The Engagement Part...
And you're invited!
The Engagement Party - Final Poster Artwork
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As a Manchester-based illustrator and visual artist, I’m always excited to get involved in local projects that highlight the unique culture and talent of our community. That’s why when I was approached to create the promotional artwork for The Engagement Party at Oldham Coliseum Theatre, I couldn’t have been more thrilled—especially because the production is written and directed by creatively engaged women of colour: Afshan D’Souza-Lodhi and directed by Amanda Huxtable. It’s inspiring to be part of a project that amplifies diverse voices, and I was eager to collaboratively develop the promotional artwork.
As a Manchester-based illustrator and visual artist, I’m always excited to get involved in local projects that highlight the unique culture and talent of our community. That’s why when I was approached to create the promotional artwork for The Engagement Party at Oldham Coliseum Theatre, I couldn’t have been more thrilled—especially because the production is written and directed by creatively engaged women of colour: Afshan D’Souza-Lodhi and directed by Amanda Huxtable. It’s inspiring to be part of a project that amplifies diverse voices, and I was eager to collaboratively develop the promotional artwork.
When I first read the brief, I was immediately filled with a million ideas! The energy of the play—packed with love, laughter, and tension—just clicked with my psychedelic visual style, which I’ve cultivated over the years. In a commercial setting, people might question how a psychedelic style can lend itself to storytelling. However, my approach is uniquely captivating, bold, eye-grabbing, and fluidly flexible. I combine this with my strategic marketing and graphic design experience, which ensures that I can communicate my client’s story with professionally.
The concepts development for Oldham Coliseum is a perfect example of how my distinctive style can enhance a project. Through proactive communication with the team, I was able to understand the key themes they wanted to highlight: the vibrancy of dynamic characters, the relatable and stereotypical drama of a family party, the contrast between cultures, and the familiarity of their local area, Oldham.
The artwork for The Engagement Party was completed within a couple of weeks, during which I collaborated closely with the team to explore and develop visual concepts that tied directly to the themes of the production. Since the focus was on the engagement party, I concentrated on creating a visual style that would speak to that celebratory theme.
Additionally, as the audience would be dining during the performance, I wanted the design to feel invitational—something that would set the tone for an immersive experience.
The marketing director also mentioned that there would be themed lighting based on the characters being portrayed. This immediately sparked the idea to suggest using a combination of cool and warm colors—blue and yellow—creating clear, strong, opposing tones that would add dynamic visual intrigue to the stage. These colors could also blend into green, symbolising family agreements, tying the artwork and the production together beautifully.
The Engagement Party - Illustrated Website Banner
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The Engagement Party Artwork - Illustrated for Banner format
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The Engagement Party Artwork - Illustrated for Instragram feed
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The marketing director also mentioned that there would be themed lighting based on the characters being portrayed. This immediately sparked the idea to suggest using a combination of cool and warm colors—blue and yellow—creating clear, strong, opposing tones that would add dynamic visual intrigue to the stage. These colors could also blend into green, symbolizing family agreements, tying the artwork and the production together beautifully.
It’s been such a rewarding experience to work on this project, and I’m proud of the final results. From ideation to execution, this collaboration perfectly reflects my creative process, combining bold visuals with thoughtful storytelling to create an unforgettable experience.
If you are looking to create bold, unique and captivating graphic illustrations by a vibrant Manchester based freelance illustrator, visual artist and designer please don't hesitate to contact me at: hello@jasminissaka.com