Pretty in Pink

Pink is bold, bright, and eye catching. The color in this monochromatic theme is stark and therefore attractive to the eye. The designer is giving the viewers instructions. It's as if he/she is saying, "Look at this, this, and this. The rest is icing." At first glance, a viewer can glean all the important information including leading actress, film type, and film title.

Another design element in this cover is framing. Because the words are framed, they feel anchored and concrete. The solid strips of color create a contrast to the words. The contrast in addition to the bold type face creates easy to read words. 

The frames divide the composition into thirds and the larger black frame creates a balance to the smaller pink frame. The photograph also considers thirds. The shorter actor, Molly Ringwald, creates two diagonals that bring the eye through the composition. She also creates a triangle with the other actors, which brings the eye back up to the top of the cover. 

This cover is successful because in one glance, the viewer can glean all important information. However if a viewer wants, he/she can find many things to look at longer. 

Final Project: Photoshop Steps

This week I finished two paintings. Below is a layer by layer progression of steps.

After I finished a layer of under painting, I paid more attention to the final colors I wanted visible. This layer is a series of loose washes laid with consideration to the boundaries of major shapes. Much of my original sketch is covered or heavily obsqured.


After picking colors, I laid down a layer of high lights and shadows. Also on this layer, some of the details have been worked back in for clarification. I like to work back and forth between increasing the clarity of color and line.

This layer further works the clarity of color and line. Details are finely rendered by this point.

Before pronouncing a work finished, I always go back and rework lines. The power lines are the most noticable rework. There is work on other lines as well. This layer sharpens the image and increases contrast.

The last layer is a 25% opaque picture of watercolor paper. This softens the painting and adds some texture. Also, when I add this layer ontop of all five paintings, it will work as a unifying agent.

This is the second house I have finished. I am still behind on schedule by half a painting. (I have done another half painting that isn't posted).

My layers are as follows: sketch, color blocks, color washes, highlights and shadows, clarification of color and line, final sketch, and opaque texture. My layers have been steps rather than elements of the painting. Sometimes I prefer doing this because it mimics the way oil paintings are layered.

So far I feel like my paintings are a personal success. Including landscape backgrounds into paintings and painting architecture are two firsts for me. Painting the more geometric forms of architecture is not as enjoyable to me as the organic shapes of figures. I have however convinced myself that there is merit in this kind of work. My only major quam at the moment is that the houses are appearing slightly cartoonish. I sometimes have trouble getting away from that when I create digital art.

Next week, I should have the remaning 3 houses complete and posted!

Final Project: Inspiration and Initial Sketches.

I'm painting 5 house paintings, and I'm going to show a step by step process for one of them. 

Life has been hectic this week, so my project progress has been slow. So far I revisited my inspiration, Egon Schiele. I also drew out initial sketches and filled in a base color. 

These houses were painted by Egon Schiele: 

This is a rough sketch. Its purpose is for me to get the gist of where lines will be. Final lines will be sketched in a few layers. 

Next, I filled in a base color. This is also sloppy and just an undercoat. The colors are not the final colors, but may show through the top layers in places. 

Silent Hill

If there is one thing both Silent Hill the game and Silent Hill the move are good at, it's mist. This movie poster does an exemplary  job. The mist is textured, layered, pure, and appropriately mysterious.  It creates the base which this poster design is built on. 

The guide rail, words, figure, and town sign pop right out of the mist because of the contrast and because our eyes want to find whatever is hidden in this thick fog. This poster is playing on our survival instincts. 

The guide rail keeps us contained in a loop of information. We follow it along the words, past the person, to the sign, and back around to the words again. Our eyes can not leave this circle because we are contained. In this way, we are put in the shoes of the figure. 

Another effective design element is the color scheme. Everything is muted and blends into the fog except for the words silent hill. "Silent Hill" is starkly contrasted and yet still appears distorted because of he font. This distortion keeps "Silent Hill" consistent with the rest of the poster. 

Overall this poster is very effective. It creates a feeling of wandering, searching, and survival. Those are the central elements of the movie it is advertising. 

Opeth

While this is not my favorite Opeth album cover, it might be the most well designed. Perhaps Opeth not only had a change in lineup, but also in designers. 

The framing device created by high contrast lighting is very intriguing. A geometrical layout is created. A rectangle and connecting triangle direct the eye. Although the subject of the cover is in black, it is still central because the light creates a secondary frame. 

The monochromatic color scheme was an intelligent choice. The high contrast lighting is emphasized and complimented by the limited color palette. The color palette also compliments the joint theme of mystery and luminosity. Although the subject is illuminated, it's back is turned and details are sparse. 

Text is center aligned and contrasted to it's background. This placement emphasizes the subject and the rectangle. Delicate font makes the text difficult to read, but I think this makes us look closer rather than acting as a deterrent. 

Overall I think this is an excellent design for a metal album. Its simplicity is elegant and speaks for Opeth's style; 1800s reminiscent. 

Final Project: Photos

With the decline of the US economy, urban decay has become an increasingly relevant subject. I'm interested in the rising number of abandoned buildings in Richmond as an art subject for my final project. 

I took some photographs this weekend. These are a few of my favorites. The last five have been chosen as references. 

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Squirrel Nut Zippers

The overall concept for this album cover is effective. Squirrel Nut Zippers is a swing band. So, the club sign and lights are consistent with the genre and create an upbeat and appropriate mood.

The color scheme is subdued oranges, reds and blues. Contrast is accomplished through subtle changes in the strength of colors and a balancing burst of bright green and white. The variance in color stregth enhances the illusion of layering and depth.

Text is center aligned and hierarchal. This design is smart because it reuses design elements most people are accustomed to seeing in theater and club signs. Although there are competing elements, the viewer already knows how to read this album cover.

The line quality produces enough action that the viewer gets excited and doesn't lose interest. Visual interest is held through all aspects of design.

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