The Brainstorm

The Warrenton Wizard Walk needed something immersive, magical, and memorable. A traditional event program didn’t feel special enough, so I pitched the idea of creating a full newspaper inspired by the wizarding world. The concept became The Warrenton Warbler, a playful nod to the Daily Prophet and a chance to break all the usual rules of pagination for the sake of storytelling and fun.

The Creative Process

I designed the Warbler as a black-and-white, spell-themed newspaper with a custom masthead built in Illustrator. I pushed the layout beyond traditional structure, incorporating eccentric spacing, tilted elements, and a magical visual rhythm that echoed the Harry Potter universe.

Although the stories were written by others, I owned the layout and visual direction from start to finish. I collaborated with our team to design every ad that ran in the paper, ensuring the entire publication felt cohesive, intentional, and enchantingly chaotic in the best way.

We printed a limited run, and it quickly became a collector’s item. News spread quickly about the quirky newspaper and visitors even traveled from out of town just to get a copy.

Tools Used

• Illustrator

• InDesign

• Photoshop

• Webflow

• Adobe Premiere Pro

• Adobe After Effects

The Vision

The goal was not just to create a themed newspaper, but to make it come alive. After the print edition gained excitement, we expanded the Warbler into a multimedia experience using Webflow. The idea: turn each article into a short live-action moment that captured the same magic as the printed page.

The Outcome

My team and I filmed videos for each story, and I used After Effects to add sparkle, motion, and small enchanted flourishes. The result was a fully animated, interactive “digital Warbler” displayed on screens at Town Hall throughout the event. Kids and families gathered around to watch the printed stories transform into living scenes, making the Warbler one of the most talked-about elements of the Wizard Walk.

The project blended print, illustration, video, animation, and web design into one whimsical experience, and remains one of the most playful, joy-filled pieces in my portfolio.