Sprung Formal Issue 20, Spring 2025

Sprung Formal is the annual open-submission poetry and art publication produced at the Kansas City Art Institute. Being part of the interdisciplinary design course, the class was responsible for developing a unique visual identity and promotional campaign to support the end-of-semester release, including a printed publication and branded materials such as tote bags, bookmarks, buttons, keychains, posters, and social media assets. Our theme was centered on the intimacy of gathering around a table with friends and family, where food, drink, and music become the backdrop for shared stories, memories, and connection. Framing the publication as a kind of communal table allowed each poem and artwork to feel like a different voice joining the conversation, contributing to a larger atmosphere of warmth, reflection, and shared experience.

My role on our team was to design and create all spot illustrations used throughout the publication, and to also be used across all promotional deliverables, both digital and print, where I worked together with our team to develop a consistent visual language.

I also selected the typefaces used in the book, which helped to establish
a typographic aesthetic that helped to guide both the publication’s layout and readability, and suited the identity of the ‘Dinner Party’.

Check out the merchandise here! https://artsupplies.kcai.edu/search/sprung+formal/

photos by Naomi Medrano
and Jake Waeltermann