Quick sketch of stamp design

Stamp Design: Traditional & Modern Body Modification

These photos are examples of what I will be using for inspiration, for it is impossible for me to collect my own photographs of the members of the traditional foreign cultures.

This is an example of a photograph I have taken myself of a friend who is modified. Modern.

Essay

    In order to unify my design, I started by adding "repetition" around the border. Since my design is kind of busy, I felt that the border would tie everything together and add to the balance I created with the word "balance." In my original thumbnails, "repetition" was not used as a border, but once I started using photoshop, I liked the idea. I used large, bold, black print for "emphasis" to make it stand out. I think by placing "contrast" diagonal from "flow," it creates more balance because they were the busiest designs. I made "alignment" smaller to keep the focus on the top three words.

    I followed the rule of thirds in my design by keeping the most important words off-center. I made the "A" in "balance" lighter in color than the other letters to distract the eye away from it being in the center. I believe it works being in the center because it's only one letter and keeps the overall balance of the design.

    I manipulated the typography of each word to express what each word means. "Emphasis" is in simple black font, in capital letters and enlarged to draw the eye in. "Balance" and "repetition" pull the piece together. I made "balance" appear to sit in the background by changing the font to a lighter color. The "A" in the center is lighter than the rest of the word to take focus off of the center. For "repetition" I used the bullets in between the syllables to give it a unique design rather than just the type itself, and the word is repeated all the way around the whole design to give it repetition. For "contrast" I chose white font on a black background to emphasize the contrast element. Of the few ways I was thinking of portraying "contrast," this idea was overall my favorite. "Alignment" was originally at an angle because it was one of the last words I put into the design and I was having difficulty deciding where/how I wanted to place it in a way that wasn't awkward. It was originally put at an angle, but in my final design, I changed it back to its natural horizontal form, and I think it makes it easier on the eye. "Flow" was created by scanning my own design into photoshop. I think it adds a nice diversity to the design and made the word look exactly how I wanted it to. Overall I am happy with the design and I think it meets the criteria of the project and creates an easy eye path.

final design