Illustration & Visual Narrative - Task 3 : Illustrated Typography Poster

06.11.2024 - 29.11.2024 (Week 7 - Week 10)

Brenda Wynn (0372128)

Illustration & Visual Narrative / Bachelors of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor's University

Task 3 : Illustrated Typography Poster

JUMP LINKS

LECTURES

Week 7

Mr. Hafiz taught us how to use intertwine on Illustrator. He also taught us how to use 3D effects on Illustrator. We also got to try to use both of these newly learned tools using our own names.

Figure 1.1.1 intertwine tutorial (06/11/2024, week 7)

Week 8

Mr. Hafiz showed us one of the example on how to manipulate text. He informed us to use the ellipse tool, shape-builder, pathfinder, etc. One of the new tools Mr. Hafiz taught us is how to use the envelope distort tool. This tool was used to distort the text into the shape and it is also used to embed some patterns onto the shape.

Figure 1.2.1 manipulating text tutorial (14/11/2024, week 8)

Mr. Hafiz also taught us on how to practice and use the pencil tool.

Figure 1.2.2 pencil tool tutorial (14/11/2024, week 8)

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INSTRUCTIONS

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TASK

We were given a task where we have to make a poster with the topic "QUOTES OF THE DAY". We were told to illustrate and express the quote. To start, I looked into some references to help me get an idea on how I should go on with the poster.

Figure 2.1.1 reference poster board (15/11/2024, week 8)

I decided to use the quote "LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES, DON'T REGRET THEM" and I came up with 3 sketches. I also gathered some photos to help me sketch before I started sketching. These are the photos I used:

Figure 2.1.2 poster sketch references (15/11/2024, week 8)

Here are the 3 sketches I came up with:

Figure 2.1.3 poster sketches (15/11/2024, week 8)

Descriptions:

#1 On this first idea, my idea was to show that if you make mistakes academically, you should learn from it and move on. it also shows that time is always running and don’t regret wasting your time not doing something productive for your future. For the word “THEM”, it is showing the list of regrets if you waste time.

#2 The second idea I had was a bookshelf that is arranged specifically to spell out the sentence “LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES”. The part above shows a bookshelf that is filled with books, it refers to a lot of knowledge. Because to achieve something, it is better to learn from your mistakes rather than regretting them. That is why the word “MISTAKES” and the lower part of the book shelf is rather empty because there is not much knowledge you can get when you regret the mistakes and doing it all over again in the same way.

#3 My last idea, intends to show what you can achieve when you learn from your mistake and when you regret them. So the part above express new ideas, a deal, and success. Though, the bottom layer shows that if you overthink your mistakes and not learn from it, you can become emotionally unstable.

After I showed my sketches, Mr. Hafiz told me to proceed using either the second sketch or the top part of my third sketch. I decided to move on using my second sketch. After confirming which sketch I was going to use, I decided to roughly digitize my idea. Here are the pictures that I found online to help me roughly digitize my idea:

Figure 2.2.1 images for rough digitization (21/11/2024, week 9)

Here is the result of my rough digitization:

Figure 2.2.3 first idea rough digitization (21/11/2024, week 9)

When I wanted to digitize with my own photography and finalize the idea. I decided to change my idea and start again. Because I thought that I did not have many choices to work with if I stuck with my idea before. So, I started again with the quote "IT'S NOW OR NEVER". I first looked into some references that had the same poster concept that I had in mind. Here are the references I used:

Figure 2.3.1 poster concept references (25/11/2024, week 10)

Then I continued to look on some poster references that matches the quote I wanted to put on the poster. Here are the references I referred to:

Figure 2.3.2 quote references (25/11/2024, week 10)

After looking at the references, I decided to look on some illustrated type posters that I like. From what I have viewed, I liked the illustrated type made by the artist Wim Crouwel best. So, I gathered some of his work and analyzed the letterforms. Here are the posters made by Wim Crouwel I gathered:

Figure 2.3.4 type style reference board (25/11/2024, week 10)

By the time I finished analyzing posters and observing the references I gathered. I came up with a sketch. Here is the sketch I made:

Figure 2.3.5 new sketch (25/11/2024, week 10)

Description:

It will show two photographs of myself, one of the is studying and the other is watching videos online. I will then add a bookshelf as a background, just so that it could add more educational value. For the text, I decided to incorporate the aspects of my first idea. Which is making the text look like it is embedded on the bookshelves. The main idea of this poster is to show that we should do something productive for our future now, before we regret it when it is too late. The goal of this poster is to give motivation to people to start achieving their goals or dreams now before it is too late.

