Design

A Message of Trust

Design puts function and usability before visual razzle-dazzle. When your design is dated, confusing, or otherwise unusable, you are telling the world that your organization is dated, confusing, and wait for it... unusable. What you really lose with poor design is TRUST.

With fresh, clean, and user-friendly designs, Sarah Susan can help you convey the right MESSAGE to your audience. Let the world know YOU are the top dog! Drop me a line at sarah@sarahsusandesigns.com or give me a call at 734-707-7478 to talk about your design needs.

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Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center Brochure: Side 1
Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center Brochure: Side 1
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Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center Brochure: Side 2
Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center Brochure: Side 2
For this brochure for the WCAC (Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center), cost restrictions demanded a duotone printing, so I let the green of their logo dominate. The layout is in keeping with the brochures for other programs under the umbrella agency, Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County.

View the WCAC Annual Report PDF.
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Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center Annual Report: Front Page
Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center Annual Report: Front Page
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Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center Annual Report: Page 1
Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center Annual Report: Front Page
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Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center Annual Report: Page 2
Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center Annual Report: Front Page
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Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center Annual Report: Back Page
Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center Annual Report: Front Page
The WCAC (Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center) needed an annual report that spoke to the optimism of healing as well as the horrific drama of sexual crimes against children. The center's logo was dated and overly colored, but I had to incorporate their branding into the report. My solution was to keep the front and back covers lighter, drawing from the colors in the logo to create a rhythm. On the inside, I deepened the backgrounds so the bright colors of the logo would read as less buoyant and more alarming to highlight the seriousness of the demographics displayed.

View the WCAC Annual Report PDF.
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Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County Annual Report: Inside Foldout.
Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County Annual Report: Inside Foldout
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Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County Annual Report: Inside Foldout.
Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County Annual Report: Inside Foldout
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Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County Annual Report: Inside Page
Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County Annual Report: Inside Page
The Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County needed an annual report so I waded through the data provided by dozens of programs and compiled this presentation. My goal was to create a unified, accessible image to provide a snapshot of the agency.
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RSVP Ice Cream Social invitation.
RSVP Ice Cream Social Invitation: Front
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RSVP Ice Cream Social invitation.
RSVP Ice Cream Social Invitation: Back
RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) is a national initiative to encourage volunteerism for seniors, locally administered through Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw. I created this postcard invitation for their annual event to honor the accomplishments or senior volunteers in our community. The ice cream, by Go Ice Cream in Ypsilanti, Michigan, kind of blew my mind.

View PDF of RSVP Ice Cream Social Invitation.
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Marnee & John DeVine Leadership Event Save the Date Postcard
Marnee & John DeVine Leadership Award Save the Date Postcard
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Marnee & John DeVine Leadership Award Invitation
Marnee & John DeVine Leadership Award Invitation
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Marnee & John DeVine Leadership Award Response Card: Inside
Marnee & John DeVine Leadership Award Response Card: Inside
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Marnee & John DeVine Leadership Award Response Card: Outside
Marnee & John DeVine Leadership Award Response Card: Outside
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Marnee & John DeVine Leadership Award Event Menu
Marnee & John DeVine Leadership Award Event Menu
These samples came from an invitation and event package I created for the Marnee & John DeVine Leadership Award event to benefit Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw. The honoree of this event had a strong preference for orchids, and the event committee was pulling hard for purple. So that's what I did. I also had the pleasure of writing the event web post.
Jewish High Holiday Services Flyer
Jewish High Holiday Services Flyer
I reversed the figure-ground relationships in this flyer for Congregation Zera Avraham to express both the celebratory and solemn natures of these Jewish holidays.
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Cooking for a Cause Save the Date Card: Front
Cooking for a Cause Save the Date Card: Front
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Cooking for a Cause Save the Date Card: Back
Cooking for a Cause Save the Date Card: Back
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ooking for a Cause Invitation: Inside
Cooking for a Cause Invitation: Inside
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Cooking for a Cause Invitation: Outside
Cooking for a Cause Invitation: Outside
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Cooking for a Cause Raffle poster
Cooking for a Cause Raffle Poster
For this annual fundraiser for Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County, I adapted the previous year's designs, adding a gingham background, among other alterations. I wanted guests to have a sense of the continuity of a relatively new event while freshening up the presentation.

