In Concept

        Before you put anything out in the world,  it starts off as an idea. After which, you flesh this idea out, shaping and melding it. Eventually, you'll have a few concepts laid out.  From there, you can present the idea to others, pick and choose what you want and don't want, shape it out, etc. Now, there are multiple levels to a concept, from uncolored sketches, to fully formed products; as you can imagine, I wish to talk more about this today, and get a grasp on what happens with concepts.

       Now, not every idea we like is going to make it to the final product. Sometimes things are going to be too expenseive. Other times, you can't just find the right materials. You could come very far to seeing this concept being made, but still have to pull it, simply because things won't work out. Sometimes, you just need to work around the constraints life gives you. Don't let that get you down however, you can always go back to the drawing board, and try again!

       One of my favourite things about concepts however is how we can see the evolution of a project. You see ideas that were scrapped, or different designs for characters before the ones you eventually received. Were they radically different? Were they similar? That's what's fun about them.

Image collage courtesy of Kamen Rider wiki

           As you can see, a lot of these designs were used for the same season of Kamen Rider, before they were eventually turned into Kuuga. Some elements may have been used for other riders later on as well; what's really important to observe however is just how drastically different some of these designs are. For context, here is what Kuuga became.

Image courtesy of Kamen Rider wiki

      

       This is the reason I love concepts. Not only does it give you wriggle room for an idea, but it allows you to see a the development over time. Whether the end result is great, or mediocre, the process is important in many ways. Once again, thank you for reading, and stay tuned!

Location, Location

     Graphic Design can take ideas from, and influence many things. One of said things can be a specific location. What can start out as a flattering photo of Hawaii, can turn into multiple people visiting there. Although, one can also try and mimic the feel of the location in mind. With the blog topic chosen, let's go in.

         So, as stated previously, graphic design can attract people to different areas; that's how tourism works after all. How does one go about making a location attractive though? Well, the best way is to explore and learn if you ask me. Even where you live, there's an interesting view, or tidbit to learn about. Go around, explore, and find what's most appealing to you. Afterwards, take the best pieces you could find, and arrange them into a commercial,  trifold, or post card to greet people.

       Now onto the case of mimicry, as mentioned before, you have post cards. In this case, let's look at it like finding the right colors for a picture. If the area has a lot of snow, perhaps a holiday red, or a cold blue could match. Add some shapes as well, like palm leaves for a place with a lot of palm trees. Finally, find a font that matches the feel of the city or state; street sign font for a place known for races, or a cursive font for a high class town.

         The options are limitless when it comes to designing for someplace. So go out, explore, learn, find what fits your creative needs. Then, once you have what you need, build around it! Thank you for reading, and stay tuned!