Spring 2023
The objective of this project was to create a graphic interpretation of an animal using design principles and to develop a structure that communicates the essential traits, physical and emotional, of the animal.
The creature mark was then incorporated into a new composition that relied on proportion and harmony, where I used a system of the Fibonacci Sequence as the underlying structure.
Research & Brainstorming
I began by researching the unique traits of a hummingbird in addition to the emotional attributes it is often associated with.
I also gathered reference images and sketched the different forms of a hummingbird. I wanted to communicate the hummingbird's small structure but nimble and charming nature.
This research helped me make informed decisions on the way I wanted to portray the hummingbird in addition to learning and creating its structure for my design.
Form Explorations
The main elements of a hummingbird that I chose to emphasize were the hummingbird's small size, gentle and graceful nature as a pollinator, and its overall charm. I structured the hummingbird's form focusing on these qualities. My third structure iteration showed the most promise on communicating these qualities effectively.
Interpretative Phrase
The next part of the project was to incorporate the creature mark of the hummingbird into a proportional composition.
I ended up using the same texture layer I used to create the fluttering wings of the hummingbird for the circles in the setting. I utilized the underlying Fibonacci Sequence structure to proportionally space out the flowers and circles to create flow around the hummingbird.
Color Application
I chose to use a variation of a primary color palette with a divergent blue, which was replaced with green, for my composition. I wanted to showcase the colorful and spring-like environment a hummingbird can normally be found in while creating visual cohesion and interest across the composition.
I modified my three colors by adjusting their tint, shade, and saturation in order to find the most visually interesting and coherent color palette for my composition.