View the Cooking for a Cause Invitation PDF.

View the Cooking for a Cause Program PDF.
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Volunteers Wanted Postcard: Side 1
Volunteers Wanted Postcard: Side 1
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Volunteers Wanted Postcard: Side 2
Volunteers Wanted Postcard: Side 2
Always looking for volunteers Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County Senior Services needed an eye-catchy image to attract energetic, extroverts for their active day program. For their caregiver services, they needed something quieter and more intimate to attract volunteers who wanted more "one-on-one" time. The two-sided piece targets both audiences.
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Website banner image promoting Foster Care month.
Foster Care Campaign Website Banner
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Foster Care Campaign Social Media Banner
Foster Care Campaign Social Media Banner
For National Foster Care Month I created this artwork for a web campaign to raise awareness of the Foster Care Program at Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County.
Social media poster for art show
Art Show Graphic
I put this social media event poster together using one of the artist's paintings as a background.
Mothers Day graphic for her social media
Mothers Day Graphic
I used this artists work to create a Mothers Day graphic for her social media pages.
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YMCA art show poster for social media
YMCA Art Show Poster for Facebook
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CInDI labs logo with heading
YMCA Art Show Poster for Instagram
I used repetition and clean text design to make sure the abstract art had plenty of room to breath.
Carol Evert Art Squarespace website design.
Carol Evert Art Squarespace Website
Student WorkArranging paintings in a portfolio site requires attention to both individual pieces, as well as the visual flow throughout the page. Like most artists, Carol has diverse subject and style interests. My goal was to create a cohesive layout that does justice to each piece.
Revised Northern Alaska Tours home page using industry standards.
Northern Alaska Tours Website Homepage
Student WorkThis revision for the Northern Alaska Tour Company implemented industry-specific design standards.
Revised Ronald McDonald House home page using 'flat and long' layout.
Ronald McDonald House Website Homepage
Student Work This revision of the Ann Arbor Ronald McDonald House required a "flat and long" layout. I included "I Need Help" and "I Want to Help" buttons to expedite navigation for families in crisis.
Memorial Day graphic for social media.
Memorial Day Graphic
I created this graphic out of an artist's painting to use on social media for Memorial Day.
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Revised South Central Power homepage, using 3-bucket layout. Desktop view
South Central Power Website Homepage Desktop View
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Revised South Central Power homepage, using 3-bucket layout. Landscape tablet view
South Central Power Website Homepage Landscape Tablet
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Revised South Central Power homepage, using 3-bucket layout. Portrait tablet view.
South Central Power Website Homepage Portrait Tablet
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Revised South Central Power homepage, using 3-bucket layout. Landscape phone view.
South Central Power Website Homepage Landscape Phone
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Revised South Central Power homepage, using 3-bucket layout. Portrait phone view.
South Central Power Website Homepage Portrait Phone
Student Work This makeover of the South Central Power Company called for a "three-bucket" layout. I added designs for a responsive layout, as well.
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Revised Ralph T. Waterman Bird Club homepage, using 'dominant photo.
Ralph T. Waterman Bird Club Website Homepage
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Revised Ralph T. Waterman Bird Club email.
Ralph T. Waterman Bird Club Email
Student Work I chose a 'dominant image' layout for this reworking of the Ralph T. Waterman Bird Club home page. An accompanying HTML email includes a simple, direct call to action.
Revised Savannah Bee Company homepage, with 'user generated' content.
Savannah Bee Company Website Homepage
Student Work The goal of this revision for the Savannah Bee Company was to create a framework for user-generated content—a marketing technique that drives site engagement while supporting the brand.