Ultimately, I decided to go ahead with thumbnail #4, over thumbnail #3 & #6. The primary design benefits offered by this design really set it apart from the other two. Part of the client’s desire was to have a poster that featured a specific national forest, and this design lent itself to that objective the best. Here, the rectangular object in the center of the design, closely resembles signage used throughout the forest service. I went to a lot of effort to find a similar typeface to what is seen on these actual signs. Due to the fact these signs are so iconic it was critical to come as close as possible, so they integrate with existing marketing and have a feeling of authenticity. This design did not feature a setting sun, as was the case in the other landscape style thumbnail. Excluding the sun allowed for more visual emphasis to be placed on the mountains, which are the focus of the creative copy in the design. I also preferred the sense of balance and symmetry that this design offered. Design elements are asymmetrically balanced in this composition, which gives the poster a more realistic feeling. The organization in the other landscape design was too manufactured and artifical. My final draft will be appreciated by the client because it has that look of a vintage vacation photograph or poster. So, while both landscape designs were intriguing, this design met more of the objectives outlined by the client.
The other design that made it to the final three was a my “Tree Stump” (Thumbnail #6). While, this design had a lot of potential, I felt like the message may have been a little undermined by the visuals. What I mean to say is a cut down tree could be misunderstood as “pro logging”. Also, this design was very hard to gear to a specific national forest. When I modified this design more, it felt like I was just “slapping on” park specific copy, it lacked a strong sense of cohesion.
After submitting this design to the client, I did receive some direction that helped me form this into a polished final design:
I suggest changing the “or” as it stands out and should not be prominent, maybe black. I also suggest when there is only one word on a line by itself that you should bring a word down from the line above it.
This constructive criticism, along with what was mentioned in previous posts, has really served to fine tune my design. A much more polished poster is the end result. Changing the copy layout has really provided a better sense of balance to the overall composition. I am proud of this piece because it has stretched me as a designer and really opened my ears to the voices of other designers.
Doppleganger Design 