Studio Brief 1 - Idea Pictures - Final sketches

We where asked to produce 2 final sketches for each size, and I thought this was a good chance for me to experiment with some colour.

I made these mini roughs to figure out what I would make for each:

- I was fairly certain on the square design so that would be straight forward.

- I wanted to try the door way idea and the two face idea for both landscape and portrait, because I couldn't decide which I preferred so this would help me make my decision.

- I'm going to experiment with how some bright colour looks on my designs, they well need to be a solid vibrant colour, as the designs are only two colour and I want to use black - I need the colour to strong and vibrant on its own.

Portrait:

I really like how this looks, I used 2 thicknesses of black paint to outline the drawing, and used pro marker to colour the drawing, because I just wanted flat block colour, and is quick and easy to apply on top of a pencil sketch - but i'm considering colouring my finals digitally to get a perfect solid colour. I think in some places there needs to be a bigger difference in line weight to separate sections (like the background and lines in his hair). Overall I like how the design looks in full colour, I don't think the colour needs to be over worked. I like how its applied in the small sections of the peyotes it subtly combines the imagery.   

I really like how this came out, the green suites this concept. It gives the feeling of being fresh and new, and also kind of organic in the peyotes. It isn't as vibrant and striking as the orange, but I think the more mellow and calmer feeling could be more appropriate for this concept. I think think this one and the above would work well as a set because they are communicate a slightly different side to his mescaline experience. - The only problem being they are the same format...

Landscape:

I tried out a finalised doorway sketch in landscape, this worked as well as the portrait, if not better. This design felt more natural this way, being able to stretch the drawing sideways felt much more comfortable than extending upwards. I didn't feel the need to colour it because I already had a good idea what the colour would look like for this concept.

I like the look of this, but I don't think it communicates Huxley in the way I want it too in the portrait symmetrical version. I think the fact it is un balanced across the page makes it looks un controllable and un easy, creating a sinister appearance rather than a balanced and understood experience. I think the face in this looks scary and evil rather than filled with life and energy. The red colour contributes towards this - making it appear sharper, violent and horror like rather than (in a way) peaceful. This design would definitely give the wrong idea about Huxley and his use of psychedelics.

Square:

I was pleased with the caricature I had created for an 'intoxicated' Huxley (during a hallucination) so this format was a good chance for me to make the character the focus point, and let the character explain what I intended in the editorial. These where my 2 favourite versions, in the crit I got feedback that they preferred the one with the stripped background - I liked how the peyotes where entering his head in this. But I didn't feel the stripes really communicated the madness of the hallucination like I wanted, they seemed to organised and structured, and generally too normal and could look a bit circus related with the clown like face. 

I much preferred the peyote background, how is was random and involved loads of different shapes and line to create a un-easy pattern. The way this surrounds the character gives and idea of insanity and madness - which I want. Each design would also then have a full bleed peyote background - this could really enhance them as a set.   

Making these refined sketches in the measured formats really helped me get an idea how the finished designs would look, and also how they are going to work as a completed set. There are lots of solutions to how these concepts could have worked, the best way to figure it out is to test them out in the exact formats.

The final designs i'm going to produce are:

• SQUARE:

• PORTRAIT:

• LANDSCAPE:

Ive chosen these because they each show a slightly different variation to the concept. And still have matching imagery that links them all together appropriately. They are the best suited designs i had come up with each format.
The square designs focuses on the character - and communicates using the characters face and the door in his head - it is a basic concept and doesn't overcomplicate the idea which I like.
The portrait design looks at the idea of expanding his character and reflecting on himself, It also shows higher consciousness the way the face raises up above him (out of the black box). The fact there is 2 versions of him could be read in a number of ways that would communicate how he figures out new things about himself and the world around him. Like he is seeing a new light.
The landscape design communicates ideas about discovery. And stepping into a new world of consciousness. Like letting go of the old world and stepping through a new world accessed through the door.
All the designs work together to help visualise a weird metaphysical world that he accesses through mescaline.