Montreal Bagel & Blues
Montreal Bagel and Blues is a weekend blues dance event in Montreal, featuring live music, workshops, and plenty of social dancing. From Friday to Sunday, attendees can enjoy an immersive experience of rhythm, movement, and late-night bagels in a vibrant dance community.
Role: Graphic Designer, client communication
Project Context: Non Profit Organization
Product Type: Merch, Mockups for marketing
Duration: 2 weeks
Tools: Figma, Procreate, Adobe
Problem
The Montreal Bagel and Blues organizers want merchandise design that captures the fun and lively spirit of the event, drawing inspiration from the iconic early 2000s Howling Wolf t-shirts that feature a wolf howling at the moon. The design will maintain a sense of fun, emphasizing the community and joy of the event. It should be both nostalgic and approachable, with bold colors and fun elements that draw attention while capturing the unique, lighthearted atmosphere of the event.
Solution
The design will feature a playful twist on the classic "howling at the moon" concept by replacing the moon with a bagel, capturing both the fun and unique spirit of Montreal Bagel and Blues. The design will keep the “derp” level of the wolves, with exaggerated, humorous expressions, emphasizing the lighthearted and inviting atmosphere of the event. To ensure versatility and accommodate varying budgets, the design will be adaptable to both black and white prints, making it suitable for different merchandise needs while maintaining a fun, engaging look that resonates with attendees.
Branding
The Montreal Bagel and Blues branding follows a minimalist approach, using a basic black and white color scheme with one accent color to add vibrancy. This simple yet effective design allows for easy adaptability across various materials and merchandise, ensuring that the brand remains consistent while also leaving room for creative expression. The accent color can be strategically used to highlight key elements of the design, such as the bagel or event details, while maintaining a clean and approachable look that appeals to a wide audience.
Mood board
The Options
This mood board brings together the quirky, nostalgic energy of early 2000s “howling at the moon” t-shirts with a playful twist unique to Montreal Bagel and Blues. It features classic imagery of wolves howling—intentionally leaning into exaggerated, “derpy” expressions for humor and charm—paired with clean, simplistic illustrations of bagels. The result is a fun, inviting aesthetic that captures the event’s personality: lighthearted, dance-filled, and a little absurd in the best way. The limited color palette, true to the event’s minimal branding, keeps things cohesive while letting the visuals speak for themselves.
💡 fun 💡 clear
💡 absurd 💡 simple
Designs
Sketches
Mockups
These mockups showcase the t-shirt designs as key marketing materials for Montreal Bagel and Blues, highlighting their potential use in event promotion and merchandise. Each mockup uses varying color blocks that complement the event’s limited color scheme, maintaining brand consistency while adding visual interest.
Hoodie: Front , Back, Sleeve
Final Design
The final design features a five-color palette and will be printed on black shirts to align with the event’s branding. Organizers were presented with multiple variations, each offering different levels of color use and detail. The selected version strikes a balance between boldness and simplicity, ensuring the design stands out while remaining cohesive with Montreal Bagel and Blues’ minimal aesthetic.
1 Final Asset
Reflection
What I Learned
Communication
I learned the importance of clear communication when discussing budget and setting expectations for the final product. Helping meet both creative goals and practical limitations.
Fun
I learned to embrace having more fun with creative expression. This allowed me to push the boundaries of the design, bringing a playful and unique twist to the branding that captured the fun, lighthearted vibe of the event.