FMP: Developed Ideas - RSVP & Save the Date Card

After doing my brief research on RSVP cards I revisited my sketches and picked a few that I really like, merging them with my newer knowledge of the two cards.

It didn't take long for me to decide on which design to go for for the RSVP as I had already had one in mind, but it just took me a little push to pick it as my final idea. I'm still a bit unsure on what to do for my Save the Date but I do like the idea of having the same border as I did for the invitation but letting it bleed to the edges.

I could now update my Chosen Designs page with my new idea at the bottom (I just did a quick sketch so that I didn't lose my idea so it's not perfect!)

Conclusion:
What I need to do now is experiment with these ideas, especially with the Save the Date as I'm still quite unsure on what to do with it.

FMP: Idea 3 (Development of Idea 1)

I was quite determined to continue with my idea of having a fairy tale castle, but for a while I was hitting a blank wall with it. That was until I was on my hour break at work that suddenly I was struck by inspiration.

I first started off with the idea of having the invitation displayed on three different layers; the first being the silhouette of the castle, the middle of the mountains, and the back of the writing. Each layer would be in a different coloured card so that it would be easier to separate them all. I would then bind these layers together so that they would fan outwards so they'll be able to stand.

I kept simplifying this idea because I wanted to see what direction it would take me, and I came to just having the invitation on one layer. This one layer then changed into the idea of the invitation being in the shape of the castle, with the lettering on it.

Conclusion:
I believe I have really taken the original idea into a completely new one by simply breaking it down into smaller pieces, as it were, to create a simple yet effective design. I really like the final outcome so I might continue to develop it into a final piece.

FMP: Ideas 2 & 3

I moved away from the castle idea to come across a new one (well, two new ideas); these were inspired by the story of Brier Rose, otherwise known as the Sleeping Beauty, so I did some rough sketches.
I thought it was best to think of the names for the future bride and groom, and so chose Mark and Sophie as they were pretty straightforward. I'll probably do the same technique where I picked names at random for the surnames as well!

Portraits: Idea 3

I went back to developing my idea of the floating theatre masks, and began to draw the outline of them in biro. I wanted to be able to paint a smoky affect with watercolour paint for the background so that it appeared as if they were floating on a cloud, so I rubbed out all of the pencil lines apart from the cloud.

This was when I changed my mind because there wasn’t a valid enough reason for painting a cloud beneath the faces, and another idea had popped into mind. I had done this particular line effect in one of my last drawings (for my mum) and I really wanted to try it out again.

This is because that technique I used reminded me of waves, and so I wanted to do something that went along the lines of “wave of emotion”.

So here’s my process for doing this line technique:

Portraits: Idea 2

I really liked my previous idea of displaying emotions around each other in one single line, and wanted to develop it.

I was thinking of how I could incorporate masks into it and then thought: what if I did the main person wearing a mask, with emotions surrounding her? This could then show that we have many emotions hidden “under the surface” of our “masks”.

I first drew the basic facial structure before doing the mask, as it had to look as if it was actually sitting on a face. I then drew her eyes beneath it.

"Where Oceans Bleed Into The Sky"

"...Far from the world of you and I,

Where oceans bleed into the sky..." - Linkin Park, Catalyst

While I was doing some uni work I played my Linkin Park CD as it had been ages since I had listened to them. In the middle of doing some research I heard the song "Catalyst" and immediately thought up of waves reaching up and leaking into the sun. So I moved everything out of the way and got painting!

The painting was a bit messy as I used a lot of water to get the paint to drip down the page. Didn't really expect some of it to actually go around the sun but it looks pretty cool.

Although this painting doesn't necessarily link in with the album cover's name, I wanted to experiment with watercolour on how to achieve abstract imagery. I could possibly use this technique in my final design if I choose to, because now I know how it "works". The watercolour bleed reminds me of the cracks in shattered glass or veins for some reason.
If I go down the "tree" route, then I could possibly use this technique to paint thin tendrils for the branches.