To start digitizing, I first arranged the photographs and edited it in Photoshop before I move it to Illustrator. Here is the result of the poster before adding the text:

Figure 2.3.6 photoshop result (28/11/2024, week 10)

This is my final concept board:

Figure 2.3.7 concept board (28/11/2024, week 10)

After I finished editing in photoshop, I have roughly created a variety of illustrated type posters in Illustrator to see which idea expressed the quote better. Here are the illustrated types I made, before settling on the final poster idea:

Figure 2.3.8 illustrated type ideas (28/11/2024, week 10)

After I finished choosing the idea, I began to make the final poster. First, I looked for a Sans Serif font which I will download and put in Illustrator. After looking at the fonts, I decided to use the Ringtail Sans Serif font. By the time I put it in Illustrator, I started to make the illustrated type for my poster. To start, I put the quote into separate text boxes. Since the quote that I used is "IT'S NOW OR NEVER", I started with the contraction "IT'S". I used the extrude 3D effect and adjusted both its angle and placement. I also added some shadows on the lighting option. Following that, I used the warp tool to make it arched. For the final touches I adjusted it again, so that it faces the photograph of me studying.

Figure 2.3.9 progress 1 (28/11/2024, week 10)

For the word "NOW", I used the same technique and tools. But, I used the inflate 3D effect not the extrude effect. I also made it bigger, so that it outlines the photograph. The conjunction "OR" was also made with the same technique and tools, but I used the extrude effect. In addition, I made the conjunction "OR" face the second photograph where I am watching videos.

Figure 2.3.10 progress 2 (28/11/2024, week 10)

The word "NEVER" was also made with the same technique and tools, but I used the inflate effect just like the word "NOW". I also wanted to make the word "NEVER" stand out, so I made it into a red color. To express the word "NEVER", I decided to make a copy of the word "NEVER" after I used the 3D effect, adjusted the lighting, and added a customized arc using the warp tool. With the copies, I stacked it on top of each other and made it larger every time while holding the shift button, so that it is not distorted. I also used different opacities on the copied text, just so that I can express the word better. I wanted to show the sound that you usually hear on the back of your mind that tells you to do something that you have to accomplish, but sometimes we avoid doing it. That is the idea I had to express the word "NEVER".

Figure 2.3.11 progress 3 (28/11/2024, week 10)

FINAL ILLUSTRATED TYPE

Figure 2.3.12 final illustrated type result (28/11/2024, week 10)

FINAL POSTER DESIGN

Figure 2.3.13 final poster result (28/11/2024, week 10)

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FEEDBACK

Mr. Hafiz liked the first idea I settled with, which is the bookshelf. After I changed my quote and idea, Mr. Hafiz said that the words on the new quote has a lot more reference on how to illustrate and express it. Mr. Hafiz told me that the rough digitization text did not express the words well enough and both of the text which is "NOW" and "NEVER" looked the same visually. Mr. Hafiz also told me to add more details on the letters.

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REFLECTION

During the making of the poster, I have learned how to operate the new tools much better. For example: the 3D effect tool. I have also gone through many attempts before finalizing my poster design. In addition, I have changed my idea during a late time of the assignment. It was challenging, but I was determined to make a poster better than my previous idea. Through the time when me and my peers made our posters, I got a chance to see the posters my peers made. From the posters that I have seen, I noticed that a lot of my peers was able to make use of the 3D effects effectively in my opinion. The time when I was making this poster, I realized that even the smallest change in detail can affect the visual look of the poster. I have also learned a lot of new tools on Illustrator, and I will continue to practice the new tools and the other tools more. Just so that I could use Illustrator more efficiently and skillfully.

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