Heart of Learning Fund

Overview

Illustration and graphic design for a fundraising campaign booklet.
Hand-drawn illustration and layout supporting print materials.

The Situation

I was brought onto the project by So Good Media as part of a collaborative team led by creative director Anne Kirby. Sacred Heart Academy was preparing a fundraising campaign for the Heart of Learning Fund and wanted a piece that felt fresh and emotionally engaging, while still offering the sense of familiarity and trust their parents and alumni associate with the school.

The Need

The campaign needed to move away from traditional school marketing while still honoring Sacred Heart’s long history and established identity. The piece needed to capture a feeling of joy, humanity, and community, balancing a heartfelt fundraising message with warmth and approachability.

My Role

I created the illustrations and handled the graphic design for the booklet, working closely with Anne throughout the process. The illustration style was intentionally relaxed and hand-drawn, adding softness and warmth that photography alone couldn’t provide. Paired with photography, the illustrations introduced a sense of play and lightness that helped balance the more serious tone of the fundraising message.

I also played a key role in shaping the color palette, enriching Sacred Heart’s existing deep, traditional colors with brighter accents. Decisions around where and how to introduce color were made carefully, creating lift and energy without breaking trust with the school’s established visual language.

Outcome

The final booklet struck a balance between tradition and freshness, offering a warm, emotionally resonant piece for parents and alumni while clearly supporting the fundraising message. The combination of illustration, photography, and restrained color created a sense of joy, nostalgia, and trust that aligned closely with the Sacred Heart community.

One spread in particular, featuring children at play alongside hand-drawn text and imagery, captured that balance of lightness and legacy. The piece was very well received by both Sacred Heart Academy and So Good Media, and we were invited to collaborate again shortly after.