Travel Poster - Tanzania
By: Michael Murphy '18 and Ryan Orr '19
Ideation and Sketches:
We started the project by thinking about the coolest places either of us has traveled. This took up a good part of a day, and we decided on Tanzania as the main source of all the pictures we would be using. We then went into pictures that I (Michael) took while in Tanzania, which most were from a safari that I took. From there, we experimented with sketches of different pictures and designs. We drew most of the designs from research from this website. The link for some of the posters and designs that we liked is here. We also knew that we wanted a picture of Mt. Kilimanjaro in the background, so we experimented with different ways of putting that in. Here is a link to all of our sketches from the beginning, as well as our roughs from the next phase of the project.
Roughs:
Between sketches and roughs, we decided that the best pictures and compositions would come from pictures of elephants with a background of the mountain. There, we drew the roughs in different positions, using different elephants and different fonts for the lettering. Our biggest challenge might have been creating an elegant way of putting our text into the format we wanted it in. Here are the roughs, drawn on paper:
Reflection on Ideation process:
Our process took us a little time, but I think it was well worth it. We started in a place where we didn't know much about how all of the pictures we wanted to use would blend. We knew we wanted to use Mt. Kilimanjaro as well, but we didn't know how to incorporate it without it taking up a huge portion of the picture. However, through research, we found WPA posters that incorporated both the great geographic features of national parks, while also giving room to text and other items that could be inserted. From this, we drew most of our inspiration. We experimented with the vertical text from another movie poster that we liked, but it didn't turn out as well as we wanted in the compositions. Finally, we also found ways to manipulate the filters to make the poster look in the WPA style.
Compositions:
The next step in our process was introducing our ideas to Adobe Photoshop. We used a few different picture combinations until we settled on one great mountain picture and two fantastic elephant pictures. From this, we created two compositions with different text formats and different editing parameters. Our first composition was a bit darker than the other, while the filter parameters on the second were altered a little to created a contrast between dark and light grass. Also, the font formatting is different, with vertical text in the first and horizontal text in the second. Here they are in a JPEG format:
Composition process:
Our process changed significantly once we discovered the various ways you can make a poster in the WPA style. Once we found tutorials explaining the process, we really got started. The filter used in both of these is "Cutout", which blurs and simplifies the edges within the picture. Once we had this down, it was time to edit the font. We moved the text around a lot, trying to find ways that we could fit it in without creating a bad contrast. We discovered the font that is used means a lot in order to convey the message you want to convey. In order to have a good poster, the font needs to perfectly fit the poster's message. In the first composition, it just couldn't be done without the text blending into the background in some way. Therefore, we went with our second composition to be our final.
Final:
Final Design:
We went with the final design that we did because it simplifies the way we see Tanzania. The two biggest destinations that Tanzania is known for is the safari and Mt. Kilimanjaro. By combining them both in one picture, we create the perfect poster for Tanzania. In general, the human eye is also persuaded to follow a message through aesthetically pleasing means. With our usage of the WPA style for our poster, we have created a convincing poster in more than just text, but in subtext as well. Many other designers have found the WPA style very convincing in their posters, so we have done the same here. The font is also crystal clear in the message it conveys. The artistic design flows with the poster it accompanies, creating a smooth transition from picture to text. We also think that using two different fonts creates a contrast between the two, which emphasizes the point of "Travel Today!" From safari to the mountain, Tanzania has a lot to offer, and we think we have fully encapsulated the key points of everything Tanzania for the traveler.
