I've been meaning to write about this little flyer since I first saw it hanging around town several weeks ago. The flyer provides information about CitySeed's farmers' markets, which are held in various New Haven neighborhoods.

The monochromatic color scheme is especially effective in this piece. The unusual green color, used for illustration and text alike, conveys all the subtext of a farmer's market: natural, organic, clean, fresh, local, healthy. It would've been easy to make each of the vegetable and fruit icons its "proper" color, but the designer has chosen -- wisely -- to keep the color uniform, which causes the shape of the drawings to become a point of interest.

Though some detail has been lost (because of the thinness of the lines, I think), the drawings hold up as recognizable icons for each neighborhood's market.  The paper -- a lightweight recycled stock -- creates a simple and elegant texture that becomes the "color" inside of each drawing.

The simplicity of the typography adds to the literal and conceptual legibility of the piece. Using a limited number of point sizes, using a single typeface, and adhering to a somewhat flexible grid/axis structure creates an internal logic that is visible in the piece's execution. The bilingual aspect of the piece (see the first photograph in this post -- one side of the flyer is printed in English, the reverse is printed in Spanish) is a thoughtful addition.

The farmer's markets are great for getting fresh, local produce at surprisingly affordable prices. Yale Dining also runs a small market on Friday afternoons during the summer. All of the markets are worth a visit.