Th. Pettersson is a hair salon that graphic design studio Lycka Reklam has refreshed their brand identity for in the past. They asked Lycka Reklam for a large-scale poster that would showcase their long history in the city of Turku. Th. Pettersson was first established as a barber shop and later as a hair salon and has been in business in the same building since 1920. They requested that the poster would have well known landmarks of Turku and for their profession to be sewn into the design, for it to be unique for them. I had the opportunity to illustrate this poster, which was really special and it was the biggest project during my first intership.
The largest landmark in Turku is the Aura river, which streams through the center of the city and has many of the known landmarks running along it. I wanted to do a map type illustration, where the river is simplified and folded in a new way - loosely mimicking the true shape and the landmarks carefully placed along the river in the "correct place". To bring the hair salon aspect into the illustration I made the Aura river flowing golden hair instead of water and used the brand colours dark green, gold, black and white as a limited colour palette. I highlighted the building that the hair salon has been located at since 1920 in gold as well to match the golden river hair –and since the building has been named the "panther house", I illustrated a black panther to guard the building. I made this illustration using Procreate. The client wished for the poster to have a hand drawn feel to it. This 1500 x 750 mm poster is now hanging on the salon wall.
Moodboard
Approved sketch
The finished illustration