OBJECTIVE
I was tasked with creating an editorial spread based on the contest-winning student-written NYT article, "In Nothing We Trust," by Francesca Kelley. The article touches on the mistrust between Americans in general and how it impacts us mentally and as a nation.
Additionally, I had the goal of using this project to improve my photoshop proficiency.
SOLUTION
I decided to hone in on the specificity of mistrust between Americans living in the same city, or even neighborhood.
MY ROLE
Behind-the-scenes Ideator and Graphic Designer of a striking visual to convey general mood and message of "In Nothing We Trust." The rest was up to Francesca Kelley.
SOFTWARE USED
Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign.
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COLORS
This deep, burnt, rustic color palette is inspired by the corrosive power of rust. This is paralleled by the destructive nature of doubt and suspicion that some Americans share for one another.
MOOD
Eerie, tense, mysterious
TYPOGRAPHY
SwingDevil, a variable sans serif, uses its brush-like elements to convey a grungy mood while maintaining readability.
Out of 8 typefaces to choose from, Avenir has what it takes to be accessible in even the darkest, least-trustworthy of readability conditions.
LAYOUT IDEATION
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SKETCHES / IDEATION
During this part in the process, I found much inspiration in going back to my illustrative roots and just putting huge marker to paper. I found great growth in my productivity and time-management skills during this project, learning how to let my creativity flow. During ideation, you need to put SOMEthing on the page before you can find THE thing.
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FINAL DESIGN / SPREAD CONCEPT
The final illustration behind this piece uses slants and grids to evoke the mood, while guiding the viewer's eyes to those of the editorial. Large blocks of color are easily visible from afar, enticing passerby's to take a closer look.
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A simple 3-column typographic layout allows the reader to enjoy the visuals without feeling bombarded by information. Large sections of negative space help the reader to feel immersed and pulled in.
