ANNE HUNSICKER : VISUAL DESIGNER
The Challenge was to create artwork for a Macy’s Window Decal for the SF SPCA annual Holiday event, also using their 150th Anniversary Visual Guidelines. I decided to create three design variations, and then this design would continue and expand into printed and digital material.
The first three images are my Finals, the images from the fourth image down show my working process.
I like to present three variations on the design and have them be a point of reference going forward. I intentionally have them range one end of the spectrum to another - traditional to unconventional. Ideally I meet with the client or my manager in person, or over the phone, to make sure we are on the same page before my proceeding with design variations.
After receiving the instructions, I first start by reading the visual guidelines so that I can understand the specs of the campaign, and also creatively it’s the time for me to get into the head of the SF SPCA, their values, metaphors and messaging, so that I can begin to formulate my own creativity for the project. First to recreate the logo, specs, colors, fonts, and to have some basic shapes, and gather images per their guidelines. I study what last year’s artwork looked like - the window decals, the hero page, button; and also study their Anniversary annual report as a reference point.
Next is for me to research other SPCA’s to see what range of artwork is out there, from web to print. It’s informative to see previous years of SF SPCA design work on a google search, and the range of the Brand - interesting to make a note of that there is no one style.
I need to get a sense of what other designers have done, but I don’t want to resemble them or imitate them in any way, (and still be within this year’s visual guidelines). My starting point with original artwork is by working with Vector art and seeing how I can create a concept in keeping with the scope of the project. Some of my vector art I end up using, and and some I don’t use (see the bottom two images of this page which I did not use).
Concept 1: The most unconventional design out of the three. In thinking about the instructions to show non-denominational and charity, I think of Love. Love is the universal holiday message. I came up with “Shapes of Love”.
How to flesh out the idea of Love? I thought of the idea of “Celebrating Shapes of Love This Holiday Season”. I created abstract shapes based on the logo, to convey the diversity of several love-configurations. Expanding on the Visual guidelines idea that a red (animal) and blue (human) shape create purple, and also that every human and animal Pair is a different shape. Using abstract art from my vector artwork as the unusual and unique piece of beauty, that each of us create with animals.
My first design is more unconventional, since we are in San Francisco and generally lead in unconventional design and thinking … I believe we can we take more design risks in SF …
Continuing their brand, I wove in all the red, blue and purple heart with the words “Animal”, “+”, “Human” to continue the language theme, visually. I wanted the shapes to be joyful and playful …
Concept 2: The more traditional piece out of the three. Emphasize the purple element - the meaning in the Brand that stands for the intangible thing that happens when animals and humans connect. Bring in the wave vector art as “winter air", to follow the non-denominational concept in the instructions.
Concept 3: Sketch idea using “WAVES OF LOVE”, the middle ground design piece out of the three. "Celebrating Waves of Love This Holiday Season”. Waves of love = the power of love, the strength of love, the fluidity of love.