropes including pastel colors, brain and plant imagery, and script typefaces. I challenged these standards with Creative Block, choosing to center the brand design around bold, dense type and vivid colors that unapologetically draw attention to the issue of creative mental health.
For print media, I wanted the visual theme of the event to apply internally as well as externally—the staff and team promoting and setting up Creative Block would use the system for their memos, business cards, and ID badges. The ID in particular gave me the idea to use the blocks as windows and framing devices. I also rendered all photographs in grayscale to make the warm hues pop even more.
I created a Figma prototype for a website promoting and selling tickets for Creative Block. This was technically challenging, as I wanted the system assets to be flexible and responsive to make the user experience maximally engaging; most of the blocks present on the web page stretch or reveal text when hovered over or clicked on. To complement the website and add realism, I created a few motion graphics for the home page, loading screen, and hypothetical social media posts.
Creative Block won the "Best in Show: Senior" award in Ligature 35, UF's annual design symposium. It is my largest single project to date, representing hours of research, multiple visual concepts, and a gamut of deliverables spanning print, digital, and motion media.