The LA Galaxy have a pretty cool tradition: they ask artists and designers to create posters for every home match. I’ve been following this year’s series and it’s had some really good moments.

This week, it’s my turn.

I was incredibly flattered when the Galaxy reached out to me to create one for this Saturday’s coming home game against the Whitecaps. This poster is my visual tribute to the club and a particular Hall of Famer on the team who wears the #10 shirt.

Note: If you’d like to learn more about the design, or even purchase one (proceeds go to charity), you can do so here.

How did I arrive at this design, exactly? Here’s what I was hoping to get across.

1.

A yellow-and-dark-blue flag is planted firmly atop a white-capped mountain. Quasar-shaped stars – a Galaxy standard – reign in the sky above. It’s a simple, timeless message, if you’re an LA supporter – our visuals beat yours. The Galaxy will dominate any obstacle the Whitecaps present and plant their victory flag.

Because the teams share a color – dark blue – and naturally occurring shapes – stars and mountains, respectively – this visual conceit became a great way to tie the two identities together.  

2.

Looking more closely at the mountain and the flag, I hope you see a second motif emerge: it’s the corner of a soccer field, where the end line and sideline meet and the corner flag flies. The mountain’s “snow cap” even doubles as the small quarter-circle traditionally painted in the corner.  In this scenario, the quasar stars kind of become camera flashes from a charged-up crowd. I thought this was a cool, layered idea to work with. 

3.

All eyes are on one Galaxy player right now – one who, in fact, takes the Galaxy’s corner kicks. Everything comes back to Landon Donovan, #10.  So, the flag proudly references his number. Landon owns that corner and those high-pressure moments.  

4.

One final touch that, once I tried, I knew I had to keep in: if you count the number of quasar stars, you should get to 107. (I’ve recounted an unhealthy number of times.) That’s exactly one star for each goal Landon has scored as a member of the Galaxy. I thought it made for a great final visual layer.  

(Of course it would happen this way: I had submitted the poster with 106 stars, and then Donovan went and scored a clutch mid-week goal yesterday against Colorado. The man does not respect goaltenders or designers with print deadlines. With a little spit and polish, I was able to sneak one more in there.) 

So: thanks, LA Galaxy, and thanks Landon. All in all, it was a tremendously fun project and I hope Galaxy fans enjoy it.

And if the Whitecaps need some visual revenge, I’m available.