Graphics Evaluation

Final Piece WIP

First of all, I drew a rough design of the circus poster on my sketchbook and scan it into the computer.

Since I'm doing two posters, I started off with the day time performance poster first. I opened the rough drawing in Illustrator, which allows me to create illustrations with smooth lines and clear edges. I created a new graphics style so I can draw the illustration the way that I want. Furthermore, I selected a colour palette from the colour library, which enables me to choose the right colour to use out of all the available options.

Afterwards, I used the graphics style to draw the illustrations, and I started off with illustrations that are formed by simple shapes, such as the balloons. And once I outlined it, I then fill in the colours.

When I'm done with the simple shape illustrations, I then moved onto texts. For the information texts I used san-serif typography, because the title 'CIRCUS' is a display type which it is more easy to the eye if I employed san-serif type for the information texts.

Later on, I worked on other illustrations such as the hot air balloons and the trees. 

As for the circus tent, I used red and white because this is the common circus tent colour. But in order to make it more pop-up and 3D like, I used graphics tool and drew an illustration next to each stripe of the tent, and set it one shade darker, which creates a shadow effect and make the overall look of the tent more pop-up.

I thought the overall look of the poster will look dull, so instead of just drawing the clouds and fill the colours in, I created it by making it formed by numerous of triangles (in different colours, mainly purple, blue, green  and white). I outlined the cloud first, then I drew a grid on top of it, so it is easier for me to fill in the colours of the triangles.

 I finished with all the illustrations on the poster, so now the only thing left to do is to add the 'CIRCUS' title. I drew the typography on my sketchbook, then scan it and opened it on Photoshop, so I can colour it.

When I'm done with filling the colours in, I opened it in Illustrator, used the tracing tool to ungroup the white background and the typography.

I moved the typography into the poster document, and placed it on top of the information texts. And this is my final day time performance poster.

Since I need to create a night time performance poster, it requires a night sky background, which I created it in Photoshop. First of all, I set the background colour into a really dark navy blue, then I used Noise and Blur tool to help me create the stars. And the outcome is what I expected, as the stars are subtle yet noticeable.

I placed the night sky background into the poster document in Illustrator. The night sky performance poster and the day time poster are relatively the same, the only thing that I changed is the the majority of the illustrations (day time: hot air balloons, balloons and clouds; night time: fireworks) and the colour of the information texts.

I recreated the tree and circus tent in the night time poster document, but change the tent colour into purple, and make the tree colour slightly darker. Also I already placed the 'CIRCUS' title on top of the information texts. 

As for the fireworks, I used graphics tool to help me create it. I then moved it into the poster document and duplicate the firework illustration. Since I don't want the fireworks to overtake the attention, I employed darker colours and set the opacity level to 70, so it'll look subtle and make the overall poster look less busy. Additionally, I adjusted the fireworks into different size so it creates a contrast, which makes it less dull.

Final Piece

For my final piece, I made two circus posters one for the day time performance and one for the night time performance.

Final Draft

Handmade typography

Print Analyis

Scamps/ drafts on different media

I experiment my draft to see if I can improve it each time when I refine. The original draft is on the left hand side, and next one is the first refinement. Move on to the second page, the third attempt is on the left hand side, as the one next to it is the last refined piece. So in total, I refine it three times.

Colour Schemes

Emulation WIP

First of all, I did a drawing on my sketchbook that relates to the circus theme. Also, since the illustration that i did for my copy emphasises a range of different shapes, so I apply this characteristic into my drawings, such as the circle shape for the toy balls, triangle shape for the flags etc.

Once I scan it into the computer, I opened it in Illustrator and started to outline the objects (Circle object in the circle layer, star shape object in the star layer...and so on).

As this is an emulation, that means I cannot select any colours from an original piece, so I went to Swatch Libraries Menu to choose a set of colours that I can use, and I chose PANTONE Colour Bridge CMYK UP, as it has a variety of different hues, also with different values and saturations.

Once I sorted out the colour swatch, I then fill in the colours each layer by each layer.

Since the background is white, I wanted to make it more busier, so I selected an image from my primary drawings of subject matter,  and filled the background with a repeat pattern of my own illustrations. Also I adjusted the exposure level, in order to make it paler so it doesn't draw too much attention from the main illustration. 

Once I've done that, I placed the patterned background into the main illustration's document.\

  



















And this is the final outcome of my emulation.

Copy WIP

First of all, I roughly sketched the original copy and scan it into the computer.

 I created a layer then customised a Graphics Style and used the Eclipse Tool to create the circle object around the pyramids in the illustration, which that layers is only for circle objects. Later on, I also created another layer and used the Rectangle tool to outline the rectangle object, the layer is only for rectangle objects. As for the rest, I did the same thing for different shapes, like semi-circle, curvy object etc.

Once I finished with outlining all the shapes, I then open the original copy in Illustrator, to select all the colours in that illustration and put it into Colour Swatches, so I can apply those colours into my copy and make it identical.

I fill in the colours each later by each layer, so I won't get confused and it is easier for me to do that.

And this is the copy:

Emulation

This is my emulation

Copy

Original Illustration:

 My Copy:

Refined Drafts

Case Study

Digital Typography

Circus Poster Drafts