Final Poster Design

poster preliminary sketches/project concept

I wanted to somehow combine the composition lined notebook paper used by pre-k students with the image of an African American boy behind bars. For the type I used the scribble tool to hand write the text in order to mimic the handwriting of a child. My purpose for doing this was to get across the message of racial inequality within the education system and the criminal justice system. Even though these seem like two separate issues, I believe that they are strongly related. I was inspired after reading several articles like this one. If a child is born into unfortunate circumstances and is not given equal opportunity based on the color of their skin, then what is to prevent them from becoming another unfortunate statistic? 

                       

Band Concept and Meaning

I chose the word "Metre" to represent my fictional band because by definition it's a unit of measurement for time and rhythmical patterns within poetry.  Its actual meaning is: the regular arrangement of syllables in poetry according to the number and type of beats in a line.

The historical heads represent notes(beats) within a time signature (timeline). The electrocardiogram line represents the heartbeat (lifespan). The mountains in the background represent the natural composition within nature over time. I love that the mountains are on an island because it reminds me of the famous
John Donne prose which seems to fit the theme of the image...

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be    washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy  friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and  therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.” 


Metre is a poem cover band that uses obscure poetry as lyrics for their songs.
Reason: To expose their beauty in an alternate form and give them new life.


I imagine them to have a haunting and ambient sound. Simplistic musical arrangements (background) to highlight the words/vocals (foreground).

images used and source

Where I found all images

preliminary sketches

I stumbled upon a British photography archive that is overflowing with great images that are public domain. After selecting several photos, I began to sketch out the placement on blocks that were scaled down from 11 x 8.5. I'm still trying to figure out if this will represent a fictional band or artist.

The overall concept is to merge different forms of composition and rhythms:

- composition / rhythm within nature (mountains, heartbeat(echocardiogram)
-a musical composition
- ancestral timeline

I wanted to show how most things are linked through a common pattern.

Below is a rough draft of what I have pieced together so far.
I still have to finish all of the Lynda fundamentals videos to get a broader understanding of each tool.
There is so much to learn...

Album Cover

I made this a few years ago with very limited knowledge of how to use photoshop. The picture I used is from a public domain photography site. I added the transparent red line trough the middle for contrast and the text is a font that seemed to fit with the rawness of the double exposed line drawings. I used the word "Gusto" in my album and blog title because it packs a literal punch and I just really like how it sounds...