Project info
| Client: | National Institutes of Health (NIH) – Tribal Health Research Office (THRO) |
| Project: | Native American Heritage Month (NAHM) |
| Skills: | Branding, Illustration, Design |
| Software: | Figma |
Process
This project was to create posters and social media graphics for THRO to promote the 2022 Native American Heritage Month.
The design process involved:
- developing a look and feel based on NIH’s brand guidelines and a mockup of THRO’s new homepage
- conducting a design scan of Native American websites published by federal government, health agencies, Tribes, and private businesses. The website topics included education, activism, and arts and culture, and I looked specifically for themes of environmental activism and art.
- developing three 508-compliant design directions that struck a balance between ancient wisdom and modern science
- presenting the design design directions to the client and revising the chosen design direction
A challenging aspect of this project was to incorporate a theme that was general enough that all tribes could relate to but, specific enough as to not feel generic
Here are the 3 design directions presented:
The client choose Option: 1 Vibrant Earth.
This design direction focuses on the theme of unity in diversity and the interconnectedness of the natural world. The medicine wheel is a visual representation of the Indigenous learning process and teachings about the interconnectedness of life. The four sections of the medicine wheel correspond with the four directions and seasons, which are reinforced by superimposed imagery on each quadrant. The medicine wheel and Turtle Island are unifying themes amongst many Native American tribes. The rainbow border hints at unity within diversity while also being reminiscent of Native American beadwork.