Akron Symphony Orchestra
Interlude Season 2020-2021
Branding / Logo Design / Poster Design
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Akron Symphony Orchestra (in Akron, OH) introduced their 2020-2021 season as "Interlude Season." In lieu of traditional concerts in E. J. Thomas Hall, they produced a number of different performances and musical presentations including online performances, instructional presentations, and small performances of 2-6 people in various venues throughout the city.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/885e061e-b756-49f7-bcac-5d1ef8a7000b_rw_1920.jpg?h=86aa050666e494fa1f9a5c2c83a40d77)
Logo Elements
To brand this series, a "fermata" (a musical symbol) was chosen. In music, a fermata is placed over a note instructing the performer to hold that note for an indefinite period of time. Using this as the basis of the logo was to signify that this symphonic series was a temporary holding period while the world waited out the pandemic. But though it was a holding period, it would still be full of life, energy, and music, which is why the watercolor theme was introduced.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/911e5276-2114-4184-b021-48b769f765d4_rw_1920.jpg?h=4924e2e07ce79a67df90486bff68ece8)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/fac2788a-3e04-40c3-83db-1ea9cd443798_rw_1920.jpg?h=acb59dfa8986ea170e175a7bfa8b8084)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/075192cb-887a-461d-b7dd-12b7f3224078_rw_1920.jpg?h=9dd39cff61c3f12aca92aa17dfea7c8f)
Development of the fermata logo and watercolor background
For the watercolor background, I started by using watercolor pencils. But it did not achieve the watercolor wash effect that I was going for. So I ended up taking water-based markers, scribbling out various areas of color on plastic, adding some drops of water, and then pressing the plastic onto the paper. Afterwards, the I scanned the paper and brought it into Photoshop where it could be cropped and edited.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/47befba9-4658-4155-9cc7-4e550eb1d29e_rw_1200.png?h=ca1947c64845400121a92bacc0378df7)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/b319f1b6-d0a4-4a27-abab-7bde5a9d6fcb_rw_1200.png?h=2967ea9c0e36dae77103650911319a7e)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/d439cfa2-b7c1-4007-b73e-7780a72e2b13_rw_1200.png?h=32cec05d0fad5ddd3c0e7729bd09c910)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/fc5cf54a-bcf1-42a3-a825-adb978ed980d_rw_1920.jpeg?h=f5521c62d70069fe5aa236038e5ab5f1)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/eb89cc0d-206b-4d49-9505-5115a7729163_rw_1920.jpeg?h=33f27aa443c064db66cf9ac1170f13be)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/59bfae00-c754-4d86-a27c-b06417fccdb9_rw_1920.jpg?h=9dd910178ee0b1714229d23ed06e92cb)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/ee624669-79fa-4fcb-abb0-2192982e9b46_rw_1920.jpeg?h=0b6027ec2f0ff149f28b4d24fa41a6bf)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/044d1f37-00db-4ece-913d-89516d85b018_rw_1920.jpeg?h=a9cbbc465b136d606399a0b8a7e604c4)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/71fecf2b-742f-4cea-9915-50d923869ed9_rw_1920.jpeg?h=796489efe1f1eeb1c21b8c16f1cf5d30)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/9dcc81f9-149d-4f70-bb06-e2e6413c8b9a_rw_1920.jpg?h=fd24f2635a818ea51aca9139ae6bdfe1)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/f82f2875-8872-4230-93bb-a1152b6bd035_rw_1920.jpg?h=1e5cb5fbed34ff4bd40797574878341a)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/cdba9186-1722-4acf-9ca0-1e852edf7d7a_rw_1920.jpg?h=b9e8a0e14e2cfad5ea4b0cefc00c6669)
Custom title font
I couldn't quite find a font that was both formal and elegant, while also matching the ASO logo (the small orchestra conductor pictograph) as well as the watercolor feel. So for the "interlude" title, I created my own custom type.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/ff8abc32-efa3-4838-b6b6-834bf3013e41_rw_1200.png?h=33ea7517b1e000e456785da1e54f61c0)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/cfc54fa7-6e77-49f7-8dbe-e00b8d2fc8b5_rw_1920.png?h=4362aeee99e4d816fc5c33602c620311)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/c0a6f3e6-234f-4bfc-877f-c2f796d524a1_rw_1200.png?h=e983bb4a7bb84388e15fecf80436f5b0)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/c7b88dd8-b60b-41a7-a609-1b9677687915_rw_1200.png?h=d44b085ad37f08d4f182cbddd49c8065)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/b993ab28-12c2-487e-988e-4b1a49ab2f58_rw_1920.png?h=282d880886ecc80fbd72aae43ea2b7d7)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/d696ed10-773c-40b6-b7af-430d1a54bac4_rw_1920.png?h=3affe278c1644c3ae0820dd76e4becce)
Final Poster Design
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/892df04d-3f81-4545-9baf-914c02de7ad8_rw_1920.jpg?h=6f66af39df2f02b741fdaf4d13a22388)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/b595758c-732f-48bb-a195-e81962b09056_rw_1920.jpg?h=e3cae1b5ebc9507d5922373af5deadc9)
Additional sketches
Initially, other elements were explored, such as musical rest symbols and the Akron city skyline, but ultimately were discarded.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/41ac4720-b294-4b5e-80c0-b3a12c639885_rw_1920.png?h=aab5649fe18add14034ed25224a1eeeb)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/1ad2aaa3-3925-41f0-82af-1635f211918b_rw_1200.png?h=e7edf4a38a9b5ea99c08707ed49fa9b8)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0e2d8f632852a630bb921df96f421d9/e023e0b4-d5e2-4280-8b75-48446e69c020_rw_1200.png?h=fb347191d9efa2b34e8fc38398f14787)