STAMP IT// Illustrator Maps Idea

 This is my second main idea for the stamps brief. This one aims to create a series of stamps which display various maps about the depletion of the earths resources and habitats with a message of positive reinforcement about what you could do. The first design, and they one I will take to the crit is a map of the hole in the Ozone layer.

 

 This is the image I used for the basis of my designs. It is a topographical representation of the size of the hole in our ozone layer. I traced over this carefully with a pen tool to achieve the correct shape for the stamps. 

This is the first design I have come up with. There are six but they are not to be confused for a full set of stamps, I one laid them out like this so that I could pick the best colours to more forward with. The stamps denomination is clearly labeled in huge numbers in the top right and the queen appears below. I also added a repeat pattern in the background which I need to consider the suitability of.

 I kept the dots for now but I altered the number and queen. Firstly the number was too overbearing on the stamp. Also the queens head must always appear at the top of the stamp and face inward towards the centre at all times...

 Taking away the pattern has improved the overall design massively, this new clean look is much better, but I feel that I should have made this decision before I sat down to design. The colours appear much richer like this and really stand out against the white stamp. 

I did a few more experiments with the background pattern to see of anything would look ok but at the end of the day the clean design wins hands down.

This second idea is winning me over at the moment because it is about something REAL. Its not some lame idea like the other one, suggesting something that no one will really listen too but it hammers a real life situation into the viewers face. I have to think about the suitability of the medium to deliver this message and maybe make the impact more subtle but then again, these stamps are suppose to be different and engaging.