Thumbnails and Visualising

After being given a brief to create an illustrative poster of a play of our choice, I was immediately drawn to 'Hamlet'. I know the story of 'Hamlet' extremely well after studying it during college, so I knew that it would be the best choice in order to create an interesting, meaningful design.

The focus of this brief was placed heavily on idea generating, and effectively visualising, therefore that was my first step in creating my poster designs. I wanted to use my knowledge of the play to really push myself with ideas, and try to gain a concept out of any key parts of the plot. However, I did need to be mindful in my designs doing this, as I needed to avoid spoiling any of the plot by being too clear or explicit in what I was presenting. I had a lot of fun during this process, as there was no specifics in the design within the brief, so I could explore and create whatever I wanted, without thinking too much. I feel that it was a task I learned a lot from, as I usually struggle with complete creative freedom, but I really think it allowed me to generate some interesting, visually appealing ideas.

After idea generating, I moved onto developing my favourite ideas, to ultimately decide on my final three designs. While idea generating, there was some designs that immediately stood out, such as the concept of Ophelia drowning, and the black and red reflective design, so I knew I wanted to develop them further. On the other hand, there was some designs that I liked, but they needed pushing more, which then caused me to mix ideas together in order to create something better. This then lead onto the selection, and creation of my final three thumbnail designs.

Overall, I was extremely happy with the outcome of this brief. I love 'Hamlet', so I felt very connected and in sync with the project; it all seemed to progress smoothly and organically. The final concepts, I feel, reflect the mood and tone of the play very effectively, while still being interesting to look at. My favourite was definitely the poster conveying Ophelia drowning, and had been ever since the initial designs. The design really displays depth through the lighting and use of colour, which allowed me to illustrate a key plot point without giving too much away. I really pushed myself within this project, and worked hard, and I truly feel that the effort payed off.