In this assignment, we had to create a postcard that carries a youth theme. This assignment is also about colours so we are to explore different colour schemes before deciding on one that best fits the theme.
Postcard Assignment First Draft
Initially, I wasn’t really sure about what youth theme meant. Does it refer to events for youths? Within a week (to the critique session), I could only think of the upcoming Youth Olympic Games. Hence I created a series of postcards that features a diver and a quote about Excellence (one of the YOG values).
And here’s the front and back of my first attempt at creating a postcard.
During the critique session, my peers mentioned that the diver looks a little squashed. The font for the text is also not very appropriate and too much emphasis is placed on the words “Fast” and “Well”. For the back of the postcard, the font size for the wordings are also too large because small font size is sufficient since a postcard is read from close proximity.
Also, it may not be entirely clear that the man is a diver, so perhaps a diving board in the background would help.
The critique session also brought my attention to my peers’ works. I realised that youth theme need not only refer to youth events. They can include other youth issues like teenage pregnancy or dealing with exam stress.
Without limiting myself to only events, I googled for some of the key concerns or interests of youths these days and came across forum pages regarding the recent hype about NUS University Town (Click to find out more about UTown!). UTown is Singapore’s first University Town that is opening next year! :D
Preliminary Sketches
Here’s what I sketched out. It’s the silloutte of an undergraduate made up of other smaller things. They include academic stuff like a briefcase, notebook and pencils, sporting equipment such as a volleyball, rugby and whistle, and arts and cultural tools like a paintbrush and palette and piano keys.
I wanted to portray UTown as the the vibrant one-stop place to witness what the lifestyle of an undergraduate is like. It is… super packed with many many things!
Note that the protractor and set square forms the tie of the undergrad! :)
Researching
This time round, when colouring the postcard, I referenced to various colour wheels. For instance, there’s a colour wheel that seperates the warm from the cool colours, which makes it easier for me when I’m doing a warm colour scheme or a cool colour scheme. Aside from that, there is also a colour wheel for pastel colours to aid me in coming up with a pastel colour scheme for the postcard.
Colouring the Sketch
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Here’s the colour exploration for this assignment. Some of the colour schemes include warm colours, cool colours, pastel colours, bright colours, dull colours and the NUS school colours.
The Final Prototype
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Here’s the final prototype chosen! :)
Reflections
This assignment has helped me better understand colour theories and how if used effectively, colours can help to convey certain messages more efficiently. I’ve also come to understand how colours complement each other sometimes and contrast in other times. I’ve always thought that clashing colours is a no-no in art and design, but through the lecture and hands-on practice on this assignment, I realise it may not necessarily be true! Colours that are at the opposite ends of the colour wheel put together may bring glare to the eyes and achieve a certain desired effect that complementing colours cannot achieve.
In short, this assignment has taught me some of the colour theories I would otherwise not have known about, and at the same time cleared some misconceptions that I’ve had all these while.
