Overview

The popular Posters program was established in 1991 to celebrate the diverse communities that make up the New York region. The commissioned work by painters, printmakers, and illustrators touches upon transit-related subjects and the places that can be discovered using the mass transit system. Posters are randomly displayed in unused advertising space on subway platforms throughout the 472 subway stations and on subway cars and buses. Printed posters are available for sale to the public through the New York Transit Museum Stores. Revenue from sales from the posters help to support the educational and exhibition programs at the non-profit museum.

The program offers illustrators and other artists the opportunity to reach a broader public, and provides the public exposure to incredible artists and visionaries who create a respite of engaging visual art.

Brief

Create a poster predominantly featuring the NYC metro. The posters are to be off-set printed at 30.5” × 37.5” and randomly displayed in unused advertising space on subway platforms throughout 468 subway stations and available to the public through sales at the New York Transit Museum Stores. Revenue from sales from the posters go to support the educational and exhibition programs at the non‐profit museum.

Client: NYC MTA Arts & Design, Art Director: Lydia Bradshaw

Role: Illustrator / Designer

Timeline: September 2021

Process

Kick-off meeting with Art Director to go over the scope of the project and confirm progress due dates. I was provided with a template to compose the final image in to meet the printing requirements and to allow room for text overlay provided by the client.

Sketches of different concepts were submitted to the Art Director and reviewed by a MTA Arts & Design committee. Together they choose the fourth option to bring to the next phase. I created a tighter sketch, experimenting with different color schemes and illustrative approaches. The committee reviewed the second set and gave feedback before I moved onto final art.

Final art was created at size (30.5” x 37.5”) and in CMYK for off-set printing. The art was then submitted to the printers, who created test proofs which I reviewed to assure final color correctness. The posters were hung in subway stations in early 2022, and remained up for the year. The piece was selected by the Society of Illustrators to be included in their 2023 juried show.