This early project remains one of my favorite examples of how simple visual design can create meaningful engagement. While studying at Colorado State University in 1995, I created a public-awareness poster for the Colorado Alcohol & Drug Abuse Division that applied a psychological phenomenon called the Troxler effect to make the message more immersive for viewers.
I positioned the words “Drugs / Alcohol” on the left and “Healthy Lifestyle” on the right in small type, anchored by one bold, centered word: FOCUS. Beneath it, the line reads: “Focus on one long enough and eventually the other disappears.”
When viewers pause to look at the poster, they naturally settle their gaze on one side or the other. As their eyes focus, the opposite message gradually softens in their peripheral vision, subtly mirroring the campaign’s theme about attention, habits, and the way repeated choices shape outcomes.
The poster was selected by the division, printed, and displayed across campus.
Though created during my university years, it continues to reflect the type of conceptual, behavior-driven work I bring to Strange Bird Designs.

Review additional Poster Design projects within our Strange Bird Designs portfolio.