Bergen County’s Zoological Park (also known as Van Saun Zoo) is one of northern NJ’s greatest hidden gems. It's been bringing fun, excitement, and wildlife education to the area for over two decades.  While it may be small compared to other nearby zoos, it hosts an impressive array of both domestic and exotic animals, has a passionate and knowledgeable staff, and offers a ton of educational programs for kids. Its rich history of providing joy and amusement, its size, and overall personability gives Van Saun an unmatched welcoming feeling.

 

This feeling makes Van Saun the special place it is and it is something that needed to be incorporated into the Zoo’s visual material…especially advertisement materials.  The best way to depict this feeling visually?  Through texture, which works to communicate the earthiness of the zoo as well. To make the posters more representative of the zoo overall I felt it necessary to feature some of their most distinctive animals. So I took to social media and prompted longtime patrons to share the animals they remember most from years of visits to Van Saun. The top results were (1) American Bison, (2) Spider Monkeys, and (3) Prairie Dogs (the honorable mention to the peacock, cows, and mountain lions).  I did consider making a fourth poster showcasing the Baird's Tapir (an animal I have only ever heard of or seen at Van Saun) but decided against it since it could be misinterpreted as a strange elephant by unfamiliar viewers. The next steps came down to collecting different textures that were both warm and depicted the respective animal and its environment accurately, collaging them together, and adding the type.