Initial thoughts
Identify typical seasonal produce of Summer and Autumn. What are the colours and textures associated with both seasons. What other markers of the two seasons are used.
We are in the beginning of Autumn now, based on the principle that global sourcing has all but done away with the notion of seasonality the truly seasonal products are, by my own observation, most likely to be those grown in this country; and or locally. Observe and note how the local supermarkets market their produce. A good source for ideas are the 'box schemes' for logistical reasons they tend to have local origins and so more likely to be seasonal.
Summer fresh fruit and vegetables
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Peas
- Beans
- New potatoes
- Tomatoes
Autumn
- English apples
- Pears
- Squash
Selection
When selecting the fruit and or vegetable used in a campaign does some consideration need to be given to its familiarity with the target market? Are marketing considerations of concern to the illustrator? Starting with Autumn; for the subject of my objective image my initial thought was to use apples. The following sketches were made to stimulate ideas of form and setting,
with a bit of all important practice thrown in.
I like to keep my options open and
whilst out shopping I saw and bought a couple of Kabocha and smaller munchkin squashes. I took a few photographs of different combinations, groupings and lighting. Also I did a couple of preliminary outline sketches example:-
I decided I was needlessly complicating what was required. Although the thought and decision making process was beneficial.
I attempted a water colour, of a single Kabocha squash, but I was not happy with the result, added to which I had used the wrong sort of paper, which when scanned showed up the effect the water had on it.
Considering a new rendition of the squash.
I came across an article about cooking apples with a nice close up photo of a box
of them. I grabbed a box of pastels and had a go at a section of the picture.
I have not worked with pastels to any extent so am quite happy with the results. But I still intended to have another go at the squash in watercolour. I then realised that I had given no thought to the summer season and to what fruit or vegetable to select. Strawberries and raspberries seemed to be the obvious choice but some further consideration seems warranted. I am also considering some potential design ideas for the final pieces at this point. I am keen to use some kind of pattern involving leaves or leaf shapes for the background of the autumn piece. I think stylised but based on an actual type of leaf. There are plenty of examples to hand, all over the garden in fact. In the mean time working on the squash, taking a bit more care and concentration.
In search of a summer fruit or vegetable to be objective about.
In some respects the seasonal aspect of summer is worse than that for autumn, most of the iconic summer fare can be bought all year round. One of the vegetables still primarily seasonal is the humble fresh pea. In the mean time I tried a few samplers.
My pea effort didn't have the impact I had hoped for
Casting about for alternatives; I found myself warming to the idea of Tomatoes. OK granted they are the one thing that you can see lots of all year round, but they always look and taste better in the summer. The shiny bright orangey red skin is still evocative of summer sun and warmth.
This is my objective study of tomatoes. Well it started out as objective but I am not sure if, in the manner I have chosen to add the colour, that it hasn't become slightly subjective.. I am putting this down to a lack of skill in handling pastels.
Getting back to the design of my Autumn POS display. My idea for a background pattern is taking shape.
As mentioned previously, I am basing it on a simple repeated fallen leaf pattern.
Here are some early ideas. I quite liked the oak leaf shaped pattern and had an idea that a thick woodcut type effect might suit. But after some consideration decided that as a repeated pattern it would be difficult to make the simple cohesive pattern that I was after. I therefore concentrated on a more simple pattern.
Already thinking about how to handle the image, I thought complimentary autumn colours, browns, burnt colours etc. Light background with slightly darker leaf outline. The precise colours will come from a bit of trial and error in Photoshop. To add a bit of variation and to reflect the nature of falling leaves, I will alternate the image by turning it 180 degrees. So the repeated image is now a pair of leaves pointing in opposite directions.
I plan to layout the final design in quark express as I am familiar with the software.
Initially I tried to create the complete background by repeating the image in image boxes in quark, but having laid it out and carried out some test prints, the prints showed gaps in the background which were not visible in the quark layout screen. Trying to correct this turned in to a game of 'guess where the gap appears next'.
I decided that it would be quicker to create one image the size of the piece in photoshop. It took a bit of time to place and repeat to achieve it.
Next came the decision on incorporating the main element; the squash. Since studying them for the objective piece, I was taken by the view when looking straight down on them from above with the core in the centre. I decided that I would go for that idea.
I drew this line drawing and created an image file to 'fill in' in photoshop. I intended to add colour in the software. And perhaps play around with some simple effects to enhance the design.
I filled the image with colour and added an inner shadow for some depth to the shape. I cut out the image to separate it from its background so that the image I inserted in quark had a transparent background.
For the layout I will repeat the image but make the second smaller. A single squash looked a bit lost and adding another one slightly smaller adds depth to the design. Finishing off the piece with some text.
An early idea for a summer design.
Well as a potential background anyway, perhaps with the tomato group overlaid. I intended to redraw the group from my objective piece and to that end was idly playing with water colour when one of the test pieces gave me an idea.
A repeated pattern for the background similar to the leaf pattern from the autumn POS. However I can guess that this might impact on the plan to use a version of the tomato group in the foreground.
A couple of alternative ideas.
I started to look around for an alternative in a contrasting colour I think I may go for asparagus.
In the meantime having finished the background image
For text on the design I think that I will replace some blocks of the background with the text. I have already tried a few variations in Quark. Moving on...A new objective piece this time some asparagus.
I will use this actual image over the background I have created. This may be in the form of a picture post card giving a summer holiday feel. I am laying out the finished design in Quarkexpress passport from the elements already outlined here. The finished designs for both Autumn and summer POS displays will be pdfs and the links to the finished pieces are here.
POS display autumn
POS display summer
