Graphic design created with a combination of traditional and digital methods.
I wanted to create graphic design without relying so heavily on computers. To practice, I redesigned the book cover for "The Great Gatsby" using the methods of drawing, photography, and type pressing.
The first image I came up with was confetti floating in a pool, seemingly after a night of partying, but also to foreshadow Gatsby's death. The confetti has pooled together to create a capital G, and its shadow in the water below is foreboding.
I initially started with a drawing of water, but decided on using cut paper instead. On top of water made of paper, I laid down a sheet of acetate and placed pieces of fabricated confetti on top. I held up the sheet of acetate to give the confetti a shadow, making it look more like paper floating in a pool.
My next concept came from the idea of Gatsby's parties being filled with a lot of alcohol (especially during the prohibition era). I wanted his name to be sinking in a champagne flute.
To achieve my desired look, I hand cut his name out of bristol and hung it from strings, while dramatically lighting it. I layered this photo with one of alcohol in a champagne flute, and edited them together in Photoshop.
For my final concept, I was less familiar with the act of type-pressing, so I mostly just wanted to experiment with different ways of getting the text to look like it was decaying. When I had letters that I was pleased with, I edited them in Photoshop (but left the text in-tact as it was.)