Introduction
This project involved the creation of poster which centers around a relevant issue important to me, climate change. Using Adobe Illustrator as my main platform, I created a poster calling for systemic change on the treatment of our planet.
For my final composition, I believed that this was the piece which had the clearest message of all my attempts and includes the most design elements so far. The final message which I wanted to leave with the viewer is that there are so many ways which humans pollute the Earth, one which is progressing the rate at which our oceans are rising, that we are drowning and suffocating in our own problems. I feel strongly regarding this topic, so I chose to use a dramatic representation to show my emotions and urgency behind this subject.
Poster, Climate Change
“We Are Drowning”
Layout Formstorming
Process
The base components of my layouts included smoke stacks, polluting pipes, and vague building shapes. For the background, I included gradient layers to evoke the feeling of smoke or smog. In some iterations, I added an ocean by stacking layers of blue and grey.
This layout exploration involved making prominent layout revisions in an abstract way. By adding and removing shapes that communicate my theme, I tested what assets were necessary and which ones were not.
I made sure to experiment with negative space and secondary meanings formed through the process.
Final
My final poster design includes three flooded smoke stacks with large, bold letter, stating “WE ARE DROWNING”.
Reflection
The narrative which I chose to communicate through my composition is to show how problematic the state of our planet is right now, regarding the health of our environment, and treatment of waste. I utilized various design methods which we have discussed so far in the course, including line weight and placement in the frame. I also used type in my final composition to help further clarify my narrative.
While creating my concepts, I went through multiple tries while attempting to communicate my message. As a basis I tried to incorporate the icons of smokestacks and sewage piping, as they are what come to mind when I think of global pollution and my topic. After incorporating helpful suggestions from class critiques, I was able to recognize to expand my vision of my design and focus less on the ideas I had before. Although I recycled some of the same designs, I reused them in a new way. Playing with proportion and colour, I rearranged to change the field of view. In my last series of attempts, I filtered out less significant forms and incorporated text instead.