Although the overall design of the various publication elements in my system appears simple, there is a lot of thought behind each element, and everything is in place for a reason. The main theme behind the designs is finding a balance between classical and contemporary (much like the Soulpepper team does with performing classical plays in a contemporary way). I used this contrast in various forms throughout these pieces. For example, I used a classical serif font for the body text, but balanced it out with a more modern serif font for the logo and various other headlines. I also balanced classical symmetry anchored on a center axis with a contemporary underlying grid which also utilizes white space. One other contrasting element is the classical pattern featured throughout the pieces, which is balanced out by the contemporary single lines that break up the centered alignment.
This classical pattern was based off of the way that classical Roman columns appear. I wanted the pattern to be simple so it could be used at any size. For example, the pattern appears much larger in the poster, but it is very small on the business card. If the pattern was any more intricate, it would not be able to be clearly distinguished on the business card. This pattern is one of the consistencies throughout each piece. Usually it appears running across the top of the publication (like in the poster, letterhead, playbill, and brochure) or as a repeating pattern on the backs of the envelope and business card. The color and size of the pattern varies depending on what piece it is used for. Another consistency throughout all of the pieces is the single line. Usually, it is featured underneath the main headline of the piece (play name, month on the calendar, etc) or it separates different elements on the page (like the playwright biography on the playbill). The lines either line up with an element on the page, or with the underlying grid on the specific piece. One other design element that stays consistent is the fact that the body text is broken into two columns. This way the text doesn't look so overwhelming, and the space is better utilized.
The colors used in the various pieces also are intentionally used. Each play would essentially have its own "highlight" color that derives from the illustration (or photograph) image from that specific play. So for example, the red color from the flames on the illustration is the main color for Oleanna. This red is featured in the logo, classical pattern, and single straight lines on the various pieces that coincide with Oleanna. The brochure uses blue as the main color in these design elements. This blue derives from the venue at which the Soulpepper plays take place (the Young Centre for the Performing Arts). In photos of the venue, there is a distinct blue light cast outside of the building, so this blue color used in the brochure is referring to this blue color. Blue is also a good color to use because it doesn't overpower the rest of the artwork on the page (such as the various play poster images).
For the logo, I wanted to maintain the classical/contemporary balance, so I have the classical pattern running through the contemporary sans serif typeface. The text is in all caps so the pattern can be viewed better, but it is also slanted so the word doesn't seem so harsh and imposing. The logo is also very versatile, so it could be changed to be any color (like the highlight color for specific plays).
I used a few elements that Soulpepper used in its previous identity system. For example, they used white space quite a bit, but they usually put the text in a corner or along an outer edge. I maintained the use of white space, but I rearranged the placement of the text to make it more dynamic and interesting (using the centered alignment). The previous Soulpepper system also was very simple, so I wanted to maintain that simplicity in my identity system as well. Since the play illustrations and photos are especially detailed and interesting, I didn't want the overall design to overpower it. Since Soulpepper is located in Canada, I used the A4 paper system for all of my pieces. This is because this system uses the metric system instead of inches. This also provided me with the chance to use a paper size system that I haven't previously worked with before.
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