The purpose of this post is to share my illustrator project. I was required to create an advertisement poster of my choice that persuades an audience. I thought this would be a great opportunity to promote my brother’s new songs and recent shows.
Content:
- Local Entertainment — The poster’s purpose was to communicate an event for people to wind down from their busy day in the city, enjoy upbeat music, dance, eat food, embrace summer, and create memories with friends. The ability for Dj’s to mix and combine different songs that can make one feel nostalgic by playing 80s hits with an upbeat twist to then switching to top hits on the radio (Coleman).
- Mental Health Benefits — Studies have shown the connection between music and the brain’s central nervous system. Listening to music activates pleasurable feelings and releases endorphins and dopamine. These hormones regulate the body’s wellbeing, stress and pain responses, and movement (Shoda et al.). Sometimes, hearing music can help regulate one’s emotional and physiological state (Dingle et al.).
- Human Connection — Music is more than communication; everyone surrounding you comes with a common purpose: to tune in to the music. There is a sense of togetherness, gestures,
and body movements between fellow listeners. Though you may not speak to your neighbor, you bond emotionally and physically by enjoying the performance (Kozak).
Target:
- Age — The popular sub-genre of techno and house was played at underground clubs in the late 1980s became popular in the mid-2000s (The history of EDM: JMC Academy). This rave generation of EDM, dubstep, etc., targeted those born in the 1980s-1990s. Therefore the target audience would be directed towards people in their mid-twenties the to late thirties.
- Toronto — The shows would be local as the artist is in Toronto; thus, this would target people who live in the city. To reach the audience, they would need to be interested in EDM music,
festival, or events in the city. Posters would be posted on rave social media pages or nightclubs in Toronto. Though it could be helpful to reach out to those online, the best way to attract a crowd is if they pass by the festival; thus, it would have to be a popular park such as Trinity. - Lifestyle — Most of the audience would include those who have the evenings off and enjoy the nightlife. Some may include those working in the service industry, fellow artists, and young
professionals.
Design:
1990s modern rave art;
- Bright Colour Palette— One of the popular design elements for 90s graphics was a bright colour palette. As mentioned in the article, some of these design choices were based on
popular tv shows at the time, and I could say clothing trends, too (Keung). I used bright accents of neon colours against a dark background, similar to many DJ or rave flyers. It gave this poster
a bold statement but more of an electric and lively movement on the page. - Abstract shapes— The shapes, scribbles, and lines were used to symbolize the freedom on the page. Like 1990s designs, the illustration portrays a sense of playfulness and quirk (Keung). The vibrant gradient of the circles encapsulates the prevalent pop culture and retro aesthetic in the 90s.
- Creativity — I wanted to recreate the 90s-themed aesthetic that embraces rave culture and EDM music that started to rise in the 90s. I thought it would embrace the creativity of my brother’s work and portray a combination of vibrant music with the intensity of techno beats.
Process:
Coming from someone who enjoys live music, I love attending underground artists. Supporting those who equally appreciate music inspires and motivates me to continue creating my own songs. Especially when you have a conversation with local artists, their
dedication to their work is enthralling. My inspiration for this poster was for my brother, Rhizon, who used to DJ in college and has started producing music recently. It is hard work to break into the music industry as it is a very competitive profession. However, his love for music has inspired me to create music again as I took a long break.
Listening to his music, watching his performances, and how entertaining the crowd is out of pure fulfillment. I created this poster for him in hopes he might play his music live one day. Though he does play for local restaurants or establishments, there would be no greater joy than to see him play his own set. The QR code (I have removed from the design) he gave me links to his SoundCloud page, and I am glad to see that he is taking the initiative to put his music into the world.
The poster’s design elements came from various inspirations, such as DJ rave flyers, 90s-themed graphics, and neon cover art. Personally, I found the dark background with colourful accents visually appealing. The upbeat music my brother created went alongside the
the playfulness of the poster.
As for creating the poster, I made five different mockups and finally went with the last one I chose. I used the gradient tool to make the rainbow circles. Like some 90s graphics, I drew scribbles, shapes, and lines to fill in the white space. Finally, as mentioned in your lecture, I
placed the QR code in the bottom right corner as it draws attention to the viewer’s eyes. Most of my design choices were random, as I experimented with various placements for the shapes and typography.
MLA Citations & URL Links
- Coleman, Lauren deLisa. “The New Consumer Gatekeepers: Inside the Hidden Power of the DJ Industry 2.0.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 28 Sept. 2019, https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurencoleman/2019/09/22/the-new-consumer-gatekeepers-inside-the-hidden-power-of-the-djindustry-20/?sh=146042562066.
- Dingle, Genevieve A., et al. “How Do Music Activities Affect Health and Well-Being? A Scoping Review of Studies Examining Psychosocial Mechanisms.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 12, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.713818.
- Shoda, Haruka, et al. “How Live Performance Moves the Human Heart.” PLOS ONE, vol. 11, no. 4, 2016, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0154322.
- Kozak , Mariusz. “What’s behind the Magic of Live Music?” The Conversation, 23 Feb. 2022, https://theconversation.com/whats-behind-the-magic-of-live-music-169343.
- “The History of EDM: JMC Academy.” Nurture Your Creativity for Music, Animation, Visual & Game Design, Film & TV Production, Acting, JMC Academy, 2018, https://www.jmcacademy.edu.au/news-and-events/news/the-history-of-edm/.
- Keung, Laura. “90s Graphic Design Trends: From Aesthetic Fonts to Grunge Patterns and Rave Flyers.” Design & Illustration Envato Tuts+, Envato Tuts, 10 May 2022, https://design.tutsplus.com/articles/90s-graphic-design-trends-from-aesthetic-fonts-grunge-patternsand-rave-flyers–cms-35224.
- “Ohm” by Tal Leming is licensed under Type Supply
- “Phosphate” by Steve Jackaman & Ashley Muir is licensed under Red Rooster Collection
- “All graphic design elements” created by Lauren Hutton
