PROJECT REQUIREMENTS:
The goal of this project was to create an engaging poster design using Illustrator that achieves emphasis and unity using one or more elements and principles of design. The focus was not on the concept/message of the poster, but rather, the design elements and principles utilized. Design requirements also included using three different hues, three different values of each hue, and creating a warm, cool, or neutral color mood.
MY PROCESS:
When I think of jazz, I immediately envision perfectly shined shoes tapping to the beat, which became the concept for my jazz poster. I utilized the image trace function to create a vector artwork from a photograph my father took of custom shoes he built from scratch in his orthopedic shoemaking shop in San Francisco.
The artwork uses cool, dark neutrals and a smooth texture in the background against warm, light neutrals and a ridged texture for the shoes in the foreground to create negative and positive space, contrast, and emphasis. The almost white tint of the text creates additional emphasis. Asymmetrical balance is achieved through color and equal object weight, and unity is achieved by the equal spacing between objects and the text's hue matching that of the shoe's highlights. Finally, the directional lines and shape of the shoes achieve proportion, as the lower, larger toe of the shoe seems jump out at the viewer.
