jess steel

Jess Steel is a singer and songwriter based in York. Her sound draws on 60s soul, Motown and blues

brief

Create a series of posters to publicise Jess’ forthcoming tour dates

aim

Research Jess’ own music and the music that inspires her, think about her audience and following, and find a theme that ties the series together so that they look like a family

idea

A theme that runs through Jess’ music is finding strength after heartache. I started by thinking about Jess, and her heart. I imagined she might have several: one broken, one faint, one bold, one shot by Cupid’s bow. I linked this to her getting ready for a night out, choosing which heart to wear. There is an empty hanger in the final design, suggesting she has already made her choice. For the second poster, I wanted something more literal and closer to her 60s inspiration. I kept the heart motif and used a 60s risograph style, setting grainy, lived-in hearts against a broken background to suggest fragmentation, while keeping the image colourful and vibrant