It’s a banner weekend for Chapman artists at International Street Fair

September 1, 2016

If you’re at the Orange International Street Fair this Labor Day Weekend, grab a bratwurst, churro or teriyaki stick and then look up – way up. Those colorful banners strung high across the streets of Old Towne Orange were created compliments of Chapman University graphic design students.

The student-created posters promoting this year’s International Street Fair feature a sunny design with global flair. They’ll be available for $2 each during the fair.

This is the fourth year students in Clint Woesner’s advanced graphic design class have created the theme and designed the street banners, posters, pins, T-shirts and program maps for the giant food and music fest attended by more than 500,000 people every year.

The Department of Art class is divided into four teams, and each pitches the Street Fair executive board with their ideas. This year’s “Travel With Your Tastebuds” winning theme features a palette of sherbet-like colors and streamlined graphics showcasing iconic international landmarks.

Design team members included Spencer Wierwille ’16, Megan Holloway ’16, Brendan Baz ’16, Lindsey Meyer ’16, Patrick Schlesselmann ’16, Jared Woods ’16 and Emily Senes ’16.

The project is both community service and a great learning experience. And while it’s tough to compete against classmates, it’s a taste of the real world, too, Woesner says.

“It’s a good learning opportunity because it’s very similar to the way it works in the real world. You’re a design studio and you’re competing in the same market as the other design studios and you have to put your best foot forward,” he says.

The students don’t make it easy for the planners, though.

“Every year the feedback we get from the board is that it’s a very difficult decision for them, which is good,” Woesner says. “We want all the groups to produce really good options.”