January 2005 | Sparks

Creative process for January 2005 design
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Stage I Fritz Lang was one of the creative geniuses of the 20th century, directing such classics as the 1927 film Metropolis. So why does his quote seem so suitable for a 1950s design? We have no idea. We started experimenting with the quirky line art and jagged shapes typical of 1950s design and seized on KonTiki Enchanted, a typeface inspired by 1950s styles.		Stage II Stage I didn't give us much interplay between the type and "art," so we switched the background to a horizontal format. The type was too static for a '50s feel, so we put it on on curves, leading the eye through the composition. Fifties-style loopy "hand" shapes added more meaning but dominate the composition.


	Final We lightened the background to help the art become more prominent. We then changed the "hands" from white to tan in order to make them recede more. We enlarged the type and finessed its placement. For fun, we added a zingy icon in gen-yoo-wine '50s salmon in the upper right to balance the composition and to represent the "brain" portion of the quote. The loops and curves give the composition a whimsical feel, while the placement of elements creates dynamic diagonals across the page. A fun design for a great quote!