June 30, 2009 – The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) has unveiled the official posters of Canada’s Games – the 21st produced for an Olympic Winter Games – in Ottawa, ON, with Canadian Olympic and Paralympic athletes on Monday, June 29.

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Vancouver 2010 Official Poster
The maple leaf. It’s one of Canada’s most widely recognized symbols and now it’s the face of the official 2010 Winter Games posters. But instead of the standard rustic red, this maple leaf is an anthology of nature and urban symbolism in wintery shades of blue and vibrant greens.

The complementary posters, reflecting the signature look of the 2010 Winter Games, have a bold, contemporary design and feature a cropped maple leaf composed of a vibrant palette found in the natural landscape of Vancouver and the Sea to Sky corridor, the Games Host Region. When the Olympic and Paralympic posters are displayed together, the two halves of the maple leaf join to create a whole, a concept that is a first for an Organizing Committee. The Official Emblems of the Games, and the Games motto With Glowing Hearts/Des plus brillants exploits, are also on the posters; all poster elements are artfully displayed on a white wood grain textured background.

Like other Games posters before them, the official posters of Canada’s Games — the 21st produced for a Winter Games — will hang on bedroom walls and office boardrooms around the world. Among collectors, Olympic and Paralympic Games posters are some of the most coveted Games keepsakes.

The posters go on sale today at vancouver2010.com/store and at The Olympic Stores located at Vancouver International Airport and in Whistler, BC, starting at $15 CAD.

The Creative Process
Created by hand using paint and mixed media prior to digital composition, the techniques employed to produce the original piece of art complement the modern and dynamic style of the Vancouver 2010 graphics. The Look of the Games graphic elements in the poster were created by members of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) design team, and the poster concept and unique interpretation of the graphic elements were brought to life by VANOC designer Ben Hulse.

“As one of the most visible and collectible items of the Games, we’re proud to offer Canadians and supporters around the world official posters that truly illustrate the spirit of Canada’s Games,” said John Furlong, VANOC Chief Executive Officer. “The posters feature the traditional maple leaf rendered in a new way that is symbolic of a country that is young at heart, diverse, dynamic and fun. The unique pairing of these posters reflect our integrated approach to celebrating the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games as one event for Canada.”

Order Your Poster
The posters, produced by VANOC licensee Canadian Art Prints of Richmond, BC, start at $15 for an 18 x 27-inch offset lithography print (available today) to a limited edition 20 x 28-inch Giclee print for $150 (pre-orders start today). Limited-edition versions of the posters will also be sold together; these include embossing, a story on how the posters were designed and a certificate of authenticity signed by VANOC CEO John Furlong and designer Ben Hulse.

In the coming months, other Vancouver 2010 posters will be available for sale, including the sport illustrations featured on highly sought Games tickets, including ice hockey, figure skating and alpine skiing. All 2010 Winter Games posters will be available for purchase at vancouver2010.com/store; The Olympic Stores in Whistler, Vancouver and at the Vancouver International Airport; select Zellers and The Bay stores; and select retailers across Canada and internationally.