October 3, 2022

The Making of Johnny Can’t Decide 📘

I first experienced Tick, Tick…Boom! through the 2021 Netflix adaptation. Andrew Garfield in a musical? Swoon.

Johnny Can’t Decide was my favorite song. Its seemingly simple lyrics reminded me of a children’s book. So I asked myself, “If this song was a A Little Golden Book, what would it look like?”

I began with the signature golden spine. Then I sprinkled details from other parts of the show. For Johnny’s pose and childlike features, I referenced this Little Golden book cover.

I refined the sketch more, renamed the series A Little Larson Book, and added the book title. It was turning out real cute! To make the design more dynamic, I turned the book at an angle and adjusted Johnny’s proportions.

I added the opening chords to 30/90 next to Johnny to suggest that he’s working on a song. Added more color and the rest is history!

Designing this pin happened very quickly — it all happened over one weekend! And bonus: I was able to get it manufactured before BroadwayCon 2022. It was exciting to premiere it there. You can purchase the enamel pin and matching sticker in the shop. Thanks for reading ❤️